Official Rivian Email: A Look Ahead to 2023. Rivian Membership cancelled and unbundled into subscription services

[HokieR1T]

Without knowing the details it is difficult to comment on all aspects. The "Membership" to me always read as 1 year of ownership. The part that gets me is many of us have never felt like a Member from day one. No Rivian gatherings in this part of the country, not even a test drive. the first Rivian I ever saw was when the delivery driver arrived at my house. More service centers doesn't help me (I realize this is due to NC's strong dealer lobby - but a SC in SW Virginia near Fancy Gap could easily service Charlotte, The Triad, and Western NC). A big part of Rivian's appeal was the community. I see from the message board that some parts of the country gets to see that aspect. Most of us don't. I feel no connection to Rivian as a company. I simply own one. Maybe I was expecting too much. For those of you near RAN stations, and the Hub space, or even Service Centers, I hope you enjoy it. You are fortunate it in this ownership experience.

Work on RAN stations in this part of the country started as far back as a year ago. Then it stopped. I have little hope that any of these will be completed by the end of April. At least Rivian owners in my area have a possibility of obtaining a free charge under the Membership umbrella this year. Many parts of the country are even farther behind. A better solution would be a set number of free or trial kWh hours at a RAN station.

I was expecting to start paying for LTE in May, one year after I took ownership. So at least I don't have to concern myself with that till the end of the year.

As for other possibilities like Drive Mode, Driver Assist, Lighting options et al. I'm not knowledgable enough to comment at this point. I do think if Rivian goes too far it will hurt the company. My wife has recently purchased a new car, and I spent many hours researching the available options. There are a lot of vehicles on the market that offer items and convenience Rivian can't. I'm not sure I would purchase a Rivian again over some other options both EV and Ice. She did quickly rule out a Rivian on her list. It wasn't even a consideration.

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[Dark-Fx]

This could be something like a new mode with existing hardware

Maybe the real reason we don't have tank turn yet is Rivian intended on sticking it behind a paywall.

Edit: 50 cents per full revolution!

 

[R1Sky Business]

I just tested this and it does NOT work to play media. After consulting the manual, the 2 USB ports in the console are indeed for data use, but right now that is restricted to store data from the gear guard video recordings.

Perhaps many of us should submit improvement requests to Rivian. What is the exact process for this?

You're looking at it.

 

[AdamUCF]

The more I think about this, the more irritated I get..


Can someone please provide an example of another manufacturer that has taken features that were in the car at launch and turned them into subscriptions post sale?

There are indeed examples of fixed-length subscriptions that are disclosed explicitly up front. Common ones are complimentary free charging (time or KW), Sirius XM radio, hotspot data, and in the case of Tesla, Premium connectivity. With these - EVERY SINGLE ONE - you have a clear understanding of A) what is included, and B) the length of the term.


What is mind blowing here is that we know neither. This could be benign - hotspot and RAN changing - or it could be more substantive - performance modes, Driver+, remote connectivity via the app, and/or all data to the car at a redorkulous price.

It's totally absurd and avoidable, and it's almost like the comms department have learned absolutely nothing from the series of debacles last year.

I may be overly generous but I think we should all chill a tiny bit until we know more. It's asinine that they would put out an email with so few details (par for the course I know). But the information that is in it very much implies charging, RAN, and new features are what are going to be charged for. Rivian has been far from perfect but they've been pretty reasonable and perhaps generous with things like honoring the pre-order pricing when they definitely didn't have to. They've also shown a propensity to copy tesla so I would assume that's what they're going to do with this as well (free basic connectivity, paid extended connectivity, not requiring payment for basic car functionality). They would absolutely be sued and investigated by state and federal government if they tried to take away stuff.

Since I took delivery in June I've no longer had to really put up with the awful communications from Rivian but this email brought all those emotions flooding back. I feel for everyone waiting for their vehicles.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220927222505/https://rivian.com/experience/membership

They took the page down but the internet remembers.

The current substantive things mentioned (aka not "experiences")

1. RAN
2. LTE
3. off-Roadside Assistance
4. Charge assurance

Future...

1. drive modes
2. enhanced vehicle capabilities
3. in-cabin content

It also says "Once you get your vehicle, membership will be complimentary for a trial period. After that, you can opt into paid membership." I fully expect them to continue offering a free trial to new vehicles. It makes too much business sense not to.

 

[R1Tom]

My own personal feeling, is I was all in on the brand...to point of thinking from here forward, a new Rivian or even 2(wife won't give up Jeep) every 3-4 years.

But...the combination of Rivians behavior and what looks like some compelling options on the way from competitors, my commitment to "All Rivians Forward"...is at a minimum...wavering...

Time will tell....but I suspect I am not only one feeling this way.

 

[Ralph]

In early December I was told by Rivian/Nationwide rep that the off-road insurance will end after the first year and would be convert to a subscription model. Since I will not likely off-road soon, I neglected to ask when that year starts/ends.

So yeah, this will be subscription.

Another interesting thing she said is that it was "official": If you have insurance with Rivian/Nationwide and your R1T gets totaled, you get to go to the shop "immediately". We discussed this on two separate occasions and in the second she re-confirmed that this had been passed by legal and upper management, passed by legal and that it would be public "very soon".

 

[Milermore]

Oh I remember that! Honestly I’m fine with it. And every carmaker is going to be doing this so I don’t see the point in hammering Rivian for something everyone else will be doing in short order. And I can choose whether I want to pay for Driver + or not (I won’t).

But once again there is confusion around Rivian’s communications, which is just par for the course. Seems like this announcement could have at least come with some actual menu of features we will be able to choose from Instead of just telling us that we will be paying and still not knowing for what exactly.

I wonder if Tony really exists. Or is just a fictional character Rivian pulls out when they have to send unpleasant info.
"Bad news, team, we're going to have to send another Tony email. Write up a concise, informative email, then strip out half the important content and add a couple more lines of fluff and vague promises and send it out."

 

[COdogman]

I wonder if Tony really exists. Or is just a fictional character Rivian pulls out when they have to send unpleasant info.
"Bad news, team, we're going to have to send another Tony email. Write up a concise, informative email, then strip out half the important content and add a couple more lines of fluff and vague promises and send it out."

A couple weeks ago someone used Chatgpt to simulate a Rivian email and it pretty much nailed it. So I think you might be correct And they just hire an actor for any public appearances.

 

[GHuff]

Dear Rivian Owners,

When we bought our Rivian's, the understanding of buying a brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacturer was that it might not be perfect Day 1, but things would improve over time. This goes for software updates, drive modes, phone app, roadside service, mobile service, etc.

Every software update thus far has improved the vehicle...whether it be added Snow Mode, Kneel Mode, more app controls, Halloween Mode, Vampire Drain issues, etc. I think it's fair that these type of improvements and additional features were very much expected for free as part of owning a Rivian.

It is not remotely fair or reasonable to "grandfather in" the vehicle "as-is" today and start charging for additional options/improvements to the vehicle going forward as part of a BS Membership.

Every aspect of the vehicle and Rivian customer service and experience was expected to IMPROVE. That is what we were promised. We should not be paying for those improvements! Period

The reason we were willing to purchase the vehicle when we did is because Rivian promised to improve over time. That is the nature of buying a computer on wheels and willing to give up every single data point of your life over to Rivian and Amazon. In exchange for zero privacy, they are expected to use some of that data to improve your experience and the vehicle. (Side note: if users do not choose to pay for Rivian Membership in the future, they should also be able to stop unwanted sharing of data).

If we were told that from the day we purchase the vehicle, you are on your own...no more OTA updates, no improvements on drive modes or vehicle performance, no phone app, , no RAN, etc. (other than obvious errors and safety issues), I imagine very few of us would have moved forward with the purchase when we did. Rivian promised us a RAN network. That was an expectation when buying a Rivan. It basically doesn't exist today. Rivian has promised (advertised) future drive modes and being able to listen to music via Spotify and use Gear Guard, a highly integrated app, and even the owner events are social events. All of these features and improvements are heavily marketed by Rivian and are expected with your vehicle purchase.

We should not have to pay for a Rivian iPhone app, even if they add features to that app that improve your experience. Why? Because we all knew the app was not 100% when it was delivered. It lacked basic features. And it still does! It was very much expected and implied that the vehicle and app would improve, and for that reason, customers should go ahead and make their purchase today.

IF they delivered a 100% flawless vehicle and app and software Day 1, this would be different. But they didn't. That's not the nature of this business or a start-up. They had to get vehicles out the door and get real world data.

Of course, additional SERVICES like off-road vehicle extraction and even LTE for ADDITIONAL features can and should be extra charges. But we absolutely should not have to pay for LTE for basic vehicle improvements (OTA updates) or access to Spotify or Maps. Now, if you want to stream Netflix and that requires LTE, I think that is a reasonable upcharge.

TLDR: Improvements to the vehicle, app, and overall ownership experience were expected and promised. That is why we all bought the vehicle from a new manufacturer when we did. It was very much implied by Rivian that lots of things would improve over time, and for that reason, we should go ahead make our purchase today. Rivian needs to be very careful what the put behind paywalls and start charging for in the future.

 

[COdogman]

I wonder if Tony really exists. Or is just a fictional character Rivian pulls out when they have to send unpleasant info.
"Bad news, team, we're going to have to send another Tony email. Write up a concise, informative email, then strip out half the important content and add a couple more lines of fluff and vague promises and send it out."

A couple weeks ago someone used Chatgpt to simulate a Rivian email and it pretty much nailed it. So I think you might be correct And they just hire an actor for any public appearances.

Found it. Credit to @Dark-Fx for exposing Rivian’s diabolical plan.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/chatgpt-responds.10957/

 

[dleewla]

Without knowing the details it is difficult to comment on all aspects. The "Membership" to me always read as 1 year of ownership. The part that gets me is many of us have never felt like a Member from day one. No Rivian gatherings in this part of the country, not even a test drive. the first Rivian I ever saw was when the delivery driver arrived at my house. More service centers doesn't help me (I realize this is due to NC's strong dealer lobby - but a SC in SW Virginia near Fancy Gap could easily service Charlotte, The Triad, and Western NC). A big part of Rivian's appeal was the community. I see from the message board that some parts of the country gets to see that aspect. Most of us don't. I feel no connection to Rivian as a company. I simply own one. Maybe I was expecting too much. For those of you near RAN stations, and the Hub space, or even Service Centers, I hope you enjoy it. You are fortunate it in this ownership experience.

Work on RAN stations in this part of the country started as far back as a year ago. Then it stopped. I have little hope that any of these will be completed by the end of April. At least Rivian owners in my area have a possibility of obtaining a free charge under the Membership umbrella this year. Many parts of the country are even farther behind. A better solution would be a set number of free or trial kWh hours at a RAN station.

I was expecting to start paying for LTE in May, one year after I took ownership. So at least I don't have to concern myself with that till the end of the year.

As for other possibilities like Drive Mode, Driver Assist, Lighting options et al. I'm not knowledgable enough to comment at this point. I do think if Rivian goes too far it will hurt the company. My wife has recently purchased a new car, and I spent many hours researching the available options. There are a lot of vehicles on the market that offer items and convenience Rivian can't. I'm not sure I would purchase a Rivian again over some other options both EV and Ice. She did quickly rule out a Rivian on her list. It wasn't even a consideration.

the closest thing to making folks feel like members is probably the Hub. the one in Venice is pretty cool but honestly its not that much different that going to a car dealer except you dont feel any pressure because they dont have vehicles on the lot to purchase. and once you purchase, why would you visit the Hub?

membership, or community, up till now is really only taking place on forums like this, social media and Rivian Stories and thats all customer driven. i can see why Tony C. leverages RS to share info because all the heavy lifting is done by those guys and the community.

hopefully Rivian have something substantial to share on 1/16/23 about Membership to get many of us back on board cause this latest email was yet another PR disaster.

 

[AdamUCF]

membership, or community, up till now is really only taking place on forums like this, social media and Rivian Stories and thats all customer driven. i can see why Tony C. leverages RS to share info because all the heavy lifting is done by those guys and the community.

It's community driven but it's cool that they're participating. I know they've given swag to local groups for prizes at meetups n stuff. Also nice that you've got a high ranking employee working Reddit to help people diagnose and resolve issues. Not sure the same can be said for other automakers.

 

[Marchin_MTB]

Dear Rivian Owners,

When we bought our Rivian's, the understanding of buying a brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacturer was that it might not be perfect Day 1, but things would improve over time. This goes for software updates, drive modes, phone app, roadside service, mobile service, etc.

Every software update thus far has improved the vehicle...whether it be added Snow Mode, Kneel Mode, more app controls, Halloween Mode, Vampire Drain issues, etc. I think it's fair that these type of improvements and additional features were very much expected for free as part of owning a Rivian.

It is not remotely fair or reasonable to "grandfather in" the vehicle "as-is" today and start charging for additional options/improvements to the vehicle going forward as part of a BS Membership.

Every aspect of the vehicle and Rivian customer service and experience was expected to IMPROVE. That is what we were promised. We should not be paying for those improvements! Period

The reason we were willing to purchase the vehicle when we did is because Rivian promised to improve over time. That is the nature of buying a computer on wheels and willing to give up every single data point of your life over to Rivian and Amazon. In exchange for zero privacy, they are expected to use some of that data to improve your experience and the vehicle. (Side note: if users do not choose to pay for Rivian Membership in the future, they should also be able to stop unwanted sharing of data).

If we were told that from the day we purchase the vehicle, you are on your own...no more OTA updates, no improvements on drive modes or vehicle performance, no phone app, , no RAN, etc. (other than obvious errors and safety issues), I imagine very few of us would have moved forward with the purchase when we did. Rivian promised us a RAN network. That was an expectation when buying a Rivan. It basically doesn't exist today. Rivian has promised (advertised) future drive modes and being able to listen to music via Spotify and use Gear Guard, a highly integrated app, and even the owner events are social events. All of these features and improvements are heavily marketed by Rivian and are expected with your vehicle purchase.

We should not have to pay for a Rivian iPhone app, even if they add features to that app that improve your experience. Why? Because we all knew the app was not 100% when it was delivered. It lacked basic features. And it still does! It was very much expected and implied that the vehicle and app would improve, and for that reason, customers should go ahead and make their purchase today.

IF they delivered a 100% flawless vehicle and app and software Day 1, this would be different. But they didn't. That's not the nature of this business or a start-up. They had to get vehicles out the door and get real world data.

Of course, additional SERVICES like off-road vehicle extraction and even LTE for ADDITIONAL features can and should be extra charges. But we absolutely should not have to pay for LTE for basic vehicle improvements (OTA updates) or access to Spotify or Maps. Now, if you want to stream Netflix and that requires LTE, I think that is a reasonable upcharge.

TLDR: Improvements to the vehicle, app, and overall ownership experience were expected and promised. That is why we all bought the vehicle from a new manufacturer when we did. It was very much implied by Rivian that lots of things would improve over time, and for that reason, we should go ahead make our purchase today. Rivian needs to be very careful what the put behind paywalls and start charging for in the future.

Agreed. Please send to RJ.

 

[Arky]

The value to Rivian of us providing a continuous stream of real telematics data from the “fleet” of day-to-day driving to feed their data analytics systems is well worth the cost to them of providing owners with basic connectivity in exchange, IMHO.

Yeah if they're going to charge me for the modem I'm disconnecting this thing from my own wifi - they can pay for all the data they want to send back to the mothership. I'm not paying another sub for data when I literally carry a phone everywhere, I'll just switch to a car that lets me use that.

 

[dleewla]

It's community driven but it's cool that they're participating. I know they've given swag to local groups for prizes at meetups n stuff. Also nice that you've got a high ranking employee working Reddit to help people diagnose and resolve issues. Not sure the same can be said for other automakers.

true, good points

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