You will need to wait until 2024 for a 400-mile Rivian.
As of right now, a 135-kilowatt-hour battery pack is the largest optional battery available in the Rivian R1T Truck and Rivian R1S SUV, enabling a 314- or 316-mile range, respectively.
Both models will be available with a smaller 105 kWh battery with around 260 miles of range, while the R1T will offer an exclusive 180 kWh Max pack that delivers 400 miles of emission-free driving. The larger battery was previously delayed until 2023, and now it appears customers will have to wait even longer for their cars.
The Kilowatts (@klwtts) on Twitter obtained an email from an R1T quad-motor Max Pack reservation holder. It says that "deliveries are now planned to start in 2024" and apologizes for this news being "disruptive to your ability to plan."
Rivian says it will provide updates to reservation holders every three months starting in 2023. Anyone who wants their 835-horsepower quad-motor truck sooner can downgrade to the Large pack and receive it as soon as January.
As a small consolation prize, only the quad-motor Max pack truck is being delayed.
"We plan to share more news on the Max pack later this year, including an earlier launch for the dual-motor + Max pack with deliveries starting in Summer 2023," the company said in the email. Rivian hasn't provided official specifications on the Max pack yet, but we assume this dual-motor model should hit at least 400 miles of range.
Even with two fewer motors, this setup produces a healthy 600 hp with a four-second 0-60 mph time, but performance is the least of the fledgling automaker's concerns right now.
Rivian has struggled to reach production goals, recently pausing orders for its Camp Kitchen, which it says it is redesigning and improving, and for the powered tonneau cover. However, an explanation for why this is being indefinitely held off has not been made clear.
These problems follow the company's recent recalling of vehicles because the wheels might fall off. The company expects to deliver 25,000 units by the end of the year but only managed to reach 6,584 as of the third quarter. Judging by this recent battery delay, Rivian is focusing on what's in production now rather than introducing new options to the mix, but how many more disappointments will customers have to face?
Rivian needs to deliver on its promises before it is seen in the same light as other overpromising EV producers.
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