Back in September 2020, Rivian’s first vehicle went into production, the all-electric ute (or Truck in US speak) known as the R1T. We now have confirmation from Rivian that just 4 months later, their second vehicle, the R1S, an all-electric SUV, is also on the production line.
Rivian is a really interesting entrant to the vehicle market, with an acute focus on products aimed at more adventurous types. Their vehicles have a unique design, especially with their vertical headlights, combined with a very modern interior and a boat-load of storage.
Overall their vehicles are incredibly capable off-road, being actually designed for off-road use, unlike many modern-day crossovers and SUVs which spend very close to 100% of their time on tarmac.
The R1S offers more than 300 miles (or 482km) of range and pricing starts at US$70,000 (or A$91,587).
For those who already placed an order, you may be excited about this news that the production of the R1S is underway, but it will still be some time before customer deliveries. The website lists ‘Deliveries begin August 2021’, with the launch edition reservations selling out a long ago.
Between now and deliveries, there’s clearly crash testing and regulatory approvals to get through, but never the less, its a great sign the company is progressing with their second EV.
While we don’t have any firm dates, Rivian has publicly expressed a desire to ship vehicles to Australia at some time in 2022. More vehicle choices is always a great thing when it comes to electric options in Australia, we’re severely lacking in competition, compared to similar sized-markets around the world.
