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On Monday night, at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, Rivian, an American start-up specializing in electric vehicles, unveiled its first vehicle in front of a small audience. Food was served and soothing music adapted to the press and guests of the Four Seasons Hotel, which included social media influencers and even a number of Hollywood celebrities. In the cold atmosphere, however, there was a sense of excitement in the air, thanks to the centerpiece of the evening – a futuristic and rugged vehicle that could disrupt the extremely lucrative US pickup truck market.
The Rivian R1T, with its large all-terrain wheels, imposing attitude and adventure-inspired design, contrasted almost with the picturesque atmosphere of the unveiling. Unlike Tesla, whose unveiling events bring together a large number of people and a modern and energetic setting, Rivian's unveiling event for his R1T pickup truck has been composed and almost remembered. The enthusiasm in the air was however palpable.
The R1T could be described as a luxury adventure vehicle. The van is designed from the get-go to be at home on the sidewalk and off the beaten track, but the vehicle still retains a sophisticated appearance. Although Rivian did not allow the driving tests during the event, the exposed truck was very well prepared. It was obvious that the interior architecture of the vehicle had been the subject of many reflections: luxurious seats, fully digital dashboard and unique formats, made from a thin and lightweight material almost resembling carbon fiber.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe introduces the all-electric R1T pickup truck. [Credit: Teslarati]
The interior of the Rivian R1T is luxurious with technology. [Credit: Teslarati]
The Rivian R1T has a functional bed with many clever features. [Credit: Teslarati]
The luxurious appearance of the Rivian R1T is reflected in the vehicle seats, made from high-end materials. [Credit: Teslarati]
Rivian unveils its all-electric R1T van. [Credit: Teslarati]
Speaking to an audience made up mostly of Rivian employees, selected media and even celebrities, RJ CEO Scaringe presented the main features and capabilities of the R1T. Rivian confirmed that they were using 2170 battery cells for the R1T pickup truck and the R1S SUV, which is to be unveiled Tuesday. The company said it would not produce its own batteries at this stage of its operations, although their long-term strategy also includes the possibility of establishing a factory dedicated to battery manufacturing such as the Gigafactory 1 from Tesla. Rivian wants to become a battery manufacturer like Tesla. ultimately, and it aims to license and sell its cells to other manufacturers in the future.
There is no doubt that the demographics of the vehicle are the buyers who love luxury and the outdoors. As such, we were impressed by some features of the van that aim to make the experience of the property effortless. Among them was its automatic tailgate and a thin black lining that automatically protects the cargo on the bed by pressing a button. We also found that some of the quirks of the R1T, such as headlights acting as a green progress bar when the vehicle is charging, are smart and fun. Finally, we appreciated the storage options of the vehicle, ranging from its "transmission tunnel" to an 11.7 cubic foot (330 liters), which is larger than those found in other vehicles high-end electric motors like the Tesla Model S and Model X.
Rivian has indicated his intention to develop self-driving capabilities for the R1T. As such, the truck is equipped with the necessary equipment to make this a reality. These include a series of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radar, high precision GPS technologies and even a LiDAR. In the future, the company notes that the vehicle should be able to meet its driver at the end of a hiking trail or a run on the river. The company has not given details on how it plans to do this. Even so, given his interest in the outdoors, it is quite possible that Rivian maps popular trails across the country.
The Rivian R1T has a separate front fascia. [Credit: Teslarati]
Rivian's "Skateboard" for the R1T, which contains the 2170 pickup battery modules. [Credit: Teslarati]
The all-electric Rivian R1T van can accommodate 5 people. [Credit: Teslarati]
The "gear tunnel" of the Rivian R1T, specially designed to store objects such as fishing routes and golf clubs. [Credit: Teslarati]
Rivian unveils its all-electric R1T van. [Credit: Teslarati]
After sneaking for most of the past decade, Rivian decided to burst out, renting one of Los Angeles' most historic landmarks to unveil a vehicle that could very well be equally historic. It was manufactured and crawled successfully. The R1T starts at $ 69,000 for its base trim, which is equipped with four electric motors and a range of more than 230 km from its 105 kWh battery. The all-electric truck is still more expensive than the pillars of the US light truck market, like the Ford F-150, which starts at $ 29,650. That being said, RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian, made it clear that the company was targeting a very specific niche with its first two vehicles: those who love the outdoors and those who love luxury. For this niche of buyers, the Rivian R1T could be the ideal vehicle.
Production of the Rivian R1T is expected to begin in 2020 at the company's Normal plant, which it acquired from Mitsubishi in January 2017 for $ 16 million. The company plans to first manufacture the high-end variants of the van, then the $ 69,000 version of the R1T within 12 months of the start of production. Rivian also began accepting pre-orders for the R1T, as interested buyers were required to deposit a $ 1,000 refundable security deposit for the vehicle.
With the help of Christian Prenzler.
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