What We Know - Collecting Information Directly From Rivian

[cohall]

I didn’t know they were going to offer that as a feature originally anyways so it doesn’t bother me. As long as it doesn’t slam down when I open it I don’t care if I have to manually open and close it.

You should be all set then. Based on videos we've seen, you depress a button on the bed rail and the tailgate slowly lowers down to the 90 degree open position.

This discussion is more focused around the promised 180 degree drop-down and powered open/close.

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[acacia328]

My definition of undamped is it freely opens and closes with no resistance. My Silverado if I pull the handle and let go, it will slam open. Damped would have a gas shock or some other damping effect for a "soft" open.

Here is the definition from FCA's Ram 2021 specs.

FULLY DAMPENED TAILGATE. The aluminum tailgate has an available built-in damper to lower the tailgate slowly without it needing to be held. The damper also assists in closing the tailgate, so less force is needed to raise it.

I just asked about this again and I was told that information was coming. I also asked about the ability to simply release the tailgate from the keyfob, app and UI in addition to the bed rail release. This should require it to be dampened but I got the same answer of more information is coming.

 

[MReda]

Here is the definition from FCA's Ram 2021 specs.

FULLY DAMPENED TAILGATE.

I interpret this to mean it comes pre-moistened from the factory.

 

[jimcgov3]

My definition of undamped is it freely opens and closes with no resistance. My Silverado if I pull the handle and let go, it will slam open. Damped would have a gas shock or some other damping effect for a "soft" open.

Here is the definition from FCA's Ram 2021 specs.

FULLY DAMPENED TAILGATE. The aluminum tailgate has an available built-in damper to lower the tailgate slowly without it needing to be held. The damper also assists in closing the tailgate, so less force is needed to raise it.

Correct. I’m not talking about damping. I’m talking about powered.

 

[DucRider]

I'm not a pre-order customer with a wish list. Im a pre-order customer that wants what was offered to me 6 months ago. The vehicle advertised 6 months ago is VERY different from the vehicle offered today.

I don't recall that many details being present on the website before the configurator (and even today there is the disclaimer that specs may change before production). I'm surprised that you are surprised that the production spec vehicle has changed significantly. Kind of the whole point of extensive testing and production validation.
If it's not the vehicle you want or are hoping for, then move on. Whining on a forum is unlikely to change Rivians mind about features they dropped for manufacturing/reliability/price re't, won't.asons. They will build the truck that they feel fits their intent while balancing all the other factors in producing/selling a vehicle. People that want it will buy it. People that don't, will move along.
"Options, specs and pricing may change as we approach production" is still on the website. Not a single feature was guaranteed when you placed your deposit. Nothing was actually being offered then, nor is anything finalized today. Only when you are asked to convert your reservation to an actual order will any specific features/pricing be locked in. It has become apparent that you will not be able to order the vehicle you were hoping would be produced.
The vehicle is getting a bit "watered down" as they figure our how to take a concept vehicle into production. This is normal and I, for one, fully expected it. If they worked to include everything on the concept vehicle, it would be many years away from production (think Model X and the Falcon wing doors).

 

[Canthoney]

You should be all set then. Based on videos we've seen, you depress a button on the bed rail and the tailgate slowly lowers down to the 90 degree open position.

This discussion is more focused around the promised 180 degree drop-down and powered open/close.

That would be cool, but I understand why they took it out. Definitely should have set the expectations that this is a new company and a lot of this cool stuff that we showed on our concepts vehicles may or may not make it to production. I like Rivian and can’t wait for my R1T but they need to communicate more openly.

 

[Lucanjo]

You should be all set then. Based on videos we've seen, you depress a button on the bed rail and the tailgate slowly lowers down to the 90 degree open position.

Has there been any confirmation on this? I really don't mind having a non-powered tailgate. I see it more as a novelty that is cool but doesn't have much practical use and also something expensive to break. I haven't really thought about it much but if there was a way to remotely disengage the tailgate and have it slowly lower that would be all I would want.

 

[ElectricDan]

I don't recall that many details being present on the website before the configurator (and even today there is the disclaimer that specs may change before production). I'm surprised that you are surprised that the production spec vehicle has changed significantly. Kind of the whole point of extensive testing and production validation.
If it's not the vehicle you want or are hoping for, then move on. Whining on a forum is unlikely to change Rivians mind about features they dropped for manufacturing/reliability/price re't, won't.asons. They will build the truck that they feel fits their intent while balancing all the other factors in producing/selling a vehicle. People that want it will buy it. People that don't, will move along.
"Options, specs and pricing may change as we approach production" is still on the website. Not a single feature was guaranteed when you placed your deposit. Nothing was actually being offered then, nor is anything finalized today. Only when you are asked to convert your reservation to an actual order will any specific features/pricing be locked in. It has become apparent that you will not be able to order the vehicle you were hoping would be produced.
The vehicle is getting a bit "watered down" as they figure our how to take a concept vehicle into production. This is normal and I, for one, fully expected it. If they worked to include everything on the concept vehicle, it would be many years away from production (think Model X and the Falcon wing doors).

Again this is my frustration with Rivian's communications. Rivian tries to have their cake and eat it too. Rivian boasts about how they were operating in stealth mode for a decade, making the decisions, getting things in order, doing the testing, securing the facility, ect, then only revealing the vehicles when everything was ready. Then when you ask them a meaningful question they say oh we don't have that quite figured out yet.

On one hand you have Brian Gase showcasing the vehicles and explicitly saying hey these aren't concept vehicles these are production-intent prototypes, what you see here will be delivered to customers at the end of 2020. Then on the other hand you have a steady leak of information on these forums of a new feature being dropped almost weekly.

I can care less what type of legal boilerplate Rivian puts on their website to say "hey things can change." My issue is Rivian is making a series of small changes that are becoming rather large as a collective. At the same time Rivian is doing a very poor job at communicating these changes to preorders.

I mean we're 4 months out from deliveries and they just told us the tailgate isn't going to be electrically driven. What if in 2 months they tell us "hey we need to get rid of the gear tunnel because its creating too much complexity and cost in our manufacturing," or "hey sorry adventurers but we had to take the U-turn on Tank Turn, it stressed the vehicles too much and we want to make sure you can keep your vehicles adventuring forever!" I feel like they could do both of these and there would still be fanboys out here that say well "you should expect changes" or "If the R1T isn't for you buy something else." Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Rivian said "hey were switching from BEV to ICE for blah blah blah, that some people still wouldn't call out Rivian on that!

The irony of this whole thing is Rivian operates on the whole "undersell, overdeliver" mantra. Aside from an unappreciable change in increasing in HP and torque, I have yet to see any overdelivering.

I don't know if I'd ever notice, use or appreciate the increase in HP or torque, but i would use the level 3 autonomy, powered tailgate, and electro-chromatic roof on daily basis.

You can call it whining, I'll call it keeping Rivian accountable for their communications to prospective customers.

 

[jjwolf120]

I mean we're 4 months out from deliveries and they just told us the tailgate isn't going to be electrically driven.

I believe this was known in November.

 

[jimcgov3]

I believe this was known in November.

We knew on 16 November that the 180º tailgate was killed. NOT the powered tailgate. It was even included in some of the original photos before they pulled them...

 

[Jay]

For a moment I thought this thread was dead. Good to see this one active

 

[drhnbtx]

Apologies if this has already been discussed. In a chat today with Jennifer regarding auto high beam feature she stated:

"I don't have any information on the auto high beam function but have just sent a request to get some more language on it. I can share that they are dynamic LED headlamps so they will move in the direction of the vehicle to keep your path lit."

I had the dynamic headlamps in a previous vehicle and think it is a great feature. The headlights would move left or right x degrees with left or right steering input. It made twisty road night driving a much better experience for me.

 

[MReda]

Apologies if this has already been discussed. In a chat today with Jennifer regarding auto high beam feature she stated:

"I don't have any information on the auto high beam function but have just sent a request to get some more language on it. I can share that they are dynamic LED headlamps so they will move in the direction of the vehicle to keep your path lit."

I had the dynamic headlamps in a previous vehicle and think it is a great feature. The headlights would move left or right x degrees with left or right steering input. It made twisty road night driving a much better experience for me.

That's interesting about the dynamic headlights.

Her answer about auto high beams is surprising because the web site says it is going to be included.

 

[sevengroove]

Just my opinion, but I enjoy my tesla without CarPlay vs my wife's Yukon with CarPlay. the Yukon is getting the boot once the R1S arrives. While I miss Waze in the Tesla primarily, they've integrated Spotify well at this point. An update last year made a big improvement from their first attempt. OTA updates are so critical for Rivian to work out the inventible bugs in the UI.

I think you bring up a really important distinction here - it's between Tesla and "the rest". Tesla is a tech company that prioritizes software heavily, which is why I imagine you are happy with the experience in your Tesla despite not having CarPlay/Android Auto. All other manufacturers, however, have been doing a downright crappy job in comparison with their software. I have a 2019 Lexus - forget about CarPlay/AA, it does not even have navigation baked in. It requires me to download an unheard-of app called Scout something or the other on my phone and then purports to use that to offer navigation. That's the baseline for me (and most other folks, I imagine). I firmly expect Rivian to follow Tesla's path in terms of a software-heavy focus to deliver an infotainment system worthy of being released in 2021, which is why I'm not too worried about the lack of CarPlay/AA integration. But I do support the inclusion of that feature from the viewpoint of consumer choice.

Edit: I didn't realize this post was from Jan, so apologies for derailing the current conv. Carry on .

 

[Pedritho]

Apologies if this has already been discussed. In a chat today with Jennifer regarding auto high beam feature she stated:

"I don't have any information on the auto high beam function but have just sent a request to get some more language on it. I can share that they are dynamic LED headlamps so they will move in the direction of the vehicle to keep your path lit."

I had the dynamic headlamps in a previous vehicle and think it is a great feature. The headlights would move left or right x degrees with left or right steering input. It made twisty road night driving a much better experience for me.

Hope the respective fog lights illuminate when the steering wheel is turned that direction too.