Rivian anyone?

Thanks, I'll update here once we've had a chance to drive it a bit.
The R2 does look great, we'd likely be waiting for that one if we didn't have the pre-order discount on the R1.

 

I predict their tech will be utilized by everyone but I don’t see the company making it long term. Maybe it will, we’ll see. It is interesting with all these huge investments in the company how the stock is down from about $130 3 years ago to $17 today (was floating around $30 when I looked a few months back).

To each their own when it comes to vehicle purchases though.

 

Just made the list for least reliable vehicles.

 

So y’all are going to hate on me for sure. I’m keeping my 4R but adding in an R1S. Thought through this in all fronts: they’re not going out of business, production on gen 2 is going smoothly, and they have record orders for R2/3. So with huge companies behind them we are jumping in. Still my heart is in my 4R. Hope it works out.

 

We picked up our brand new R1S on the 24th. Unfortunately the AC didn't work - they said the compressor had a leak and needs to be replaced - very disapointing. There are definitely some issues they need to work out with the Gen 2's and that is one of them. They gave us a loaner gen 1 quad motor R1S which we have been driving until they can ge the part to fix ours. It is an amazing vehicle, the best I've ever driven. So fast, instant power/torque, quiet, way better handling/supension, much more room inside than the 4Runner and not much bigger on the outside. We slept in it one night, camp mode is great, didn't have to take the seats out. Frunk holds a lot of gear to get it out of the cabin when sleeping. Climate control on all night used minimal battery, and self leveling with the air suspension. We are charging it for free at home with excess power from our solar panels. It's just an awesome vehicle. One-pedal driving with regen is great too.

I sold the 4Runner about a week ago and I don't miss it. It was a good vehicle for its time but the Rivian is so much better/more advanced in so many ways. I highly doubt they will go out of business but they do need to work on reliability and service if they are going to keep expanding. I think the R2 is going to take a lot of sales from Subaru, Toyota, and Jeep. But they need to develop the quality culture that keeps so many people loyal to Toyota if they are going to really succeed in the long term.

Good luck with your new R1S! Probably not a bad idea to keep the 4Runner for a while to make sure the Rivian is all good and works for your lifestyle. I decided to go all in and can't see going back to an ICE vehicle but I really hope I don't regret giving up the reliability of the 4Runner.

 

I know a few people in their engineering group. They are all looking to leave the company after the VW news.

 

I put a $100 reservation on the R2 day #2. Already own a 2018 Tesla Model 3. 2024 4Runner is less than 2 months old which is light years more advanced than my old 2016 Tacoma TRD.
Hedging my bets. Who knows the future may bring? Saw 2 Amazon Rivian delivery trucks broken down on the freeway this evening on our way home from dinner.

 

Why are they quitting Rivian?

 

The software platform is going to be sliced and diced into a joint venture with VW.

 

And that's a bad thing?

 

One of my friends is there as well. He's much more "we'll see". Basically, what the Rivian CEO has said is that the core real-time OS they developed will become joint venture IP, while the front-end will stay with Rivian. It makes sense, since an OS can be resold many times, but the UI is unique to the vehicle manufacturer experience. Sorta the way Linux core OS is separate from the windowing UI.

 

Thanks brother! I’m hoping your ac gets repaired soon and to the fullest level of satisfaction. Honestly, I love our 4R and have modded it to the hills. And yet it’s slow, guzzles endlessly, needs all those fluids changed all the time, etc. The idea that I could spend my time enjoying a vehicle and not serving it is intriguing. So I’m praying they work out the gen 2 issues. Did you pick yours up or have it delivered? Figured if we go to pick it up and it has problems I can just leave it there and not take delivery. Thoughts?

 

We picked it up at the service center, and left it there to be fixed when we realized it had a problem. I didn't want to pay an extra $1000 for home delivery, and I'm glad we did it that way. I think they will work out the issues over time, but it will require some patience to get there.

 

Worth it long run. No more transfer fluid changes and removing skid plates to do basic maintenance . Keep updated once you get her back.

 

Lol good luck!

 

I like the Rivian SUVs. They seem like a perfect size vehicle and having the front trunk is great. I’d get one if they were cheaper. The AC broken on delivery is concerning though. How did no one check that after being manufactured, delivered, etc? Did they hope no one would notice?

 

There is a reason that they are one of the best at poor reliability!

 

I’ve been considering the Rivian R1S as well and it looks pretty solid. I’ve read that the Gen 2 version has really improved off-road features and tech. I’m planning to test drive it soon to see if it’s a good fit for my needs. Make sure to check the range and charging options before you decide—they seem like they’re making strides in that area, but it’s always good to confirm in person!

 

The charging options is no joke. My daughter’s boyfriend was gifted a Mustang Mach E. They live in LA and he is having the worst time with it. He sent me this article yesterday and said he is flat out living through this and it sucks. People pull in to charge up and leave for hours.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/08/04/business/electric-vehicles-ev-charging

 

If someone held me at gun point and said I had to pick a EV or die….it would be a Rivian, but I still wouldn’t park it in my garage or anywhere near my house.

 

Fair enough

 

We do all have lithium batteries in our pockets and bedrooms 24/7. Not much difference in terms of a risk of fire.

 

Are they really that bad? I hear way more about Toyota problems and recalls than Rivian.

 

So a cell phone battery fire would be as dangerous and just as difficult to extinguish as a EV fire?

 

If and when I get an EV it will pretty much only get charged at home. I have no desire to road trip one and deal with the public charging chaos.

 

Yeah, I had looked at the Fisker…glad I only looked. But for our family, we don’t really drive in town unless it’s for groceries. Everything is normally “get me the f away” 100 miles each way.

 

It isn't that the severity would be the same, but that the overall risk is relatively low across the board - lithium automotive and electronic batteries can and have failed in spectacular fashion but few blink an eye at the likelihood of it.

(That's a blanket statement however and the chemistries, use cases, thermal management and initial construction quality involved do vary widely.)

(Warning! Whataboutism below!)

I wonder if anyone's crunched the numbers on EV fires (from battery failure) versus Hyundai/Kia fires. (from the variety of different defects ranging from undersized ABS wiring to leaks to trailer wiring shorts...)

I'd rather have the latter in my garage though, that said, but I'm not sure I really hear people saying to stay away from them. (As much as I try)

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Anyways, I saw the Kia Borrego's A/C broke on a Car & Driver SUV comparison test 15 years ago and that was baaaad since it was out in the desert. I'd expect such things to be a fluke unless:

A. More reports of the same failure come out (ex. New Tacoma's transmission)
B. People pull it apart and find abnormally poor design/execution. (ex. that Tesla's condenser secured with a strap and presumably off-the-shelf wood)

 

You'd rather have a car with a known recall for catching on fire in your garage, than a car that "people on the Internet" think is dangerous because it has a battery? That is some interesting judgment.

Cheap e-Bike with cheap Chinese battery? Absolutely, keep it the hell away from my house.

One of a million cars from a well-known manufacturer? Not as concerned, personally.

Note: from this thread, it sounds like Rivian has more quality issues than I had thought; I always heard people were very satisfied with them. I don't know if that translates to likelihood to spontaneously ignite, though.

Edit: I do know when lithium power tool batteries came out, they were spectacularly dangerous. Something about the durability vs. normal use for a drill (i.e. drop the drill off the ladder, and the battery blows up). Hopefully we're past that in terms of starting the fire, but I agree that once you have a fire, the lithium isn't doing you any favors.

 

Whoops! I butchered that sentence writing it. I originally put "former" but then swapped it out, conveniently forgetting to include the modifier I had in mind to the effect of: "if said vehicle must be on fire, let it be a gas Hyundai or Kia instead of electric."

I'd rather keep any US market Korean vehicle away regardless of powertrain if the vehicle is not to be on fire but I digress.

Anyways, few should buy a car planning for "when" it catches fire. There's way too many bigger concerns that'll narrow down those options first.

 

Well, to be fair, Rivian sold 57k vehicles in 2023 while Toyota sold 2.25 million. So yeah, you'll hear more about recalls from those who produce more vehicles.