Jonathan Gitlin
With supply chain disruptions messing with the auto industry, it’s an especially challenging time for startups like Rivian. After warning of production challenges due to parts shortages early in December, the Illinois-based electric truck maker on Tuesday told some customers they would need to wait another year, until 2023, for their preorders to be delivered.
The delay affects deliveries of Rivian R1T (truck) and R1S (SUV) models with the Max battery packs, which offer a range of 400 miles on a single charge. Those account for about 20 percent of Rivian preorders, according to an email to customers sent by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe and posted to Reddit. The rest of the preorders are for vehicles with the Large pack, providing range of around 315 miles.
“In order to serve the largest number of preorder holders, we will be prioritizing building the Adventure Package with Large pack battery during the next year,” wrote Scaringe. “Explore Package preorders and vehicles with a Max pack battery configuration will follow in 2023. In setting our delivery timing, we optimized our build sequence around the build combination that would support us ramping as quickly as possible and therefore have the largest possible positive climate impact.”
Scaringe is aware that the extra wait will be frustrating to customers, some of whom have been waiting since 2018. “[W]e value your loyalty and commitment and will be reaching out to you in January to gauge your interest in reconfiguring to an Adventure Package with Large pack battery so that you can take delivery in 2022.”
While they wait, Rivian customers will be able to track delivery dates via their Rivian accounts.
The company had “approximately 71,000” preorders as of December 15, Scaringe wrote. During its first quarterly earnings announcement on that date, Rivian said it had delivered 386 of the 652 vehicles manufactured in its Bloomington, Illinois plant and that it would fail to meet its goal of building 1,200 vehicles by the end of 2021.