Who is Buying This Vehicle?

[orionexp]

I drive mostly pavement, but need the clearance for forest roads nearby. I currently have a 6 year old Prius and a 20 year old Toyota Tacoma 2WD. Prius clearance is the worst, thats why I bought the old Tacoma. Looking forward to R1T in January. I put in early enough to get one fairly quickly I hope. I'm assuming many of those ahead of me are getting the launch edition in June and that should help. Looking forward to the AWD, some of the forest roads are in pretty nasty shape, and we can get up to a month of snow on the roads here. This winter not bad though.

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[ravian]

Looking to replace my 11 year old minivan. Cross shopping between the R1S and the Pacifica hybrid. Zero plans of taking it off-road. Just want to go more green than a traditional ICE 7 seater vehicle.

 

[Atlrivian]

R1T will replace my Grand Cherokee as my daily driver. I would like to be able to take this weekend camping in north Georgia and drive up most of the high clearance forest roads. Within 30mi of the national forest there are hardly any level 2 chargers, let allow DCFC. I'd like to be able to drive the 175+ mile round trip and drive some of the high clearance roads without worrying about recharging. At present going with the max pack, as I think this would be difficult to make the trip if the truck was fully loaded with tent, mountain bikes, etc without it

 

[hola29]

I can give you my rationale if it helps. First, I never want to buy a new ICE vehicle again. I like capable vehicles - great on-road, off-road a little, snow, lots of stowage. The ICE options are Land Rover, Range Rover, Jeep, Toyota, GMC, etc blah blah.

Rivian 0-60 3.0 seconds - blows them out of the water.
Rivian 4 independent motors for traction and not getting stuck
Rivian low center of gravity
Rivian self-driving capabilities
Adjustable ride-height for performance and off-road
Towing 7k+ pounds
Rivian, the big one, is fully electric

There is just not a car made in the world that checks those boxes. It is a luxury off-road capable SUV - Tesla Model X is not that. The challenge is the wait and a 1.0 car from a 1.0 company. But I am willing to work with Rivian to iron them out and hopefully not a lot.

Really excited to take delivery of mine.

I have been with Tesla since 2012 and am currently considering moving to Rivian for a few reasons. I just sold my Tesla Model X in anticipation of upgrading to the newest version. But, there have been tons of delays with zero communication from Tesla, which has prompted me to start looking at the competitors.

The first thing I really want to answer is whether or not this car is for me? Based on Rivian's marketing materials and website content, it appears that the R1S is being built for those seeking offroad adventures.... Is anyone considering buying this vehicle as a daily driver? There are lots of offroad capable SUV's out there that are typically used for daily commutes, carpools, etc. Does this vehicle fit that category?

I put a deposit down and don't mind waiting until January, but without having an opportunity to drive (let alone see) an R1S, it's hard for me to determine if this vehicle makes sense for me. If you are a reservation holder, did you commit to Rivian because of the offroad capabilities? Conversely, do you plan to use this in a mostly urban, daily driver scenario?

Seems like a silly line of questions, but I am still trying to wrap my head around whether or not this vehicle is for me. I have owned either a Tesla Model S or X for years and love the performance and handling of a Tesla. Among other potential upsides, an R1S is significantly cheaper than the Model X I am currently considering.

 

[Whmorken]

Great starting comments and question. The first quality/off-road/performance/computer guided EV vehicles on earth — yes, Rivian is a historic first. LIving in the heart of the Tetons where weather and terrain are instantly changeable, where around the next corner comes a surprise, a man, bike, bear, elk, or moose; and where we have to travel miles and miles on highways to get anywhere; yes, double yes, the R1T or R1S look practical and extraordinarily exciting. As they say, in some locations like mine, driving a Rivian is a no-brainer. But there is something else going on here and now. Rivian‘s will simply be fun to drive anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Fun, fun, and more fun.

 

[Jemel]

As with many others here, this will also be my daily driver.

I currently have a Tesla Model 3, and while I love the car, I really miss the capabilities of the 4Runner it replaced. It’s very low ride height makes it difficult to get in and out at times, as well as a rock magnet on highways and incapable of negotiating all but the slightest of snowfalls (though it does great in ice). It also has little cargo space and so can’t transport all that much.

I originally got it because at the time I was driving about 90 miles per day, and as efficient as the 4Runner was for its size and type, I still had to refuel it 2-3 times per week.

So for me the R1S is the perfect cross between what I like in the Model 3 and what I like in the 4Runner, along with a better appointed interior.

 

[TeslaToRivian]

Tons of great thoughts in this thread. I am still in limbo (prior Model S and X owner with a deposit on both Rivian and new Model X), but leaning towards Rivian.

One of my considerations is how big the car feels. My prior Model X felt like it drove like a small SUV. I am currently driving a Denali XL until I get either a Rivian or Tesla. The Denali obviously feels massive.

One thing I would say, having driven a Tesla for years, electric tends to feel "smaller" regardless of dimensions in part because of the balanced weight. Without a big, heavy engine in the front, their is no top-heavy feeling. When coming to a stop, you don't feel the inertia from the big engine trying to slow down with the rest of the car. It feels like the whole vehicle accelerates and slows down as a single unit. Kind of hard to describe, but the even weight distribution makes driving a lot more enjoyable and smoother.

All that said, based on the R1S dimensions, how do you expect it to "feel" size-wise? What ICE would you compare it to?

 

[Trandall]

Has there been any mention of production start for the small (105KW) battery pack with 230 miles? I noticed it's not in the configurator and I'm wondering if the option gets dropped for lack of interest. I haven't noticed a single post of anyone disappointed it's not offered yet. Would anyone want it for $5K less? Figured this thread was as good as any for this post.

 

[TessP100D]

Tons of great thoughts in this thread. I am still in limbo (prior Model S and X owner with a deposit on both Rivian and new Model X), but leaning towards Rivian.

One of my considerations is how big the car feels. My prior Model X felt like it drove like a small SUV. I am currently driving a Denali XL until I get either a Rivian or Tesla. The Denali obviously feels massive.

One thing I would say, having driven a Tesla for years, electric tends to feel "smaller" regardless of dimensions in part because of the balanced weight. Without a big, heavy engine in the front, their is no top-heavy feeling. When coming to a stop, you don't feel the inertia from the big engine trying to slow down with the rest of the car. It feels like the whole vehicle accelerates and slows down as a single unit. Kind of hard to describe, but the even weight distribution makes driving a lot more enjoyable and smoother.

All that said, based on the R1S dimensions, how do you expect it to "feel" size-wise? What ICE would you compare it to?

As a Current Tesla Owner aNd reservation holder, I really like the Rivian and it’s possibilities. However, FSD capabilities is not one of them. Tesla can’t make it work, and neither Will Rivian.

 

[electruck]

Has there been any mention of production start for the small (105KW) battery pack with 230 miles? I noticed it's not in the configurator and I'm wondering if the option gets dropped for lack of interest. I haven't noticed a single post of anyone disappointed it's not offered yet. Would anyone want it for $5K less? Figured this thread was as good as any for this post.

That was always a long term follow. Doubtful we hear anything about that until at least 2022.

 

[TeslaToRivian]

Totally agree on FSD. I think it’s an insanely stupid concept and the world would be better off without it.

 

[2021R1T]

I use Adaptive Cruise and Steering Assist on both my P3D and A6 and I find both very relaxing on mainly straight long highway stretches. Both are level 2 driver assistance systems. Will never be anything more. Tesla has so misrepresented its FSD capabilities that I think it is practically criminal and I expect a refund on Tesla’s FSD at some point in the future, hopefully sooner than later. With that said I don’t expect to use it a lot on my future R1T but it is nice to use when appropriate. The capabilities do add a ton of safety features that are very beneficial.

 

[S Fan]

R1S will replace our Tesla Model X's.

Tesla's inability to fix the Model X shudder (after 5+ years) & their new forward/non-operable headrests make that refreshed product a non-starter for us.

btw: I fully expect that Rivian will have teething pains with early adapters going through challenges but at the same time receiving early adapter attention. I'm sure that there will be some product challenges but that's the price customers always pay in buying early/unproven technology.

What's important to us is a comfortable SUV (I'm sure it will drive great) that can dependably be highway driven particularly with the ability to drive up/down I75/I95 from FL to NC with charging capability.

 

[Whmorken]

Tons of great thoughts in this thread. I am still in limbo (prior Model S and X owner with a deposit on both Rivian and new Model X), but leaning towards Rivian.

One of my considerations is how big the car feels. My prior Model X felt like it drove like a small SUV. I am currently driving a Denali XL until I get either a Rivian or Tesla. The Denali obviously feels massive.

One thing I would say, having driven a Tesla for years, electric tends to feel "smaller" regardless of dimensions in part because of the balanced weight. Without a big, heavy engine in the front, their is no top-heavy feeling. When coming to a stop, you don't feel the inertia from the big engine trying to slow down with the rest of the car. It feels like the whole vehicle accelerates and slows down as a single unit. Kind of hard to describe, but the even weight distribution makes driving a lot more enjoyable and smoother.

All that said, based on the R1S dimensions, how do you expect it to "feel" size-wise? What ICE would you compare it to?

Isightful comments: As a former 3 driver now driving a 20’ X Performance, “E-Quick” does feel small and smooth as you say. The actual size of the R1S is smaller than the Land Cruiser, for example, more a mid-size SUV, so I would expect it to be spacious and comfortable yet feel like a cross between a sports car, a jeep, and a limo, i.e., like nothing out there.

 

[electruck]

The actual size of the R1S is smaller than the Land Cruiser, for example, more a mid-size SUV, so I would expect it to be spacious and comfortable yet feel like a cross between a sports car, a jeep, and a limo, i.e., like nothing out there.

Smaller how? The R1S may not be quite as tall (partially a function of suspension setting) but it is 7 inches longer (9" longer wheelbase) and a little wider than the Land Cruiser.

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