[Yossarian]

Please keep us updated @lamontlawyer921!

My reservation date was May 2020 and since I tow, am also only interested in the Max pack offering. I intended to buy an R1S, and would still like to, but when the configurator went live, there was no option for an R1S Max. Rivian also removed all the language indicating when or even if that option would be available, and now refers only to a possible "longer range" battery alternative for the R1S. With no alternative regarding a larger capacity battery pack, I configuring an R1T Max, and got a first half 2023 delivery projection back in December.

I'm torn between taking delivery of the R1T with the Max, or kicking the can down the road in the fading hope that there will eventually be an enhanced range R1S offered, Unfortunately, not only is there no guarantee of that, Rivian CS has pretty much confirmed that any battery pack for the R1S will not have the same 180 kWh capacity as the current Max pack. They've been very careful to only use the term "longer range" with regard to a larger battery for the R1S when I've asked them about timing.

I have my doubts about a first half 2023 delivery for the R1T Max, so should have ample time to decide however. My doubts aside, I'm pulling for you to get yours early next year.

 

[Yossarian]

I started a thread about being assigned a guide on 4 Aug for the R1T Max I have configured. I was surprised at getting a guide so early in the delivery process; per the Dec 2021 email, my window is 1H2023. When I started the thread, contact with my guide was only via email and I was surprised when I was told that there was no delivery info that was presently in my file. Of course, my first thought was my delivery was being pushed further to the right, so I scheduled a phone call with as soon as I could. I had a 45 minute conversation with him last Monday and found out a few things during the call.

It became apparent that the reason for the guide assignment at this juncture was to assist/persuade me to take advantage of the earlier delivery via a selection from the R1T Shop. I was assured that even though the R1T Shop was a great opportunity to get a Rivian much sooner, there was no obligation to do so and nothing would change relative to my existing order should I decide not to take advantage of the terrific opportunity.

When I asked about the delivery window for the Max, the guide stated that it looked like the delivery window notice that I received was removed from the current customer file as part of an update process. Apparently, many, perhaps all, who have delivery windows for 2023 will get new emails with revised delivery information "later this year, possibly in the Fall." When I asked if this meant that deliveries would shift, the response was not necessarily, and that the revisions would probably narrow the windows from six months to two. Of course, there was no word on whether the delivery would be sooner or later in the original six month window, which I took as meaning that there is significant potential for the new, revised window to now be sometime in the second half of 2023.

When I spoke with my guide, there was already a lot of buzz over the impact of the IRA on the EV tax credit rules, and he was happy to send me a Preliminary Buyer's Agreement. Rivian, subsequently became pro-active on the issue and pushed out PBA's to a large number of reservation holders. I actually held on to mine for a few days, because I had some further questions. The Tony email on the subject late last week actually answered those questions, and I executed the PBA after getting it.

I think that it's unlikely that will be any significant interaction with my guide until much closer to delivery. Based on Rivian history, I'd also bet that the email with the revised delivery window will be pushed out very late in the year, just as was the case in 2021. I fully expect that my original 1H2023 delivery window will become May-June in the revision, but honestly will not be surprised if it is revised to Nov-Dec 2023.

 

[Yossarian]

Has anyone heard where they're going to physically place the extra storage cells needed to get from "Large" to "Max Pack"? I asked my guide who didn't know; she checked internally and came back with what I interpreted as "it's not figured out yet" (which is fine). . .

I've gotten some version of "we're working on that and hope to have more information in the near future" for nearly every question I've asked about the Max. I think it's likely that, as your guide's response hinted, Rivian hasn't determined the final production configuration for the additional Max battery cells.

If it is indeed the case that Rivian hasn't finalized development of the Max, that would mean that production planning hasn't started, which in turn will delay EPA Cert Testing. The end result would be a delay in adding the Max to the production mix, which of course would push back deliveries.

While all of the above is speculation, what is true is that Rivian has not provided any new information about the Max so far this year. I've always thought that the 1H2023 delivery window that was in the Dec '21 Rivian email was optimistic, and the lack of any update since that time does nothing but reinforce that feeling. I'm hoping that we'll learn more about the Max at the 3Q Earnings Call in early December.

 

[Yossarian]

I too got the emal, and hope that's the case for all reservation holders.

True, the only useful information that the email provides is notification that a previously promised and long-delayed feature, a delivery estimate, will be revealed on your Rivian account next month, but that's at least something. We've all been complaining about Rivian's lack of communication, and this is attempt to address that shortcoming, albeit a somewhat feeble one.

 

[Yossarian]

I had my call with my guide this week. She didn't try to talk me into a large pack. She said the max pack was actually "in production" and that mid first half of 2023 is when I should expect my R1T. She also confirmed that the max pack fits in the same space as the large pack so storage isn't sacrificed.

Your use of quotes around "in production" wrt the Max is appropriate.
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We haven't heard anything from Rivian about the Max for a very long time; surely if it was truly in production, there would have been some public acknowledgement of that by the company. A quick check of Rivian website still shows only a company estimate of range for the Max, no EPA numbers. Rivian helpfully points out that:
"Some range and charge times are preliminary manufacturer estimates based on the EPA test cycle and are not official EPA values. All official EPA values are noted."
We don't know for sure if the Max is presently undergoing EPA certification testing, but it's clear that if it is, the testing is incomplete.

Given all of that, it surely seems that stating that the Max is currently in production is at best, hyperbole. It would thus seem that the prediction of a Max delivery in the first half of 2023 is best taken with a large grain of sodium chloride.