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Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them?

jfrench

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What are the collective thoughts from the members here?

Does anyone think it will be possible to buy just the skateboard and put it under another body? Will the conversion with the electrical hardware and pedals, steering, cluster and touchscreen be too complicated to meld with an older body?

I'm a vintage Toyota Land Cruiser guy and would love to put an old school body on the skateboard, aerodynamics and range be damned!

Wheelbase, track width and making the body "look right" on the skateboard would be a tall order as well.

Flame and/or discuss away...

Rivian R1T R1S Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them? 1586541344256


Rivian R1T R1S Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them? 1586540929550


Rivian R1T R1S Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them? 1586541077802

Rivian R1T R1S Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them? 1586541127234
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timf

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I can't imagine Rivian selling an unfinished chassis to the general public. Your best hope would be buying a salvage vehicle for conversion as people have done with Teslas.
 

Pherdnut

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Interesting idea. I would think center of gravity for the different chassis designs might be a problem though. An ICE drive-train needs to be a lot higher than an EV. Even if Rivian was game, you might find your old chassis getting tore up in ways that never happened before. I am not even remotely an expert on automotive engineering, however so take that with an ocean of salt. Edit: that is a handsome landcruiser.
 
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jfrench

jfrench

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I can't imagine Rivian selling an unfinished chassis to the general public. Your best hope would be buying a salvage vehicle for conversion as people have done with Teslas.
Well, hopefully an early reservation holder gets a rig and safely totals it so the skateboard will be available, otherwise I'll be waiting a LONG time...

Interesting idea. I would think center of gravity for the different chassis designs might be a problem though. An ICE drive-train needs to be a lot higher than an EV. Even if Rivian was game, you might find your old chassis getting tore up in ways that never happened before. I am not even remotely an expert on automotive engineering, however so take that with an ocean of salt. Edit: that is a handsome landcruiser.
I know RJ has mentioned in previous interviews the idea of using the bones of Rivian for just this type of thing but I gathered it was more of a musing. To be clear, it would have to be the entire Rivian chassis and drivetrain installed under a different body. NO way I would want someone to try to integrate batteries and electric motors into an old chassis. You'd lose all the R&D and what stands to be a radical driving experience go backwards to leave springs or coil suspension, etc.

Just kicking around ideas...ain't gonna happen in the near future. And yes, those cruisers are quite handsome. Here's the one I actually own, with a wheelbase much too short to even consider a Rivian skateboard chassis conversion:

Rivian R1T R1S Skateboard chassis for EV conversions...will Rivian sell them? 1586624430338


Some other interesting vintage EV conversions:

https://www.icon4x4.com/derelict/pastprojects/33

https://www.icon4x4.com/derelict/pastprojects/37
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