what is rivian

With Snow mode engaged, I encounter zero traction or slip issues; even in the grossest slush and hilliest terrain, driving the R1S is effortless. But no matter what drive mode it’s in, the R1S always feels sure-footed and stable, and it’s hard to think of another vehicle I’d rather drive through an intense winter. There’s no artificial “engine” noise piped into the cabin, with Rivian’s engineers opting to highlight the nice whirs genuinely made by the motors.

Third-row passengers have their own armrests, cup holders, and storage cubbies, the door cards and seatbacks have clever pockets, and the front seats have hidden compartments underneath. Rivian’s infotainment is powered by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, and the graphics are wonderful. Unlike with most other brands, the screen shows fully rendered and animated images of the vehicle in https://www.dowjonesrisk.com/ its exact spec, and I appreciate how the visuals change depending on the drive mode. The menus are easy to navigate, and there’s plenty of nerdy information available on the trip computer and performance pages. I do wish there were a sort of homescreen that could display a combination of different apps instead of having to switch between full-screen tabs to control nav or music.

  1. Since then, Rivian has seen additional investments from Cox Automotive for $350 million, and two rounds of funding from T.
  2. Despite saying it would continue to work closely with Rivian, the company’s own EV ambitions might help or harm the partnership.
  3. This seven-seat option is due to deliver just months after its pickup truck sibling, and offers tremendous interior space, as demonstrated by RJ Scaringe himself.
  4. (Plus, the Hummer doesn’t have a third row, and the EQG won’t either.) The fantastic BMW iX is priced competitively to the R1S, but it’s only got two rows of seats and minimal off-road capability — and extremely divisive looks.
  5. “Putting the right team of people together [is the] absolute core of our business,” Scaringe told The Verge in 2018.

From day one, the automaker set out to create luxurious and battery-powered vehicles, but the rugged outdoorsy SUVs we see today weren’t always the focus. The company isn’t without its stumbles, and if it fails, Rivian wouldn’t be the first eye-catching EV company to make a splash then disappear. Our battery packs are designed to be easily removed from our vehicles and either recycled or used in “second life” applications such as stationary storage. The electric Mercedes-Benz EQG and Land Rover’s Range Rover and Range Rover Sport EVs won’t be unveiled until next year, and the GMC Hummer EV SUV is more like a supercar than an actual practical vehicle. (Plus, the Hummer doesn’t have a third row, and the EQG won’t either.) The fantastic BMW iX is priced competitively to the R1S, but it’s only got two rows of seats and minimal off-road capability — and extremely divisive looks. Mercedes’ EQS SUV is available with a third row, but it’s much more luxury-oriented and a lot more expensive than the Rivian, with a starting price of over $105,000.

Scaringe himself hasn’t done much basking in the spotlight, unlike rival Elon Musk, mainly giving interviews to automotive trade publications. The quad-motor R1S starts at $93,800 including a $1,800 destination charge, with the All-Terrain Upgrade and $1,750 Glacier White paint on my R1S adding up to a $99,150 as-tested price. Rivian will soon start deliveries of the dual-motor R1S, which uses electric motors built in-house by Rivian. The 600hp dual-motor R1S starts at $79,800 and uses a smaller battery pack that has a 260-mile max range, but the larger 340-mile pack that comes standard on the quad-motor R1S is available for an extra $6,000. Rivian also recently introduced a new Performance dual-motor model that offers 700hp and a zero to 60mph time of 3.5 seconds for a $5,000 upgrade over the standard large pack dual-motor model.

Rivian (RIVN) and Hyundai see US EV registration growth in January, outpacing rivals

Being a from-scratch startup is one of the company’s biggest advantages, as there’s no design heritage that has to be pulled from and no old platform or technology that needs to be adapted with compromises. Rivian (RIVN) is dropping a shift at its Normal, Illinois, EV manufacturing plant next month, but not because of a lack of demand. The EV maker said it could hit its 2024 production goal with one less shift due to efficiency upgrades at the facility. EV maker Rivian’s (RIVN) stock is trending Thursday ahead of the highly anticipated launch of its new R2 electric SUV.

Parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system are standard, but the image quality is some of the worst on the market. Exemplified by a recent trip I took to Big Bear with friends — prior to the record-breaking snowstorms that slammed Southern California — the R1S is one of the most comprehensively well-designed and engineered vehicles I’ve ever experienced. Rivian (RIVN) is set to report its Q earnings after the market close on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. EV makers, including Rivian, look to show they can gain control of costs as output ramps up. Rivian (RIVN) released its Q earnings Wednesday, showing gross margin improvements over last year, but the numbers are down sequentially. With cost-cutting measures in place and new affordable products, Rivian expects to achieve modest gross profit by the end of the year.

what is rivian

Rivian’s R1S SUV will be competing with other electric SUVs from companies like Tesla, which produces the Model X SUV and crossover Model Y vehicle. This week, electric vehicle maker Rivian is expected to throw its hat in the ring with a major IPO that could affect both the EV landscape and the way the world’s largest online retailer gets its packages to your door. Our facilities in Irvine are home to vehicle engineering and design, electronics, software, propulsion, battery systems, supply chain and logistics, IT, as well as many of our teams building and operating our customer facing platforms. Rivian’s stock price recovered significantly through the first half of 2023, reaching a period high of $28.06 on July 27, 2023. However, momentum has subsequently reversed with a $1.5bn convertible green note received poorly by the financial markets,[151] causing the share price to decline to a daily low of $15.88 on October 26, 2023.

As part of our efforts to attract a diverse candidate pool and promote science and engineering for women and other underrepresented groups, we have internship programs designed to increase representation. We’ve hosted Tech Talks for women in technology, service and operations and are building relationships with universities including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Representation is meaningless without the ability to listen to and learn from each other and connect on our differences and similarities that break down biases for shared success. We make it a priority to find committed partners who are making a positive impact in the community.

Prototypes and manufacturing facilities

The R1S’s range estimates are accurate, if a little conservative, and the navigation system can automatically direct you to a charging station or pick an alternative route for better efficiency. Using a DC fast charger, the Rivian’s 135kWh battery pack can gain 140 miles of range in 20 minutes or go from 10 percent to 80 percent charge in around 45 minutes. The R1S does have a Tesla-like motion-activated Gear Guard sentry function that monitors and records what goes on outside of the car, saving videos to the onboard computer, and there’s a super cute Sasquatch mascot to go with it. Good design still needs to be backed up by the driving experience, and in that area, the Rivian excels. The R1S has an electric motor at each wheel for a total of 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque, making it the second most powerful SUV on sale behind the Tesla Model X Plaid. It takes just three seconds flat for the R1S to hit 60mph, and the quad-motor setup enables wonderful torque vectoring that constantly adjusts how much thrust is going to each wheel independently.

Thanks to the huge power-operated frunk and ample rear cargo area, I’m able to fit six people in the R1S, including a weekend’s worth of luggage for each person, without impacting outward visibility. Even my friends relegated to the third row have enough headroom and legroom and never complain about comfort, and there’s a separate climate control panel for the second row. Heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and second-row bench, an excellent 19-speaker Meridian sound system, eight USB-C ports, multiple power outlets, wireless charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity are all standard. A removable Bluetooth speaker is built into the center console, and there’s an air compressor located in the rear cargo area. The only feature I’m really left wanting is massaging seats, which Rivian currently doesn’t offer.

IPO Details

Rivian stock scored a buy rating from Jefferies Finacial Group, suggesting over 45% upside potential. Rivian has unveiled the R2 electric SUV, its next-generation electric vehicle, and there were a few surprises despite some leaks before the unveiling. Upstart electric vehicle brand Rivian is extending its reach into the commercial vehicle market, entering into a new partnership with JBPCO. We found evidence of Rivian expanding its service center presence in Orange County, CA. The proposed permits would allow the facility to perform routine maintenance 24/7 and inspect EVs from the production like before they are delivered to customers. Similar to the R1T, the R1S will initially roll out in three variations starting with the Launch Edition this year.

Concordantly, the Launch Edition R1S is also sold out, but promises a range of 300+ miles on all three versions including the Adventure Package and Explore Package due in January 2022. The R1T pickup is scheduled to be the first Rivian consumer EV to deliver for the company, and much hype has already surrounded it. This five seat, fully electric pickup offers some unique and exciting features centered around the outdoors, along with some unique exterior color choices.

Rivian (RIVN) stock gets a boost ahead of R2 launch with new buy rating

In its highest setting, the R1S has 14.9 inches of ground clearance, more than enough to bash over snow banks or crawl over big rocks. The R1S’s variable active dampers have two different stiffness settings, and Rivian uses an electrohydraulic roll control system in place of traditional mechanical anti-roll bars to minimize lean and body roll both on and off the road. The second and third rows fold almost completely flat, and the split tailgate makes loading and unloading easy — plus, with a 500-pound weight limit, it’s great for tailgating. You don’t get a gear tunnel like in the R1T, but both the cargo space and frunk have covered storage compartments.

Climate vent, steering wheel, and mirror adjustment are all done through the screen, which can be annoying. Rivian uses high-quality vegan leather, real metal, and open-pore ash wood trim to great effect throughout the cabin, especially in the flowing design of the dashboard. The driving position and view out are fantastic, and the R1S’s door panels are ergonomically perfect for resting your elbow on the top of the door or the actual armrest. I personally love the tinted panoramic glass roof, which extends all the way back to the standard third row, but some may be put off by the lack of a sunshade. Personally, I’d also spend the $2,000 to get the Ocean Coast white or Forest Edge green interior color schemes, which really help make the cabin look more interesting. The R1S’s best view is the rear three-quarter angle, which showcases the chrome-accented roofline’s perfect curves.

Kia recently unveiled the awesome three-row EV9, which will be more affordable than all of those other SUVs, but it’s still months away and will have tamer performance. Rivian recently added a Snow drive mode to the R1 models via an over-the-air update, and it makes a noticeable difference. To make driving in the white stuff a much smoother, steadier, and easier experience, Snow mode softens pedal response and introduces a new low regenerative braking setting to reduce wheelspin.

In the meantime, the R1S will continue to reign as king of both the literal and figurative mountain. An avid outdoorsman and mountain biker, Scaringe insists that his vehicles can go off road, navigating 3 feet of standing water, and with a hardened undercarriage that protects the battery pack from damage due to rocks and other objects. “Rivian’s products are not really meant to be work trucks,” counters Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst with IHS Markit, per the Times. “They aim to be lifestyle products, capable but meant for recreational use,” she elaborated. Beginning in three initial trims starting with the Launch Edition in 2021, the R1T’s will come with Rivian’s mid-tier battery pack, which the automaker claims to offer a range of 300+ miles.