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• Rivian will start sending out SUV as early as March 2022, but some vehicles will be delivered as late as September 2022
• Launch Edition vehicles will have “Large Pack” battery, which was rated at 314 miles of range
Amazon-backed electric carmaker Rivian Automotive Inc has started sending out emails to customers who have reserved the R1S SUV, notifying about delivery delays.
Rivian had earlier said its seven-passenger electric SUV R1S would begin production at the Normal, Illinois plant in December, with the first deliveries expected in January.
Shares of the EV maker fell more than 5.3% to $113.45 in afternoon trade.
Delivery delay
The company has started sending out emails to Launch Edition reservation holders with two-month delivery windows, starting as early as March 2022, but some vehicles will be delivered as late as September 2022, according to the email screenshots posted on Rivian Forum.
However, Rivian said that it has ramped up the production and building out service and support in different regions and sharing the updated delivery timeframe depending on configuaration, delivery location and preorder date.
Moreover, the mails were sent for the SUV’s Launch Edition, which likely means that regular version of the vehicle won’t reach customers until 2023 at best.
The Launch Edition vehicles will have Rivian’s “Large Pack” battery, which was recently rated at 314 miles of range, which got sold out within a week a year ago.
Blockbuster market debut
The startup has also announced plans for a second U.S. factory and it eventually wants to open plants in Europe and China as well, although it has not provided a location or time frame for the next U.S. plant.
Rivian had a blockbuster IPO earlier this month and surpassed both Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co by market cap, to become the second biggest automobile manufacturer in the U.S., after Tesla Inc.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk later taunted Rivian and tweeted, “I hope they’re [Rivian] able to achieve high production and break-even cash flow. That is the true test.”
Picture Credit: InsideEVs