Rivian teases five new vehicles, and I have no idea what they are

Jun 26, 2024 11:14 PM - 4 months ago 61728

I’ll admit, I was excessively distracted by Rivian’s astonishment announcement of a $5 cardinal woody pinch Volkswagen to create package and electrical vehicles to announcement that nan buzzy California institution was besides readying an investor time arena connected June 27th.

So erstwhile I woke up connected Wednesday to spot this shareholder letter — thanks to InsideEVs with an assistance from BloombergNEF’s Corey Cantor connected Threads — I was beautiful amazed to spot Rivian was fundamentally taking a page from Tesla by teasing america pinch immoderate shroud-covered enigma vehicles.

Screenshot: Rivian

It’s already been a beautiful jam-packed 2024 for Rivian: nan preamble of nan much affordable R2, starting astatine $45,000; the astonishment uncover of nan R3 and R3X, which concisely broke nan internet pinch hype; nan merchandise of its second-generation R1T and R1S vehicles, pinch each caller architecture, motors, and batteries; and of course, nan company’s continuing financial struggles successful nan look of softening EV demand.

So to flip into nan operation 5 — five! — caller enigma vehicles is either a beautiful bold strategy for nan early aliases a hopeless effort to enactment applicable amid rising costs and cooling liking successful electrical vehicles. Either way, let’s return a look astatine these vehicles to spot if we tin make immoderate guesses astir what they are.

It’s already been a beautiful jam-packed 2024 for Rivian

First of all, Rivian’s shroud-covered vehicles look very akin to nan ones Tesla revealed during its institution shareholder gathering earlier this month, which raises nan anticipation that some are conscionable utilizing nan aforesaid devices successful Photoshop to create these images.

Starting from nan left, we person Rivian’s OG vehicles: nan R1T truck, R1S SUV, and EDV (Electric Delivery Van) for Amazon. In nan adjacent column, we person nan second-generation R1 vehicles that were announced earlier this month. On apical of those, there’s our first enigma vehicle, which suggests nan institution could beryllium moving connected an updated EDV built connected nan Gen 2 architecture.

Except that doesn’t really look for illustration a van shape. It’s decidedly much truck-shaped — though InsideEVs editor-in-chief (and erstwhile Verge contributor) Patrick George makes a convincing argument that we shouldn’t publication excessively overmuch into nan various shapes. They could beryllium banal images aliases conscionable placeholders. If anything, Rivian could actively beryllium trying to propulsion sleuths disconnected nan scent pinch these shapes. (Rivian spokesperson Liz Markman declined to remark connected nan enigma vehicles.)

If anything, Rivian could actively beryllium trying to propulsion sleuths disconnected nan scent

In nan adjacent column, we tin spot nan R2 and R3, some of which were unveiled successful March. There’s different enigma conveyance connected apical of that column. And each 3 vehicles will beryllium built connected an electrical architecture called “MSP,” which stands for “midsized platform.”

And past there’s nan 4th file pinch 3 shrouded vehicles built connected a level simply called “Affordable Mass-Market.” How intriguing! Earlier this year, nan R2 and R3 were billed arsenic Rivian’s large play for affordable EVs, pinch nan erstwhile starting astatine $45,000. Rivian hasn’t put a value connected nan R3 aliases nan capacity trim R3X isolated from to opportunity it will beryllium little than nan R2.

So what are we to make of each of this? It seems apt that a fewer of these enigma vehicles will beryllium trucks. Trucks are immoderate of nan bestselling vehicles successful North America. Rivian’s first conveyance was nan R1T. Trucks are successful nan company’s DNA. So does that mean we’re going to get an R2T aliases R3T aliases possibly moreover X variants of both? It’s possible!

While nan remainder of nan car manufacture is prioritizing big, dense electrical trucks that waste for six figures, Rivian could shingle things up pinch a cheaper, smaller truck. The institution didn’t mention whether it was moving connected specified a conveyance during nan R2 announcement successful March. And nary of these silhouettes are instantly screaming “truck,” truthful it’s unclear whether that’s really successful nan cards.

Trucks are successful nan company’s DNA

Another point to statement is that nan affordable mass-market vehicles are each different shapes. I know, we can’t spot nan shapes! But this could still mean that location are astatine slightest small, medium, and ample vehicles successful nan useful for that category. That seems important.

The truth that Rivian is moving connected a trio of vehicles that are even cheaper than nan R2 and R3 is encouraging. Other automakers person stumbled successful their attempts to nutrient genuinely affordable EVs. Tesla has gone back and forth connected whether it will make a $25,000 “Model 2”-type vehicle. The Volvo EX30 is getting caught up successful nan waste and acquisition warfare pinch China and apt won’t waste for its promised $35,000. Chevy is only now rolling retired its Equinox EV but hasn’t yet offered nan $35,000 type that was announced.

If Rivian joins nan fray, that would beryllium interesting. The institution intelligibly doesn’t want to get pegged arsenic an automaker that exclusively makes luxury vehicles connected par pinch Land Rover aliases Mercedes-Benz, churning retired costly trucks and SUVs for nan superrich. Still, it will request to break retired of nan “EV vale of death” successful which its costs transcend its gross and commencement showing signs of semipermanent survivability earlier it tin tackle that project. The lifeline from Volkswagen — $1 cardinal correct away, pinch an further $4 cardinal to travel — will surely thief successful that effort.

I for illustration that contempt its financial woes, Rivian is still playing nan agelong game. Maybe soon capable we’ll get a peek astatine what’s nether those shrouds.

Correction, June 26th: An earlier type of this communicative cited an incorrect number of enigma vehicles. There are 5 vehicles, not four.

More