Rivian delivered the first of its R1T trucks to customers late last year, becoming the first auto manufacturer to market with an electric pickup truck. Importantly, it also made initial deliveries of EDV 700 electric delivery van to Amazon.
The Amazon EDV 700 step-in van, which measures in at a 277 inch length and rides on a 187 inch wheelbase, provides a 700 cubic-foot cargo area and an estimated 200 mile driving range. It‘s powered by an electric motor energized by a lithium-ion nickel-cobalt-aluminum battery pack. The automaker plans to offer both single and dual motor, all-wheel drive versions of its commercial van product in the future.
Coming next is the smaller EDV 500, entering the market later this year with a 500 cubic-foot cargo carrying ability. The EDV 500 has a length of 248 inches and a 157 inch wheelbase,. Following this will be the largest of Rivian’s three electrified vans, the EDV 900 that offers a length of 321 inches over a 205 inch wheelbase. This heavyweight hauler will feature an 840 cubic-foot cargo bay and a GVWR of 14,000 pounds.
Rivian’s electric vehicles are built on an innovative electric ‘skateboard’ platform that integrates the vehicle’s motors, battery, cooling system, braking, and suspension. This strategy allows straightforward adaptation for varying models, wheelbases, and applications, including the company’s electric R1T pickup, R1S SUV, the EDV series it builds for Amazon, and other future Rivian models. This ‘skateboard’ approach is an advanced strategy being used for next-generation electric vehicles by a number of automakers.
The company has received substantial investment from numerous sources including Ford, and Amazon, along with major funding rounds that total some $10.5 billion. Adding to this is the Rivian IPO late last year that raised close to an additional $12 billion. Thus, Rivian is well-positioned to compete alongside legacy automakers and truck manufacturers as these companies begin to offer their own electric commercial vehicles to the market. The company reportedly has over 70,000 preorders for its R1T and R1S products, and importantly it is under agreement to deliver a total of 100,000 EDVs to Amazon by 2025, with the first 10,000 to be delivered by the end of this year.
Given this, a significant amount of the company’s focus will presumably need to be directed at its Amazon delivery contract even as it scales up production of its initial product, the electric R1T pickup that was recently delivered to initial customers, and its soon-to-come R1S electric SUV. That’s a lot to handle for any start-up auto manufacturer, and juggling production priorities has potential to present challenges. In fact, Rivian announced the delay of its longest-range R1T and R1S models with the Max battery pack until 2023, no doubt as it finds its production sweet spot.
Even with its milestone order and production commitment with Amazon – a company that reportedly now owns 20 percent of this new auto manufacturer – Rivian has launched a fleet page for taking general orders for its Rivian Commercial Van (RCV) variant. The list of potential applications for its electric commercial van models goes well beyond the focused electric last mile delivery purpose of Amazon’s vans, ranging from field service and transport to construction and utility use. These configurable commercial models are designed to fit diverse needs with payload capacities ranging from 1,960 to 5,300 pounds. Rivian says deliveries of the RCV will begin in 2023.
Rivian is making strategic moves to increase production with a 623,000 square foot expansion of its manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois – a former Mitsubishi assembly plant – to a total of 4 million square feet. The company is also moving forward with plans for a second production and technology facility near Atlanta, Georgia, with a potential build capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year. Representing a $5 billion investment, Rivian is hoping to begin construction of its Georgia facility this summer and start vehicle production there in 2024.
Start-up electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is on a roll. The company plans to offer the five-passenger R1T electric pickup in late 2020, built on its innovative electric ‘skateboard’ platform. Now it has 500,000 more reasons supporting its success with a half-billion-dollar investment from Ford. This strategic investment buys Ford the ability to build its own electric models – presumably pickups and SUVs – on the Rivian ‘skateboard’ platform. Rivian received an earlier $700 investment from Amazon and others.
Rivian’s skateboard architecture locates the battery pack in the floor in the middle of the vehicle. The R1T has four motors, two per axle, with each motor individually controlling a wheel to provide precise control. These are not hub motors since each motor is mounted in the body. The skateboard chassis also includes braking, suspension, and cooling systems.
The R1T will be offered with three different battery packs and electric motor configurations. A 180-kWh battery pack version energizing motors with a total of 700 horsepower and 823 lb-ft torque is expected to deliver a range of over 400 miles. Another powertrain option is a 135-kWh pack model with 754 horsepower and 823 lb-ft torque provided by four motors, featuring a range of about 300 miles. The base R1T will come with a 105-kWh battery and motors delivering 403 horsepower and 413 lb-ft torque, with a range of more than 250 miles.
A substantial 14 inches of ground clearance plus the ability to wade through three feet of water and climb a 45-percent incline makes for some serious off-roading capability. In addition, the R1T has a payload capacity of 17,600 pounds and can tow 11,000 pounds. It’s smart, too, offering Level 3 autonomous driving capability, a suite of active-safety features, an adjustable air suspension, and automated trailer backup.
The cost of entry for Rivian’s R1T pickup is an expected base price of $69,000 before a federal tax credit and possible state incentives. It will be produced at Rivian’s manufacturing facility at a former 2.6 million square-foot Mitsubishi facility in Normal, Illinois. The company employs more than 1,000 people at development centers in Irvine and San Jose, California, and in Surrey, England. Along with the R1T pickup, Rivian is also developing its R1S SUV based on its skateboard chassis.