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February 15, 2019 by Steve Hanley
A few days ago, we reported rumors that General Motors and Amazon were considering investing in Rivian, the Plymouth, Michigan-based electric truck and SUV startup. Today, we learned that these rumors were at least half correct. Amazon has taken the lead in a $ 700 million fundraising event involving itself and several other investors, including some current investors, who are increasing their stake in the company.
The founder and CEO of Rivian, RJ Scaringe, said in a statement: "This investment represents an important step for Rivian and the move to sustainable mobility. Beyond eliminating compromises on performance, capabilities and efficiency, we are working to innovate throughout the customer experience. To realize this vision, we need the right partners and we are excited to have Amazon with us on our journey to create products, technologies and experiences that are redefining expectations of opportunity. "
The company says it wants to develop vehicles, technologies and services that inspire people to explore the world. It employs more than 750 people in development centers in Plymouth, Michigan. San Jose, California; Irvine, California; and Surrey, England. He will build his vehicles in the former Mitsubishi plant of Normal, in Illinois. Mitsubishi stopped producing vehicles in its 2.6 million square foot plant in 2015. According to Rivian, it will launch the R1T and R1S in the US by the end of 2020 and sales in other countries are expected to begin in 2021.
The Rivian R1S electric SUV was a huge success at the Los Angeles Auto Show last December, as did his trucker cousin, the R1T electric pickup. Both have self-declared range on a single battery charge of more than 400 km, far exceeding any other vehicle on the market. With the exception of the unfortunate design of the headlights on / under the headlights echoing the "suck a lemon" look of the 1958 Edsel, the vehicles are beautiful in a rugged, versatile and versatile environment – precisely the kind of – carefree face that a person who can spend between $ 80,000 and $ 140,000 for an electric truck should find attractive.
Each wheel has its own 197 horsepower engine. The combined pair is around 14,000 ft⋅lb. This should be enough to carry a few 2 × 4 of Lowe back. The vehicles will be offered with three battery sizes: 105, 135 and 180 kWh. The smallest battery will be available approximately 6 months after the start of production.
"We are inspired by Rivian's vision for the future of electric transportation," said Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO, Worldwide Consumer. "RJ has built an impressive organization, with a product portfolio and technology that lives up to it. We are delighted to invest in such an innovative company. "
We all know what comes next. The hell of production followed by the hell of delivery. There is no doubt that the Rivians will be expensive trinkets for the rich to add to their virtual charm bracelets. Who would not want an electric panzer who can flatten any vehicle that gets in his way? It remains to be seen if these trucks really make progress with the revolution of the electric car.
We do not know what happened with the rumor about GM's investment in Rivian.
Keywords: Amazon, Electric SUV, Electric Trolleys, Rivian, Rivian Automotive
About the author
Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and wherever the singularity could lead him. His motto is: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the number of breathtaking moments!" You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.
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