Learned more Rivian Gen 2 tech updates / differences to Gen 1

[fleming23]

I stumbled onto this video, which I probably would not have watched...but it started playing and I wasn't initially paying attention until I started hearing things I had not heard or noticed previously. Mostly body shop and repair center focused, but interesting data points.

Examples I found in the video

• Gen 2 12v battery is now below the passenger seat instead of the frunk.
• Heater grid behind the front fascia to prevent the radar from getting frosted over in cold weather
• Charge port door actuator mounting changed to fasica instead of bumper (minor and not really something I care much about - but interesting

Sponsored

 

[mpshizzle]

• Gen 2 12v battery is now below the passenger seat instead of the frunk.

Did not know that... not a big deal. But that is a PITA if the 12v dies. 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee had the same and it's a PITA

 

[COdogman]

Doesn't a dead 12v often prevent access to the vehicle? At least in Gen 1 you can still attempt to "jump" it to unlock and get your stuff out.

 

[R1Tom]

Doesn't a dead 12v often prevent access to the vehicle? At least in Gen 1 you can still attempt to "jump" it to unlock and get your stuff out.

That is odd....really odd....

 

[fleming23]

Doesn't a dead 12v often prevent access to the vehicle? At least in Gen 1 you can still attempt to "jump" it to unlock and get your stuff out.

There are still jump leads in the rear, as has always been the case. They stated they added a positive post under the hood as well, but battery changes will require removal of passenger seat. Watch around the 4:25 mark of the video I shared.

 

[COdogman]

There are still jump leads in the rear, as has always been the case. They stated they added a positive post under the hood as well, but battery changes will require removal of passenger seat. Watch around the 4:25 mark of the video I shared.

Yeah, they explain it fairly well in the video. Sounds like it is just as "convenient" as it was before with the post in the frunk area.

 

[CaseyH]

Wow. So per that video they will also be using Gen 2 replacement parts on Gen 1 repairs going forward. This would seem to indicate some of the Gen 2 parts are able to be retrofitted to the Gen 1. They use the Front End Module (FEM) as an example but its not clear if the Gen 2 FEM includes the Gen 2 Lightbar or not.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

No more sheet aluminum. Mostly conventional and high strength steel. The use of advance high strength steel to replace conventional in gen1 tells me that made some worthy changes.

 

[Morphine]

Wow. So per that video they will also be using Gen 2 replacement parts on Gen 1 repairs going forward. This would seem to indicate some of the Gen 2 parts are able to be retrofitted to the Gen 1. They use the Front End Module (FEM) as an example but its not clear if the Gen 2 FEM includes the Gen 2 Lightbar or not.

Also looks like they cold retrofit a NACS connector quite easily in Gen 2 vehicles given that it's a separate piece from the whole harness.

 

[R1TFTW]

It battery was lithium ion it wouldn’t be so bad. Wouldn’t really have to worry about it… that being said… it’s probably not

 

[CaseyH]

Found another video about Rivian Certified Collision Repair Network (). One thing I had not heard before is they mention Rivian is also working on establishing a third-party, certified service center network. That would be awesome if they could start getting certified third-party service centers to supplement the Rivian ones.

 

[SeaGeo]

This may be my favorite post in a long time.

 

[BrayBay]

I'm not expert service repair technician, but I am still not understanding the rationale for the 12V battery being under the passenger seat. The whole video is talking about making the repair process easier, but seems like that is a lot more difficult to physically remove a seat when the battery dies.

Maybe I'm old fashioned and just want to replace the battery myself by popping the hood, loosening some nuts, and swapping the battery in a few minutes. This new design seems like it forces you to go to a service center.

The video mostly talks about Gen2, but with all the cost efficiencies being developed I'm guessing these design choices will be consistent with R2/R3/R3X?

 

[kenyee]

not understanding the rationale for the 12V battery being under the passenger seat

It's expected to be replaced every 2-3 yrs and now you have to remove an entire seat to get to it?

 

[R1Tom]

It's expected to be replaced every 2-3 yrs and now you have to remove an entire seat to get to it?

This has to be the single biggest bad decision in this vehicle. Imagine the added cost of removing the seat and reinstalling.

Not to mention if the battery has a short.....then the jump process won't work....and then how is it accessed? Break a window?

This alone could be a deal breaker for me.

The 12v battery should be ridiculously easy to get to.....not ridiculously hard to get to considering the failures and how they completely disable the vehicle.

Sponsored