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Why are you buying your Rivian?

KendrickMB

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Not sure if we will be purchasing one, but I'm watching because in highly interested. I have a Cybertruck on reservation for myself, but I'm interested in replacing my wife's Explorer with the R1S. The R1S is the only electric SUV big enough to replace her Explorer.
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Shzeph

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I’ve been through an Infiniti FX50, a Supercharged Range Rover, and now my T8 XC60. And as much fun as the big ol’ V8s were, I have been absolutely in love with the plug-in aspect of the T8. Only having to go to a gas station once a month is just.....sheer bliss.

I have two other ICE vehicles for fun, but I’m at the point where I want my daily driver to be a full BEV. And the Rivian just checks all my boxes.
 

tscanjr

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I’ve been through an Infiniti FX50, a Supercharged Range Rover, and now my T8 XC60. And as much fun as the big ol’ V8s were, I have been absolutely in love with the plug-in aspect of the T8. Only having to go to a gas station once a month is just.....sheer bliss.

I have two other ICE vehicles for fun, but I’m at the point where I want my daily driver to be a full BEV. And the Rivian just checks all my boxes.
Off topic, but it's amazing what quickness Volvo gets from their small motors, 4 cylinders, and heavy safe chassis. I just bought a T6 XC90, after selling my Grand Cherokee Overland V6, what a difference. XC90 is so quick and fun to drive. I imagine the T8 must be a blast!!
 

jarross

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I've dreamt of having an electric pickup since I was a child. So there's that.
AWD a high priority for me. I didn't think it made that much difference until I drove my first Subaru in the snow. Now I'm sold.
Storage out of the cab. I have a hobby farm and people constantly give me crap about what I store in the cab when they ride with me. The frunk and gear tunnel are desirable features.
My dogs shed the type of hair which weaves its way into auto carpeting and one of the R1T floor coverings will make that a non-issue
All of the off road specs meet my criteria. Especially clearance and departure angles.
It's the right size. This will be my daily driver as well as my hunting/fishing/camping rig. Big pickups are sometimes a pain to park at my work.
Range is just enough to get me to and from my favorite places without having to charge. I'll have to plan some of my longer trips better, but the majority of them are very doable.
 

ajdelange

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Range is just enough to get me to and from my favorite places without having to charge. I'll have to plan some of my longer trips better, but the majority of them are very doable.
Do keep in mind that your "working range" is 70 - 80% of the EPA range e.g. the working range of the 400 mile truck is 280 - 320 miles.
 

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jarross

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.. "working range" is 70 - 80% of the EPA range ...
Agreed. My longest consistent trip is about 300 miles round trip so it will be close. Charging stations (at this point in time) are few and far between in Wyoming, so I'm trying to determine what my options are for longer trips. I may just rent for those times. Also exploring things like methanol fuel cells for campsite power to add some range at the campsite. I'm willing to trade off some range for capability and lower maintenance costs.
 

skyote

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Also exploring things like methanol fuel cells for campsite power to add some range at the campsite. I'm willing to trade off some range for capability and lower maintenance costs.
Very interesting & I'm interested as well. I don't have time to research that personally, so please post a thread & share your findings if you're willing to share!
 

Gshenderson

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I’ve owned a Tesla Model S since 2015 and absolutely love it. Have done numerous trips in it from the east coast to the Rocky Mountains. It’s been fun to watch the charging network fill in over time. I had to do some crazy routes back in the early days due to major charging gaps in the heartland.

Anyway, I moved out west full time a few years ago and now spend much more time in snow as well as off-road. I own off-grid properties in UT, MT, WY and NM that are all accessed via dirt roads - some of which are very poorly maintained. The Tesla was just not going to cut it for that, so I bought a 4Runner (but still have the Tesla). I wasn’t happy about buying an ICE vehicle, but there just weren’t any serious off-road EV’s available when I needed it. When you add in costs for insurance, tags and taxes, I’m not real keen on having two vehicles, so my intention was to get an EV truck or SUV as soon as possible.

I immediately began researching options, and got on the Bollinger preorder list pretty early on. But when they did their reveal and started taking deposits, the target price went from $75k to $125k, and I bailed out. Not only was the truck too expensive for me, I was very concerned with their viability, especially at that price point.

So then I was back to the drawing board and researching other options. I looked at both Rivian and Nikola, and decided on Rivian. Rivian had just gotten the big capital infusion from Amazon and Ford, so the viability seemed pretty solid. So I got on the preorder list.

A few months later when the Tesla Supertruck was revealed, I also got on preorder for that even though I was pretty sure I’d not get over the ugliness of it and actually buy one. I’m still on that list, and still very unlikely to actually buy one.

I was pretty impressed with the Hummer reveal, but did not get on the preorder for that mainly because it looked like deliveries would start at least a year after Rivian, and the price tag on the initial models being $112k. GM not being eligible for the tax credit also impacted my decision.

So here I am. I’m probably somewhere around 15,000th in line on the Rivian preorder list, but I did configure an R1T LE and am hopeful to get one by end of next year. I’m not very happy about having to settle for the 135kWh battery vs. the 180 though, but when I combined the $10k cost difference plus the $1800 free wheel upgrade (I need the 20” AT wheel package for the places I go), I decided on the LE. I just hope they get some charging infrastructure built out in southwest WY sometime soon!
 

ElectricTrucking

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I’ve owned a Tesla Model S since 2015 and absolutely love it. Have done numerous trips in it from the east coast to the Rocky Mountains. It’s been fun to watch the charging network fill in over time. I had to do some crazy routes back in the early days due to major charging gaps in the heartland.

Anyway, I moved out west full time a few years ago and now spend much more time in snow as well as off-road. I own off-grid properties in UT, MT, WY and NM that are all accessed via dirt roads - some of which are very poorly maintained. The Tesla was just not going to cut it for that, so I bought a 4Runner (but still have the Tesla). I wasn’t happy about buying an ICE vehicle, but there just weren’t any serious off-road EV’s available when I needed it. When you add in costs for insurance, tags and taxes, I’m not real keen on having two vehicles, so my intention was to get an EV truck or SUV as soon as possible.

I immediately began researching options, and got on the Bollinger preorder list pretty early on. But when they did their reveal and started taking deposits, the target price went from $75k to $125k, and I bailed out. Not only was the truck too expensive for me, I was very concerned with their viability, especially at that price point.

So then I was back to the drawing board and researching other options. I looked at both Rivian and Nikola, and decided on Rivian. Rivian had just gotten the big capital infusion from Amazon and Ford, so the viability seemed pretty solid. So I got on the preorder list.

A few months later when the Tesla Supertruck was revealed, I also got on preorder for that even though I was pretty sure I’d not get over the ugliness of it and actually buy one. I’m still on that list, and still very unlikely to actually buy one.

I was pretty impressed with the Hummer reveal, but did not get on the preorder for that mainly because it looked like deliveries would start at least a year after Rivian, and the price tag on the initial models being $112k. GM not being eligible for the tax credit also impacted my decision.

So here I am. I’m probably somewhere around 15,000th in line on the Rivian preorder list, but I did configure and LE so am hopeful to get one by end of next year. I’m not very happy about having to settle for the 135kWh battery vs. the 180 though, but when I combined the $10k cost difference plus the $1800 free wheel upgrade (I need the 20” AT wheel package for the places I go), I decided on the LE. I just hope they get some charging infrastructure built out in southwest WY sometime soon!
Sounds like star Valley. Good luck on charging stations.
 

Gshenderson

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Sounds like star Valley. Good luck on charging stations.
Other side of Commissary Ridge, but yeah, that general area. Tesla has good coverage across WY on I-80, but there’s really no other level 3 charging options. I commute up there from UT, so I would really love to see a level 3 charger in Evanston. Otherwise I may end up having to route through Bear Lake, which is a pretty drive but substantially longer.
 

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skyote

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I own off-grid properties in UT, MT, WY and NM that are all accessed via dirt roads - some of which are very poorly maintained.
Beautiful country, I'm jealous!
 

IHScout

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I love the pep in my volt. The smooth acceleration with no downshifting is intoxicating. Obviously the R1S provides that feeling x10. We also love camping, road trips, and get out of the city. The R1S will be able to haul the six of us nearly everywhere we want to go. Towing our trailer up the mountains in Arizona and not worrying about hunting gears in the suburban will also be a huge plus. On our camping trips, we usually go on a sunset drive to see all of the wildlife. It will be amazing to creep up on them so quietly. We love charging from home on the volt and we are looking forward to swapping our gas guzzler for a BEV. My wife will be driving our R1S and she is very excited. I just need a few more charging spots in rural AZ to make my dreams complete.
 

Whmorken

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Reasons for buying Rivian: Am Tesla driver, such great highway cars, experience in 3, X, and Y. Active history off road, 4-Runner, Sequoia, and Land Cruiser. Tesla and Toyota, one BEV champ, the other ICE king, both are great car companies. Now Rivian, a “do it all”or dare I say “know it all” newcomer, produces an on-and-off the road BEV with automatic driving capabilities. For this brief moment in time, a second or two in automotive history, R. J. stands on the shoulders of Tesla and Toyota. Rivian in essence combines the exciting finesse of one and the proven toughness of the other, and I find that irresistible given that I live feet and inches from Teton National Park, less than two hours from Yellowstone, and have the Wind River Range as our neighbor to the east. Charge up the R1S and R1T, let’s go! ?
 

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I am buying because I am ready to jump into the electric vehicle world. Not only is it better for the environment, but the specs are incredible. 300 miles is plenty for me, I drive 5 minutes to work and my wife has a 4Runner if range ever may be a problem, which I doubt it will. I live in Colorado and the HP/Torque will be great at altitude, and electric vehicles don't lose lots of gains at 7000 ft elevation like gas powered cars. Plus the R1S looks bad ass, I've always been a fan of the older Range Rover sport trim and this reminds me a lot like this but way better.

That all said, I live in the mountains and camp, hike, bike, and off road a lot. Not sure exactly how comfortable I am taking an $80K vehicle off-road, but I like that I will have the option. The whole "adventure vehicle" branding really resonates with me.
 
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Whmorken

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I am buying because I am ready to jump into the electric vehicle world. Not only is it better for the environment, but the specs are incredible. 300 miles is plenty for me, I drive 5 minutes to work and my wife has a 4Runner if range ever may be a problem, which I doubt it will. I live in Colorado and the HP/Torque will be great at altitude, and electric vehicles don't lose lots of gains at 7000 ft elevation like gas powered cars. Plus the R1S looks bad ass, I've always been a fan of the older Range Rover sport trim and this reminds me a lot like this but way better.

That all said, I live in the mountains and camp, hike, bike, and off road a lot. Not sure exactly how comfortable I am taking an $80K vehicle off-road, but I like that I will have the option. The whole "adventure vehicle" branding really resonates with me.
Well said, and with 22 months of Tesla driving under my belt in the Rockies, I support your reasons. Time to go BEV.
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