Background
There's a lot of hype surrounding electric vehicles (EVs), with many currently under production. However, were it not for the global semi-conductor shortage plaguing over 169 US industries today, the EV sector would have certainly advanced well this year.
Part of the White House's Build Back Agenda is a 50% target of Electric Vehicles Sales by 2030. The gear (no pun intended) turns to the EV and clean energy directions to achieve the 2030 Net-Zero Climate Objective. You also have the ambitious Zero Emissions Transport Association (ZETA) advocating for 100% EV sales by 2030, which is interesting.
From the above, EV adoption will play a massive role in achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030. I pray this happens.
The electric vehicle space is lighting up with big names such as Tesla, Volkswagen, NIO, Audi, just to name a few. However, there is one up-and-comer with a new industrial perspective that shouldn't be slept on.
The name: Rivian.
About Rivian
Headquartered in Irvine, CA, Rivian is an electric automaker company that produces electric sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickups. Founded in 2009 by R.J Scaringe, Rivian is considered a startup for two reasons: it has only two makes; the R1S SUV (above) and its flagship R1T Pickup Truck (below), and it's relatively new compared to vets like General Motors, Ford, and Tesla.
Rivian specs
Rivian Commonalities
Both the R1T and the R1S have a cool glossy metallic outlook appealing to the eye- the kind that screams, "this is electric!" From the pics, you can also tell how low the car is. From a physics perspective, its center of gravity (CoG) is deliberately low to minimize rollovers in case of an accident- a reasonable argument.
Rivian also has an optional transparent panoramic roof etched atop the vehicle. This clear roof gives a beautiful oversight view of mother nature above who looks down below at human beings in the car. Even sweeter is seeing the overarching tree branches above. Imagine if it rained. :D
(The mini-video is from Rivian.com/R1S)
Rivian vehicles have a Driver+ feature. Driver+ is a hands-free driver assistant that automatically controls the car as per your preference; braking, accelerating, or turning a corner, without you touching the steering wheel, like Tesla's autopilot. Some caution, though; it doesn't warrant you taking your eyes off the road or losing concentration. That said, it won't allow you to use your phone just because you're technically not driving the car anymore.
There's a driver-focused camera monitoring your concentration, alerting you to hold the steering wheel when needed...even with Driver+.
Rivian also has internet accessibility. The vehicle has Wi-Fi plus 4G connectivity to keep you connected on your trek. Attached to the car's internet are Amazon Alexa and Echo, your vehicular assistants. Do they have Siri and Google Assistant, though? It'd be sick if they did. :)
Wireless charging, too, exists for those who forgot their chargers at home. Furthermore, the Rivian developers automatically update the vehicle system at no extra cost.
In performance, Rivian is pretty powerful. 0-60 mph in three seconds for a truck is quite impressive- just like a sportscar. Add that it's a quad motor, and I concede that Rivian is truly meant for adventure.
R1T Pickup Truck
I'm not a pickup fan, but the R1T amuses me greatly.
Rivian was created for the adventurous ride and abandoning the highway norm, venturing into the unknown piles of earth. The Rivian R1T is that vehicle that will have you quitting your home just to live in the car.
The interior is no less flashy. The R1T has an ash-wood on the front surround and smudge-and-stain resistant vegan leather seats and headliners. You could literally walk in with muddy shoes, rinse off the carpets in five minutes, and they'd still look brand new.
Seriously though, don't do that- walking into a car with dirty shoes.
Additionally, the R1T is so electric that after unlocking the vehicle, your driver profile automatically adjusts the steering wheel and your seating position to your comfort level. The seats (and the steering wheel) also have optional heating and cooling options depending on the driver's liking. Even for an EV, this is top-notch.
The rear passengers also have their mini-display to access. Through that, they can adjust their sides' temperatures; left, right, front, or back. That way, it's not only the driver who decides the car's temperature. :)
Rivian was built for adventures, so anyone can bring all they want to the trip. Consciously built for space, the R1T has 68 cubic feet of storage volume within the truck. Rivian's skateboard platform has the engine, chassis, and drivetrain at the bottom of the vehicle, creating space for a front trunk for you to pack your essentials. There is also a gear tunnel behind the rear doors, above the rear wheels, and across the truck's width- it allows you to pack longer items such as skis, rods, etc.
Suppose you plan to cook during your trip. In that case, the gear tunnel has a camp kitchen- a pull-able mini-kitchen in which to stack your utensils and ingredients and cook up a delightful meal thereafter.
The Rivian R1T has a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds (~5,000 kgs) or one elephant.
There are currently three packages of the R1T: the Limited Launch Edition (fully reserved), the Adventure Package ($73,000), and the Explore Package ($67,500). The Adventure and Explore Packages begin their deliveries in 2022.
R1S SUV
I like the SUV more than the pickup- I don't fancy pickups much.
The R1S' maximum towing capacity is 7700 pounds (~3492.66 kgs)- that's pulling a rhino and a hippo together. It's a seven-seater vehicle with 108 cubic feet of storage within.
The Rivian R1S also has a height adjustment feature that adjusts the vehicle height when needed. The max height is 14.2 inches for climbing hilly and rocky terrain, and the lowest is 8.1 inches to help you unpack. Pretty cool feature, if I do say so myself.
Why is Rivian a big deal?
Rivian, I believe, will be a big deal in the automotive industry for a couple of reasons.
Rivian prides itself on its unique quad-motor skateboard platform. The skateboard platform is the basis of the Rivian vehicle; it contains the chassis, drivetrain, gears, thermals, axles, and the entire engine. These components are below the wheel level, accounting for the vehicle's massive storage space and low CoG, giving the car better traction and driver control.
The Rivian skateboard platform attracted a $500 million investment from Ford who want to build their next vehicle using it. Other companies investing in the platform include Amazon for their delivery vehicles, and vehicle brands such as Canoo, Lincoln, and Kia.
Amazon invested $700 million into Rivian as it plans to own 100,000 EVs for its delivery services by 2030, achieving the climate goal. This Amazon-Rivian investment is a massive dig at Tesla in two ways; Tesla has to rival Rivian in the EV industry while the Musk and Bezos billionaire feud lives on.
Rivian IPO: My thoughts.
IPO stands for Initial Public Offering. This is when a company files to stop being private and start trading on the stock market. You can learn more about it here.
At the time of this writing, Rivian filed to go public, and it will take a few weeks to get listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
I predict its ticker symbol as either "RVAN," "RVN," or "RIVN." Rivian is one of the well-most funded startups in the United States, seeking a total valuation of $80 billion pre-IPO. I'm predicting a $70-$140 IPO price range on Rivian's debut.
It's crazy yet amusing that a company yet to make any vehicle deliveries has a higher valuation than Ford's and GM's market caps.
Rivian vs. Tesla: Who would win?
Tesla...by miles.
Tesla is too far out established to be rivaled by existing car companies, let alone a startup.
At this writing, Tesla's market cap is $725 billion, making it the 7th largest company worldwide and the most significant automaker.
Rivian has only the R1T and the R1S; Tesla has more than a dozen makes; the Model Y, Model X, Model S, the Plaid, Roadster, and of course, the Cybertruck.
Tesla has established charging stations all over the US which other car companies use to charge their cars. If anything, Tesla has the most extensive supercharging network worldwide.
Rivian is currently situated in the US whereas Tesla is seriously ramping up its global production scale- the US, India, China, and Germany are few examples.
On a company level, Rivian is focusing on EVs. Tesla is a clean energy company, diversifying into EVs, solar panels, batteries, and funnily enough, the Tesla Bot.
It's understandable that Rivian is making strides into the EV network and that Tesla's run-up inspired their IPO. Still, it's too soon to call it a two-horse race with Elon's toy.
My closing thoughts about Rivian.
It's an excellent company. It's well funded, strategically developed, and has come at the right time when electric vehicles are becoming mainstream. For Rivian being high occupancy vehicles (HOVs), electrifying them is terrific, innovative, and a step-up towards the traditional trucking system.
I'd consider an R1S if I were that interested in the brand. Of course, I'm attracted to SUVs as compared to pickup trucks, but even the R1T is quite impressive by its own standards.
Rivian is reimagining adventure and excursion, and it's revitalizing that through the electric truck. It will be interesting to see how Rivian impacts the pick-up industry dominated by the Ford F-150s and the Toyota Tacomas. Still, for Tesla, Elon won't take it hands down. We'll see.
Sincerely,
~Carerra, 2k21.
What do you think about Rivian? Do you think it's a good company? Do you think they'll rival Tesla? Let me know in the comments below.
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