What is Rivian? Everything About The Electric Adventure Brand You Need To Know

[@tjs114]

It may not be a popular opinion, but I prefer the reviews where Alex is alone giving a monologue rather than the back and forth banter.

[@GAATL_Viet]

Alex seems to forget that the main reason we subscribe to him is because of his reviewing style which is educational and knowledgeable to the audiences, not like any other channels where the reviewers don't have a technical and knowledge background about the car and the industry in general. Trying to add more people to do more reviews seems to be a bad choice for me.

[@satl3161]

Disagree. I like this laid back style

[@jonathanhidalgo4591]

I concur. I don’t even watch the reviews posted by the other guys.

[@matthewhughes3765]

This is not unpopular. These duo videos have less information, are less fluid and entertaining than Alex-only videos. I know he can’t keep up a single talent presenter status at scale but no secondary presenter has matched his ability to deliver a steady stream of coherent commentary on the vehicle in question. I feel he is trying out talent on these videos and he keeps missing. It’s time to ditch the male gender and mix it up with some female contributors. Morning shows have this mix and match for a reason.

[@scott8919]

It's like with Doug DeMuro. No offense to his crew and it's nothing personal, but when I subscribe to a host I want to listen to the HOST, otherwise it feels like I'm only getting half of what I want.

[@KJD1911]

This type of video is an interesting supplement to the typical reviews on the channel. I like what Travis brings to the channel and the easy rapport he seems to have with Alex. Its two knowledgeable guys talking about car while they drive it. Looking forward to more.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Thank you for sharing, glad you enjoyed it! -Travis

[@williamelkington5430]

Good discussion! Thanks. My take is that Rivian is more of a premium rather than a luxury brand. At least, I think that's where they're trying to position themselves. With the dual motor variants, their pricing is similar to ICE vehicles that are comparably equipped but less capable. You're right that Rivian is in the segment that includes Jeep and Range Rover. You might consider adding Bronco to that group as well. But Rivian isn't trying to go head to head with anybody. It has created its own brand and a unique combination of functions, aesthetics, driving experience, and customer service that sets it apart.

[@CMCNestT]

I hear lots of people say Tesla and Rivian are premium but not luxury. Premium vs Luxury is semantics. If you are asking $80k-$100k for a vehicle you will be crossed shopped with the German Three Maries, JLR, Lexus etc.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It's currently in a segment of its own and benefiting from that fact. People are interested so we'll see what other manufacturers do to respond. -Travis

[@rodoherty1]

Travis is a good addition. Easy to listen to. No nonsense.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Thanks for watching! -Travis

[@overcaffeinatedengineering]

Really great duo video. I love the back and forth analysis.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Thank you for sharing, glad you enjoyed it. -Travis

[@TalismanPHX]

As an aside: what beautiful scenery on your forest drive

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Wasn't it lovely? -Travis

[@mrairman7]

Alex in my opinion you review vehicles like no one. Great Job, Thank you for so much details in your reviews 😊

[@KalleSWBeck]

Thanks for showing other parts of California to people.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It's a big state. -Travis

[@Bestfriend-650]

My issue is the slow pace of manufacturing. I reserved this April and I have no hope of getting it anytime soon. Love the red color. Keeping my fingers crossed. I hope they improve the capacity.

[@laloajuria4678]

no heat pump and no nacs, this is not the version to buy.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Have you checked their available inventory? It might not be your preferred spec but there are some options readily available. -Travis

[@kubi0461]

I’m quite interested in the R2S, but I hope Rivian improves and intelligence and capability. For marketing themselves as an adventure brand, I would expect more locker/lsd style of functionality even on a dual motor vehicle…. without using brakes. I am a bit concerned on lack of service centers.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

If Rivian adds more features they also have to increase the price thus limiting even further who can buy the vehicle. It's always a balancing act but if enough customers want to see it they would likely respond. -Travis

[@The-DP79]

Rivian wasn't on my radar until they bought ABRP. It's so good I'd like to have a car with it baked in

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Simplifying EV ownership is always a good thing! -Travis

[@Dcalzaretta]

What are your thoughts about the lighter interior vs. darker if you have dogs, do a lot of carrying of things, and the like? Do you think the light interior will hold up over time?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

If you have dogs regularly in and out of the seats My suggestion would be to get a pet protector. First off, that's always easier to clean up and second you can then get whatever interior you prefer and not worry about it getting ruined. Beyond that the interiors are made of the same material so unless they get stained they will hold up similarly throughout your time with the vehicle. -Travis

[@ecp711]

I have the light interior and put my dog (70 lbs) in the back seat all the time. I would highly recommend a pet protector but where the protector doesn't cover has been really easy to clean after 7 months. IMO the light interior is a much nicer and higher end feel than the black interior and has held up extremely well. Definitely recommend it.

[@mike9588]

Is the R1T kind of like a tweener between electric 4 runner and electric sequoia if they existed and were unibody?

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Those are all pretty different vehicles. -Travis

[@paulg9484]

Rivian should speed up with R2 announcement and delivery

[@manuelias86]

I believe the plan is to build them in GA, so until that is near ready, they probably won't announce anything

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I wouldn't want things announced too early, especially if it means the product is being rushed. -Travis

[@jimhlee]

It's interesting at times to see how Alex would respond to some thoughts and questions I would ask. Pulls out variable info we'd never hear.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Do you have specific questions in mind? -Travis

[@jimhlee]

@@EVBuyersGuide hi Travis, thanks for asking. I like the interaction because you ask questions / provoke thought / or highlight things that Asked sometimes would not mention or bring more depth to. I enjoy it

[@jeffevey5763]

he says around 12min35 seconds that there is no hands-free driving - but isn't Driver+ a hands-free system? Or maybe technically a hands on the wheel system, but it is autonomous driving (with driver attention required, like most systems)

[@JMacGyver1]

Let’s be honest, Tesla Model X and Y are NOT suvs, and I’d go as far as calling them minivans more than cross overs. The Rivian R1S is a proper suv, in looks and definitely in function.

[@MrRaitzi]

I heard from lady that has both Rav4 prime and model Y. She considers model Y sedan and Rav4 more usable SUV and dog is more happy in Rav4.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Isn't the Tesla Model Y one of the clearest examples of a crossover? -Travis

[@JMacGyver1]

@@EVBuyersGuide I guess if by crossover you mean a cross between a sedan and a slightly raised roof sedan…

[@CMCNestT]

Ford said integrating the software of Lincoln tophat on Rivian skateboard was too complex and costly. Additionally, after Ford made the investment in Rivian and planned a colab is when they decided to go all in on EVs, And build Blue Oval City and Multiple Gigafactories of their own. It no longer made sense to collaborate with Rivian on a few ten thousands of vehicles per year.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Do you think Ford could have gotten a better head start if they had stuck closer to Rivian? Yes, they have made significant investment on their own, but they could have offloaded some of that work to Rivian. -Travis

[@CMCNestT]

@@EVBuyersGuide Ford wants those core competencies in house. They no longer view BEVs as a fringe market but the majority of the market within 10-15 years. The only way to logically continue would be to buy a majority stake in Rivian but it seems RJ Scaringe has bigger plans than that.

[@Trades46]

Rivian is an interesting company. The R1 series being marketed as a luxury off road vehicles puts them right in the crosshairs of Land Rover, but they're out of the line of fire of Mercedes-Benz EQ series, BMW i and Audi e-trons since none of them are off road capable. The Hummer EV is the closest rival, but it is even more expensive and sacrifices efficiency and any road going use case due to its size. The R1 is still big and expensive. The R2, if they survive 2024, will be the vehicle to put them on the map.

[@-Munditimum-]

Great scenery and aweful roads. I felt bad for you guys driving on those roads. When were they paved last?? I guess a good thing to see how those 21s effect the vehicle. Travis is a great addition to the team. Cheers, M

[@ALMX5DP]

The public roads they’re on really aren’t bad at all. A sports car would feel right at home on them.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The ride could have been much worse, I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for watching! -Travis

[@-Munditimum-]

That's great to hear Travis. Thanks much for the reply! Cheers.

[@footvantage06]

King of Saudi Arabia is the major investor in it. That should end all discussions about this company.

[@msh8816]

Are Rivians still experiencing the vampire drains?

[@Annette_Hons]

I definitely think Rivian needs to stay with their adventure brand and only make SUVs or trucks. I think the only other thing they might consider is maybe a smaller R1S maybe like a bronco sport size vehicle, or perhaps like a two door “jeep“ or even Bronco style off-road type vehicle. I definitely think they need to stay out of the sedan or crossover segment. There are plenty other manufacturers out there for sedans and crossovers. I cannot wait to place a reservation for mine. Hopefully soon.

[@hereigoagain5050]

Great review! Do owners actually take their $100K EV off road? I'd go for a less capable, smaller, cheaper Rivian.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I'm sure we'll see some version of that in the next model. -Travis

[@zuti071]

There is no need for 2 presenter versions of your reviews.

[@MistSoalar]

Does luxury-adventure-electric-pickup-truck makes significant impact on emission reduction?

[@ALMX5DP]

No but it makes a significant impact on desirability and future adoption rates.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

There are lots of different ways to approach that question, but it's a good one. -Travis

[@frumpd63]

Rivian makes an amazing product but they are losing serious money on each unit sold. I have a 2021 preorder up for delivery next year but if they aren't closing in on profitability, I likely won't personally pull the trigger for fear of them going under. Profitability is likely why Ford passed on their technology.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It takes time to reach profitability, but your concerns are valid. -Travis

[@2sk21]

Rivian is interesting but two problems for me: 1. No CarPlay 2. It's simply too big for my needs. If Rivian can make a car that's exactly the size and shape of my Honda CR-V, I will consider them, despite no CarPlay

[@EVBuyersGuide]

The R2 will be a lot closer. -Travis

[@j0epark1]

Can I ask what is so important about CarPlay? I don't necessarily use the navigation or listen to music when I drive; is there another significance to it?

[@microhaxo]

@@j0epark1 I don't have an iPhone, but I do use android auto. It's like having your phone (which everyone relies on heavily) be extended right to your car. Its familiar, its personal and it also offers the apps you already have and need.

[@2sk21]

@@j0epark1 I'm always listening to podcasts when driving. I really like the CarPlay interface for my favorite podcast app, Overcast. Also, I like the tight integration with Siri that you get with a CarPlay interface

[@fighter835]

It's just so much more customizable than any OS the car runs. You can load up a lot of different apps that you like/need on it, something that's impossible to do without it. Lots of people "hack" their phone and literally just run any of the millions of apps out there on their car screens. Now that I have Android Auto on some of my cars I will never buy a car without it.@@j0epark1

[@COSolar6419]

Many vehicles are “lifestyle” vehicles, including most of the pickups being sold today.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Don't say that too loudly, the truck owners might hear you! -Travis

[@COSolar6419]

@@EVBuyersGuide Okay, good advice.

[@ELMS]

No heat pump at that price point? That’s a serious shortcoming.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

Especially if this sort of vehicle is going to see ample use for winter sports. -Travis

[@1JoeKingMan]

How was your public charging experience? There's nothing luxury about that.

[@naveenthemachine]

One of my best friends works at Rivian in iirc embedded software

[@ltkwok]

Rivian is a public company now & its financials just came out. They lose $25-30k per truck.

[@manuelias86]

With 9B still in the bank. I think they stated that they won't become profitable until the end of 2024

[@CMCNestT]

Ford is losing money on every EV sold. Other than some Tesla and some Chinese firms, everybody is losing money on EVs. You need to ramp up and scale before you can make money on ICEv or BEVs. Unless you are a boutique manufacture and charge supercar/hypercar prices.

[@MrRaitzi]

​@@CMCNestTit is how you calculate. Tesla is not on profit if you calculate how much money they have put in to investments. Single calendar year does not tell everything. But Tesla is making money back now. Rivian still is not. Rivian should have been better as subdiary of Ford.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

At the moment, yes. -Travis

[@Vin3Man]

Where the F are you driving? I thought Pennsylvania roads were bad!

[@scott8919]

The United States, basically.

[@RealElectech]

Northern California mountains. Alex lives there.

[@troi_dat_oi_nguyen189]

@@scott8919 Typical but okay lol

[@EVBuyersGuide]

I was just as surprised as you were! -Travis

[@brenrob7403]

2nd :) Awfully nice SUV EV overall

[@EVBuyersGuide]

No arguments here! -Travis

[@MrRaitzi]

So dissapointed they didn't come to Europe. All promises for years for nothing. I have to buy Korean EV9 now if I want boxy SUV with no real off road capability.

[@kevinn1158]

Another wildly overpriced EV. Wake me up when the OEMs get serious about producing a reasonably priced EV.

[@COSolar6419]

Chevy Bolt

[@guccisasha]

The ICE equivalent cars and trucks are similarly priced. My first EV was a new 22 Bolt EUV, and I sold it in less than a year and got met a MYLR, and that was a huge step up, in so many ways, especially in the ride comfort, range, and easy operability. Now the Bolt EUV new was 38 K for me, and the Rivian R1S or R1T prices are double that amount, but u r getting 10-20 times the car versus the Bolt. I have an R1S and an R1T on order, and am ok with the price, as i get much more compared to ice SUV/Trucks. I recently got a new 23 Ford lightning, and it drives beautifully and very comfortably like an EV, and I very much like it, but I also need a nimbler smaller truck like the R1T for a daily driver.

[@MrRaitzi]

Buy smaller and you get cheaper.

[@kevinn1158]

@@MrRaitzi Right.... like the wildly overpriced Polestar 4 starting at 60k? All of these EVs are overpriced because the gov't is subsidizing them heavily. In fact, Tesla has gotten so much support from the gov'ts around the world, they should own most of that company.

[@EVBuyersGuide]

It's true that most EV's are on the expensive side of things, but vehicles in general are increasing in cost year over year. For reference though, Polestar is not building vehicles to complete with Honda and Toyota. They are targeting manufacturers like Porsche and those are not cheap.

[@HJP1]

O

[@hgoodman9]

1st