The ‘Tesla Killer’ is Dove Again: Rivian Delays Delivery Of Latest Electric SUV Again

Early buyers of Amazon’s investment in Rivian’s latest electric SUV are reportedly facing yet another delivery delay. Some customers who pre-ordered the Rivian R1S SUV received an email this week,The company informed them that the expected June or July delivery has been pushed back by several months. According to reports, customers have posted on Rivian’s forums that the delivery window has been updated to August or September 2022, or October to December 2022 at the latest.

Rivian debuted the seven-seater model in November 2018, with a starting price of $72,500.The company subsequently delayed deliveries multiple times, citing production delays and supply chain issues. Deliveries of the first R1S SUVs were originally scheduled for August 2021.

In the email, the company attributed the latest delay to ongoing supply chain issues, as well as its limited service infrastructure. The company said it will prioritize shipments to areas adjacent to Rivian service centers. Rivian currently only has service centers in 14 states nationwide, so customers in other regions may have to wait longer.

“As we continue to evaluate our supply chain and construction schedule, we would like to provide an update on estimated delivery windows,” Rivian said in an email. The company said the changed delivery dates are based on three factors: Customer’s pre-order date, delivery location and current configuration. But some early customers seem confused about how Rivian calculates the new delivery time. One customer noted that they had pre-ordered the R1S SUV back in November 2019, but were allotted a late delivery window of the fourth quarter of 2022. Many customers in more remote areas or states without Rivian service centers also reported late delivery windows. “It’s ironic that, as an off-road vehicle, it’s given priority to customers who live in big cities,” one customer who pre-ordered a Rivian vehicle wrote on the company’s forum.

Rivian has struggled to scale up production of its vehicles amid a global shortage of components, including semiconductors. The report noted that the Tesla-targeting electric-car maker could not rely on existing relationships with parts suppliers that traditionally prioritize larger, more established car companies.