Rivian's CEO on Elon Musk's Influence, Affordable EVs, and The Grid's Risky Future - W/ RJ Scaringe

[@Alex.kantrowitz]

Catch the full episode, and others like it, on Big Technology Podcast. Subscribe here: Spotify: spoti.fi/32aZGZx Apple: apple.co/3AebxCK Etc. pod.link/1522960417/

[@anahitaaalami9064]

RJ is a good guy. Who makes awesome machines.

[@Utoko]

He is really nice he takes a $32,000 loss on every car he sells. It is basically a charity he is running! VW just gave them 2$B so the charity run a bit longer again.

[@kelRGo]

RJ has the greatest Superman costume, and the best automotive CEO out there.

[@ZipZoomZip]

Do you define "best" auto CEO as the one who manages to lose the most money per vehicle sold? How's that work?

[@akeem11h]

Thanks Alex, amazing dialogue as usual ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Let's go Rivian!! Thanks for what you do R.J.S.

[@anothername2730]

Only a couple minutes in but I know it will be another good interview. Thanks for bringing us the conversations that matter.

[@Alex.kantrowitz]

Thank you so much! Really enjoyed this one with RJ!

[@MoreOnEVs]

Great conversation. Rivian has great products and an exciting product pipeline. I sincerely hope they can survive for the long run. We’re rooting for you RJ!!

[@ZipZoomZip]

The identity of a Tesla owner? I'm a Tesla owner but I don't use the car or truck I drive to determine my identity. A vehicle is just a tool, not a political or identity statement. When I want to know who someone is, the last thing I would look at is what kind of vehicle they drive. Oh, and nobody cares about the political beliefs of the CEO of the brand of car they drive either. I mean, almost half the country is left, a little more than half is right, CEO's can be either left or right, it's a personal choice, and your right as an American to choose which candidate you support. People making a big deal about Elon's political preferences have absolutely lost their minds. They can't stand it when someone doesn't vote the same way they do. These people are the problem, not the solution.

[@CanonicGames]

Really great interview format. Great questions. The hybrid question is interesting - hybrids seem to be the default answer that people funnel to when they don't truly understand the reality and the actual data. It's sort of a convenient answer when you don't want to research the facts and think about the long term. Ultimately these consumers just need to be provided with compelling affordable EVs so that they choose them regardless.

[@chrisg8995]

I am rooting for Rivian and RJ mostly because he is one of the few adults in the room in these times we live in.

[@COSolar6419]

We seriously considered a plug-in hybrid three years ago. We ended up with a fully electric vehicle. So glad we did. EVs work better for the vast majority of use cases.

[@trstrean]

I wish they were building the R3 next. I think they could achieve good profit by providing the lower cost option first. While the average vehicle purchase is $45k, the numbers also show people can't afford them and repo lots are overflowing. Now that Elon has said a sub $30k car is stupid, definitely an opening for Rivian to consider.

[@tmfury29]

Great conversation!

[@dianewallace6064]

I LOVE my 2023 Quad motor canyon red R1T. I live in North Carolina. I also own a 100% electric Hyundai Ioniq6 and ICE Chevy Impala.

[@dianewallace6064]

49:00 Plug-in hybrids represent the worst of both worlds, however, they do lower emissions. If you want a PHEV, get one that uses the gas engine as a generator to power the large battery when needed. For example, the non-existant Dodge RAM Rev. These PHEVs with gas generators have fewer ICE parts. Or just keep your old ICE car as a back-up to your EV. That's what I did. I call that a hybrid lifestyle.

[@ZipZoomZip]

An EV makes a better back-up vehicle to another EV because gas cars become unreliable if they just sit around.

[@TwinForce-e3m]

we own a Zeekr X , a Subcompact size sim to BMW X5 , so far I like it , mostly charge at house, would have loved a Rivian but Thailand , not yet , but a 38,000 usd cost very affordable, now Pickup Truck not yet here . Cost to run .03 cents a mile , converted , we do have Ongrid solar which helps about 25 %. Now Fast and holds the Lane and Lane changes with Turn indicator , down side not a lot of service, it does have geely - Volvo dealer and service. Batteries , next year Solid State

[@richardkule9384]

Alex sure likes to interrupt RJ.

[@Alex.kantrowitz]

Look, it's a balance. You want to give people time to speak (and I do) but I am working on behalf of listeners here who will not stick around if it's not a dynamic conversation (trust me, I've seen the analytics). I hate interrupting, but sometimes I must.

[@richardkule9384]

@@Alex.kantrowitz The exchanges improved as the interview went on. Overall, quality interview, thanks.

[@LESLEYMARKS-f3j]

Sounds like you have been listening to Elon I getting costs down hope you make it

[@richardkule9384]

It looks like R.J. is wearing two watches, one on each wrist.

[@rickrys2729]

Solar, wind, batteries (and demand response) can be added to the grid faster than EV's can be built. China has shown us how this is done in 2023.

[@darrenchin8492]

RJ is a good sales man and his words have magnetic effect However the stock price and backlog demand yet to reflect this great Rivian products

[@ardeshirjahanian2697]

Another really mad journalist still seething about Elon and the election 😂

[@marrmm]

RJ sounds shook. I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect there’s some pretty ugly writing on the wall for EV manufacturing in the US.

[@jasonm3780]

Reserved my Rivian R2. Can’t wait.

[@TimBorg]

Boycott Elon Musk

[@byronchurch]

Not Tesla !