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After some previous delays – from late 2020 to June this year, and then again until July – Rivian has announced that deliveries of the first vehicles are further delayed.
Company CEO RJ Scaringe sent a letter to customers saying the Rivian R1T electric pickup is now expected in September, while the Rivian R1S electric SUV is expected to follow shortly in the fall.
This is not good news, but on the other hand, two more months is not the end of the world. Some might now wonder if Rivian will really manage to launch the R1T before others, including the Tesla Cybertruck, to be the first to hit the market with a modern all-electric pickup.
RJ Scaringe explains that the company is severely affected by the cascading impacts of the pandemic / lockdowns and semiconductor shortage, while simultaneously launching three brand new products (R1T, R1S and the Commercial Van for Amazon).
“There are many reasons our production ramp is taking longer than expected. The cascading impacts of the pandemic had a larger cumulative effect than expected. Everything from building facilities and installing equipment to supplying vehicle components (especially semiconductors) has been affected by the pandemic. Beyond these unforeseen challenges, launching three new vehicles while setting up a multi-vehicle manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interconnected activities where small problems can translate into ramp delays.
Rivian has a factory in Normal, Ill. (A former Mitsubishi site) where the company has built two production lines – one for the R1T / R1S duo and one for the van.
So far hundreds of vehicles have been produced according to RJ Scaringe and they are racking up test miles to make sure “long term success” of the company and “ultimate satisfaction” of customers.
It’s hard to blame Rivian for further delay. Most of the auto industry is experiencing delays including Lucid Motors, Tesla (Plaid Model S / X) and Volkswagen ID. 3. Hopefully in September we will really see R1T in the hands of customers.
Letter from Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe to clients via Automotive News and rivianownersforum.com:
“I am writing this letter from our manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, where our teams work tirelessly to accelerate production of our R1T, R1S and commercial pickups. It’s amazing to see the factory come to life thanks to the work of so many enthusiasts. Members of the team.
As we saw our team grow to over 7,000 people, I also saw the enthusiasm of our supporters expand even further. Whether you are among our first reservation holders or new to the community, thank you for trusting us and showing so much enthusiasm for our products.
We know you can’t wait to get behind the wheel of your vehicle. Earlier this summer, we announced that deliveries would begin in July; however, the schedule for the first deliveries of the R1T was postponed to September, the R1S soon after in the fall. I wanted to make sure you heard it directly from me.
There are many reasons why our production ramp is taking longer than expected. The cascading impacts of the pandemic have had a greater aggravating effect than expected. Everything from building facilities and installing equipment to supplying vehicle components (especially semiconductors) has been affected by the pandemic. Beyond these unforeseen challenges, launching three new vehicles while setting up a multi-vehicle manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interconnected activities where small problems can translate into ramp delays.
Our Normal, Illinois plant has two separate production lines currently producing vehicles, one for R1 vehicles (initially R1T and R1S) and one for our commercial vans. We have now built hundreds of vehicles as part of our validation process, with many of those spotted in the wild covered in unique vinyl wraps. I’ve been asked why we don’t deliver these vehicles or why we continue to test rather than deliver. We believe it is essential both to our long term success and to your ultimate satisfaction that the quality and robustness of our launch products really set the tone for what we expect of us as a brand.
I have spoken with a number of you and I know we need to do a better job of communicating the details of the deliveries. Our guides will continue to contact you to schedule deliveries and will be there for any questions throughout the process. We are also preparing a multi-city, multi-format rolling program that will be rolled out in September. You will begin to see Rivian recharging sites and service centers being built in your local communities; and as we move towards the end of the year, you will also start to see events, programs and spaces where we can bring our Rivian community together.
Finally, I have spent a lot of time in the R1T and R1S in just about every environment imaginable, and I am delighted that you are experiencing the combination of refinement, capacity and performance – it will be worth the wait!
You’ll hear more from us over the next few weeks with additional updates and progress.
Thank you again for your support and for being on this journey with us. “
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