Rivian should begin conveyances of its R1T Launch Edition electric pickup truck this month, yet that will not be the situation. The automaker has deferred the initial shipments to September.
Clients will likewise need to stand by longer to get their hands on the R1S electric SUV, as the first deliveries will not occur until the fall. Rivian said in June that conveyances of the two vehicles would start in July, a month after the fact than recently arranged. TechCrunch originally gave an account of the latest postponements.
In a letter to clients that Rivian imparted to Engadget, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe highlighted the long-tail effect of the COVID-19 pandemic as a significant reason for the setbacks. “Everything from facility construction, to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic,” Scaringe wrote. “Beyond these unforeseen challenges, launching three new vehicles while setting up a multi-vehicle manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interlinked activities where small issues can translate into ramp delays.”
Scaringe said that Rivian, which presently utilizes in excess of 7,000 individuals, has assembled “hundreds of vehicles as part of our validation process, with many of those spotted out in the wild covered in unique vinyl wraps.” He noted that the company hasn’t yet delivered those since Rivian believes “it is critical to both our long-term success and your ultimate satisfaction that the quality and robustness of our launch products truly sets the tone for what to expect from us as a brand.”
However long Rivian can adhere to its most recent course of events, it might in any case be the main automaker to put up an electric pickup truck for sale to the public. GMC’s Hummer EV pickup probably will not go into creation until not long from now, while Ford (a Rivian financial backer) is peering toward the following spring for shipments of the electric F-150 Lightning.
Alongside the R1T and R1S, Rivian is building commercial vans on a different production line at its plant in Normal, Illinois. Amazon has requested 100,000 of those electric vans and has begun to test them.