Rivian delays deliveries of the R1T Launch Edition by one month
Rivian said that deliveries of the R1T Launch Edition, the limited edition release of its first series of electric adventure vehicles," will be delayed by a month, according to an update on its website.
Customers who preordered can now expect to start receiving their pickup trucks in July instead of June, with Launch Edition deliveries to be completed by Spring 2022. The change was first spotted by the Rivian Forum.
The Amazon-backed EV startup told preorder holders in July 2020 to expect deliveries of the truck in June 2021, with R1S electric SUV deliveries starting two months later in August. The delivery timeline has already been extended once, after Rivian suspended construction work on its factory due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It also appears that the R1S SUV has been delayed by several months, according to the website, which states that all R1T and R1S Launch Edition preorder holders will hear from their designation Rivian customer rep by the end of November with their expected delivery timing."
Rivian did not immediately respond with a request for comment. TechCrunch update the article, if they do.
Despite the delay, it looks like Rivian will still be first to bring an electric truck to market among both new EV entrants and legacy automakers. Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns said in an investor call last week that deliveries for the company's Endurance" truck are still on track for September (despite slashing production numbers in half). Ford's F-150 Lighting, the electric version of its nameplate pickup, is expected in 2022. And Tesla recently confirmed that its Cybertruck will start production late this year.
Rivian also said it will be starting its drive program in August, which will let customers schedule at-home drives or attend a tour event. The company will be releasing details on launch dates and reservations for the tour events in the coming weeks. Rivian selected Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Detroit and Seattle as the first batch of cities on the tour.
In addition, it released a few product updates. Customers now have the option to add an Off-Road Upgrade to their vehicle configuration for an additional $2,000. Every Rivian will now also come with an onboard air compressor, previously available only with the Off-Road Upgrade.
Customers can also add Rivian Adventure Gear to their configuration. These include a rooftop tent, cargo bars, and camp kitchen (that now comes with a 30-piece kitchen set).
Lordstown Motors slashes production forecast for its electric pickup