2022 Rivian R1S and R1S: What we know so far about Tesla's new US competitor and its Ford F-150 Lightning and Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series rivals

The R1T is an all-electric full-size pickup truck from Rivian.

Tesla is the biggest name in American EVs, but new rival Rivian is looking to change that.

Rivian is set to release its first models, the R1T full-size pickup truck and related R1S SUV, later this year in the US, with global distribution including Australia in the near future.

Rivian originally planned to ship its first vehicles to customers in July, but in addition to the challenges of starting a new company, like all automakers, Rivian has been slowed down by the global pandemic and the resulting semiconductor shortage. Now the company has set a new September target for first customer vehicles.

This was announced by the engineer Rivian Brain Gase. Cars Guide Back at the 2019 New York Auto Show, the brand's arrival in Australia is a matter of "when", not "if", considering how suitable both models will be here.

“When” is a tricky question,” he explained. “How to choose the right strategic markets in terms of what is key for your brand, where are you going to see sales?

“And that's why Australia is so interesting to us, because you guys share a lot of the off-road and nature values ​​that I think our company has. And you're not on the narrow Italian roads where it's harder for this car to fit in.

“The truck makes sense in the Australian market. We see significant value, especially with an SUV in right-hand drive markets.

"And we've unified everything for cars in front of the B-pillar, so by default getting a right-hand drive truck is a low barrier because I have a right-hand drive SUV."

This was announced by the representative of Rivian. Cars Guide This week plans for production of right-hand drive cars for Australia remain in place, but the timing has yet to be confirmed.

While any failure is disappointing, and the failure of a new brand usually raises questions about its viability, Rivian appears to be in a good position to deliver on its commitment, and here's why.

Big patrons

Since its official debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, Rivian has become a major player in the U.S. auto industry despite having yet to deliver a vehicle. The company has reportedly raised more than $10.5 billion in capital since its inception, with Amazon and Ford being the biggest investors.

This month alone, Rivian raised $2.5 billion to expand its manufacturing operations (it already has a former Mitsubishi plant in Illinois) and international expansion.

Amazon's initial $700 million investment included a commitment to expand Rivian's lineup beyond the R1T and R1S to include a unique delivery van for the tech giant.

Amazon has already begun testing the van in selected cities and plans to produce 10,000 vehicles by 2022 before eventually purchasing 100,000 vehicles to fully convert its fleet to electric vehicles.

However, not everything was smooth sailing for Rivian. In April 2020, Ford, which had invested US$500 million in Rivian, announced that its plans for a Lincoln luxury SUV based on the Rivian platform would be scrapped.

Ford maintained that it remained committed to the partnership with Rivian and blamed the pandemic on the decision to cancel the Lincoln program.

Premium positioning

Maybe the Rivian R1S SUV fits the taste and needs better?

Like many successful brands, Rivian decided to target the high end of the market for both the R1T and R1S. With the R1T starting at $67,500 and the R1S starting at $70,000, Rivian positions itself well above the $39,900 Ford F-150 Lightning and instead compared to the yet to be priced Toyota LandCruiser Series.

That's not to say the Rivian is overpriced, because based on the initial models we've seen, each one is suitably equipped to justify the luxurious price tag. Both, for example, will be able to travel up to 480 km without recharging.

The R1T may be ute, but it won't be aimed at buyers looking for a functional workhorse, with leather and wood trim and standard 20-inch (upgradable) alloy wheels.

The design and accessories offered for the Rivians make it clear that the vehicles are geared towards the adventurer. For example, the R1T comes with a “gear tunnel,” a unique storage space that is the width of a car and fits between the cab and tray. Rivian has already unveiled a “gear shuttle,” a long bench that can drive in and out of a tunnel.

If that's not what you want, you can choose Camp Kitchen for the tunnel. This $5000 option adds a two-burner induction cooktop, a sink, and drawers filled with crockery and kitchen equipment, including pots and a kettle.

You can also opt for a XNUMX-person tent from Yakima on both off-road and off-road vehicles. This decision to position itself as a brand for those who love outdoor adventures could stand Rivian in good stead when it reaches Australia.

Trial by fire

Rivian's patented electric vehicle technology may have attracted a lot of financial interest from Amazon, Ford and others, but it needs to work in the real world if the company is to succeed. This is especially true in Australia's uniquely challenging environment.

Rivian has already put the R1T to the extreme test - more than the usual industry testing - by providing its very first pre-production vehicles ready for use in the 2020 Apple + TV series. Long way up.

A pair of R1Ts were selected as support vehicles for the show, which featured actor Ewan McGregor (of Star Wars fame) and friend Charlie Boorman ride a pair of Harley Davidson Livewire electric motorcycles from Ushuaia, Argentina, across South and Central America to Los Angeles. The Riviese had to cover about 20,000 km across different terrain and managed to make the journey without any major setbacks.

More recently, examples of the R1T and R1S have been spotted in New Zealand, likely during cold weather testing at the Southern Hemisphere test site near Queenstown.