[JimmyEV]

A member in one of the Facebook groups apparently reached out to Rivian and asked them about a configurator. They told him that we should expect something coming "late summer". I can't wait for this to come out so we can all spec out trucks out!

 

[MilesK]

If we're all still staying in home by then we're going to have a lot of time on our hands to mess around with it.

 

[FanFLelectric]

A member in one of the Facebook groups apparently reached out to Rivian and asked them about a configurator. They told him that we should expect something coming "late summer". I can't wait for this to come out so we can all spec out trucks out!

View attachment 405

I am ready to be a beta tester of the "configuration" software. Any thing I can do to help bring the future to the present! Figured out that our deposit was early enought to put us in the first quarter of production. Our newest vehicle is a 2006 so we are ready to have the new gizmos. Went and got an Alexa so we could learn to use that before getting the Rivian. Now I need to learn to use the touch screen on the new laptop.

 

[Charlie B]

With all the delays (most recent fully understood) and the announcement of Amazon's 100,000 vehicle order, are we all being played. Im not sure what capacity is going to look like but by December Rivian will have had my deposit 2 years and to date I have no idea if production were to start, how much longer I would be waiting. I can only assume executives of all the investors (Amazon, Ford, Cox, T Rowe Price, Blackrock etc) are able to jump the line so while hopefully first quarter 2021 will see its first vehicles off the line, can you really expect to actually get one if you were an early pre-order. Is the configurator just another tease to keep us in line. If Rivian is listening, is there any way to assure pre-orders were not just going to be disappointed again when you start producing and we are expecting to come and pick it up in February only to find out that's not really going to happen..

 

[FanFLelectric]

"Production is hell," to quote Musk, but a lot is in progress despite the virous. Contractors are working on re-habbing the building in Normal, IL, and staff is said to be working at home on getting ready for production. Tesla is going to start back up on May 4 and one could expect other manufacturer's to get back to work, if Illinois and Michigan can keep the disease under control. Despite being disappointed that I will not get the tax credit in 2020 unless Rivian and I can work out an early buy deal, I will accept the delay which was needed to save American lives. So it seems we must wait a few weeks later than the hoped for production in the fourth quarter of the this year. We R1S people may have never had a chance of haviing a new vehicle before the end of this year anyway, from what has been written about SUV model being second to the truck model. But I am an engineer and over 50 years I have learned that the completion date is always based on nothing going wrong, AND Murphy's Law that "if anything can go wrong, it will."

 

[MilesK]

With all the delays (most recent fully understood) and the announcement of Amazon's 100,000 vehicle order, are we all being played. Im not sure what capacity is going to look like but by December Rivian will have had my deposit 2 years and to date I have no idea if production were to start, how much longer I would be waiting. I can only assume executives of all the investors (Amazon, Ford, Cox, T Rowe Price, Blackrock etc) are able to jump the line so while hopefully first quarter 2021 will see its first vehicles off the line, can you really expect to actually get one if you were an early pre-order. Is the configurator just another tease to keep us in line. If Rivian is listening, is there any way to assure pre-orders were not just going to be disappointed again when you start producing and we are expecting to come and pick it up in February only to find out that's not really going to happen..

Hi @Charlie B, I don't think the Amazon order means we're being played. In fact, it means that Rivian is serious about producing a high volume of vehicles. It's not like the Amazon vans are going to be produced first then the R1S and R1T start after. Rivian can't afford to do that to customers, it's just bad luck that a global pandemic has caused this delay.

 

[MilesK]

"Production is hell," to quote Musk, but a lot is in progress despite the virous. Contractors are working on re-habbing the building in Normal, IL, and staff is said to be working at home on getting ready for production. Tesla is going to start back up on May 4 and one could expect other manufacturer's to get back to work, if Illinois and Michigan can keep the disease under control. Despite being disappointed that I will not get the tax credit in 2020 unless Rivian and I can work out an early buy deal, I will accept the delay which was needed to save American lives. So it seems we must wait a few weeks later than the hoped for production in the fourth quarter of the this year. We R1S people may have never had a chance of haviing a new vehicle before the end of this year anyway, from what has been written about SUV model being second to the truck model. But I am an engineer and over 50 years I have learned that the completion date is always based on nothing going wrong, AND Murphy's Law that "if anything can go wrong, it will."

That's a great way of putting it @FanFLelectric! Using Tesla as a comparison, Rivian also way more resources at their disposal for production than Tesla did when they started to scale things up. They may not be physically at the Normal plant but they're still working on making things run smoothly when production does start.

 

[St00k]

With all the delays (most recent fully understood) and the announcement of Amazon's 100,000 vehicle order, are we all being played. Im not sure what capacity is going to look like but by December Rivian will have had my deposit 2 years and to date I have no idea if production were to start, how much longer I would be waiting. I can only assume executives of all the investors (Amazon, Ford, Cox, T Rowe Price, Blackrock etc) are able to jump the line so while hopefully first quarter 2021 will see its first vehicles off the line, can you really expect to actually get one if you were an early pre-order. Is the configurator just another tease to keep us in line. If Rivian is listening, is there any way to assure pre-orders were not just going to be disappointed again when you start producing and we are expecting to come and pick it up in February only to find out that's not really going to happen..

I share your concern. But I think this is part of the game. We all know we're helping fun this thing initially.

Although with the Amazon and Ford backing they really don't need our cash now do they?

 

[R99]

We have another email confirming the configurator is coming this summer.

When it opens we can pick things like color, trim level, battery pack, and options. They'll also have info for pricing and the delivery window.

 

[EyeOnRivian]

We have another email confirming the configurator is coming this summer.

Out of curiosity who is "we?"

 

[R99]

Out of curiosity who is "we?"

I'm just using it to address everyone on the forum. Sorry if that sounded weird.

 

[PuddleMonkey]

We have another email confirming the configurator is coming this summer.

When it opens we can pick things like color, trim level, battery pack, and options. They'll also have info for pricing and the delivery window.


View attachment 503

cool .. wife & I are looking forward to get our configs going on our respective R1S & R1T

 

[MilesK]

cool .. wife & I are looking forward to get our configs going on our respective R1S & R1T

Same here, I can't wait to start messing around with the different combinations.

 

[BareBonesRivian]

What I would like to see when it comes to configuration is removal of all options that aren’t necessary. Pretend for a moment you only use your truck on your farm.

You don’t need a large digital readout screen, GPS or autopilot. You keep your trucks for a long time and options like this will only cause problems later when they stop working, or aren’t really useful in the first place.

Therefore I would like to see Rivian trucks have a line that is directed to the farming community, and others whose applications are commercially directed, but don’t need what is mentioned above. Maybe Rivian could create a special line of trucks geared towards those with these types of interests. That’s what I will be hoping to learn in the future.

 

[PuddleMonkey]

What I would like to see when it comes to configuration is removal of all options that aren’t necessary. Pretend for a moment you only use your truck on your farm.

You don’t need a large digital readout screen, GPS or autopilot. You keep your trucks for a long time and options like this will only cause problems later when they stop working, or aren’t really useful in the first place.

Therefore I would like to see Rivian trucks have a line that is directed to the farming community, and others whose applications are commercially directed, but don’t need what is mentioned above. Maybe Rivian could create a special line of trucks geared towards those with these types of interests. That’s what I will be hoping to learn in the future.

While my intention is to use my R1T as a daily for work, get to remote sites with scuba gear/ect .. Rivian is more geared towards the adventure side of the market with its 1st 2 releases. Anything is possible of them building and offering other EVs in their lineup in other intended uses. However if you want a workhorse with less bells & whistles you may want to take a look at the Ford F150 EV, Bollinger and perhaps even the Hummer Pickup EV. I don't own a farm, in fact hate mowing my lawn but if i had a farm .. I don't think the Rivian R1T would make sense for the needs/application of farm life. just imo.

 

[BareBonesRivian]

While my intention is to use my R1T as a daily for work, get to remote sites with scuba gear/ect .. Rivian is more geared towards the adventure side of the market with its 1st 2 releases. Anything is possible of them building and offering other EVs in their lineup in other intended uses. However if you want a workhorse with less bells & whistles you may want to take a look at the Ford F150 EV, Bollinger and perhaps even the Hummer Pickup EV. I don't own a farm, in fact hate mowing my lawn but if i had a farm .. I don't think the Rivian R1T would make sense for the needs/application of farm life. just imo.

It has seemed to me, having watched the videos of the R1T (truck) in action, that it has significant off-road capabilities, just as would be required in an agricultural or construction site setting. Ford pickup trucks are great, but the savings expected of one that is electric would be the time it takes to refuel, versus unattended battery charging, reduced maintenance and possible energy savings.

Historically, by the way, electric vehicles were widely used in the early part of the 20th century to deliver ice in cities like New York. There is, of course, discussion currently that Amazon will be using electric delivery trucks.

All the previously described “bare bones” option requirements would be attractive for these settings. I would expect to see electric technology enter in the usage of farm tractors as well, due to superior torque and better handling when tilling fields. That of course would come much later and could be available in other mechanized farm equipment, possibly developed by companies other than Rivian. However Rivian’s skateboard design was discussed elsewhere and of interest to Ford for incorporation in their EV lines. This, again, would be desirable due to better torque, reduced maintenance and fuel savings that could come from generators driven by the forces of nature, where available, and stored in new generations of high energy density batteries.

 

[JimmyEV]

It has seemed to me, having watched the videos of the R1T (truck) in action, that it has significant off-road capabilities, just as would be required in an agricultural or construction site setting. Ford pickup trucks are great, but the savings expected of one that is electric would be the time it takes to refuel, versus unattended battery charging, reduced maintenance and possible energy savings.

Historically, by the way, electric vehicles were widely used in the early part of the 20th century to deliver ice in cities like New York. There is, of course, discussion currently that Amazon will be using electric delivery trucks.

All the previously described “bare bones” option requirements would be attractive for these settings. I would expect to see electric technology enter in the usage of farm tractors as well, due to superior torque and better handling when tilling fields. That of course would come much later and could be available in other mechanized farm equipment, possibly developed by companies other than Rivian. However Rivian’s skateboard design was discussed elsewhere and of interest to Ford for incorporation in their EV lines. This, again, would be desirable due to better torque, reduced maintenance and fuel savings that could come from generators driven by the forces of nature, where available, and stored in new generations of high energy density batteries.

The highlight for the R1T is certainly its off-road capability, but Rivian is using that to target people that enjoy camping and overlanding. I think that technology can translate well to farm use and farm equipment but that isn't Rivian's angle (at least not yet). Maybe it will be that down the road once they get sales.

Also, it's worth mentioning that the R1T has a smaller bed than a F-150 (55 inches vs. 66 inches). I'm not sure how much space you need but that's something to consider as well.

Is the R1T's bed size big enough for you?

So far the R1T only has one option for its bed size at 55.1 inches, which is shorter than the shortest F-150 bed (5 and a half feet/66 inches). Personally that's not a deal breaker for me but is that enough space for you? Or would you want to see a bigger bed option?

www.rivianownersforum.com

 

[Electrictrucking]

Hi @Charlie B, I don't think the Amazon order means we're being played. In fact, it means that Rivian is serious about producing a high volume of vehicles. It's not like the Amazon vans are going to be produced first then the R1S and R1T start after. Rivian can't afford to do that to customers, it's just bad luck that a global pandemic has caused this delay.

I've read that their will be three assembly lines, one for the Amazon van, one for the R1T, and one line for the R1S. I can't source the report sorry.

 

[MilesK]

I've read that their will be three assembly lines, one for the Amazon van, one for the R1T, and one line for the R1T. I can't source the report sorry.

Hey @Electrictrucking, welcome to the forum! That would make a lot of sense because of how large the van owner is going to be.