On high of Rivian’s huge VW partnership information immediately, we additionally received a have a look at what a few of Rivian’s future plans would possibly embrace – together with some autos that we haven’t heard something about earlier than.
To recap the information, VW will make investments as much as $5 billion into Rivian and type a three way partnership giving VW entry to a lot of Rivian’s electrical and digital structure experience. This can assist Rivian with much-needed liquidity because it tries to get prices down and begin producing money stream from automobile gross sales, and can assist VW with the software program points it has been having in ramping up its EV tasks.
To clarify the information, Rivian posted a shareholder letter on its web site, which is usually full of the essential monetary particulars that we noticed earlier in press releases.
But it surely additionally features a graphic demonstrating the scalability of Rivian’s software program throughout its platforms, meant to point out how Rivian is unifying and simplifying its automobile management software program.
And that graphic has one thing very fascinating – some hidden autos that we haven’t heard something about but. Take a look:
The apparent ones listed here are the already-released autos, Rivian’s RCV, R1T and R1S. The R1T and R1S are then repeated in column 2, in reference to the newly-released “Gen 2” structure. This structure led to a giant improve in Rivian’s EVs for this mannequin yr, reducing numerous price and complexity.
Then, in column 3, we have now the R2 and R3 which Rivian unveiled in March. These will each be constructed on an structure Rivian is asking “MSP.”
However regardless of that we’ve seen these next-gen R1 and MSP autos, each columns 2 and three have placeholder autos beneath covers.
Whereas these are undoubtedly simply placeholder photos and may very well be something, they’re notably a unique measurement/form than one another, suggesting that the unreleased gen 2 automobile might be bigger than the MSP automobile.
The gen 2 automobile might be an upgraded RCV, with extra simplified electronics for cost-cutting, however the silhouette doesn’t look proper. Nevertheless, that could be an try by Rivian to obfuscate the automobile’s type, as a van silhouette can be fairly apparent.
The unreleased gen 3 automobile, then, does look decrease and smaller than the gen 2. It might certainly be the R3X, however we’ve already seen that one, so it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to place it again beneath a canopy. That mentioned, Rivian was a little bit extra secretive about displaying us the inside of the R3X, as in comparison with the quantity of information it gave us in regards to the R2, so it may very well be the R3X… however wouldn’t it’s extra enjoyable if it wasn’t?
For one factor, it might doubtlessly be an R2T, a extra reasonably priced and smaller truck. Whereas we knew the R2 would are available SUV format, many assumed that Rivian would possibly point out an R2 truck alongside the R2 SUV, on condition that the corporate began with a truck to start with. We didn’t see an R2T on the unveiling, however perhaps they’re nonetheless engaged on that. The silhouette beneath the duvet doesn’t appear like a truck – however once more, that might be a useless giveaway, so it is smart they’d simply use a default picture.
Lastly, we attain the final column: “reasonably priced mass market.” This, too, is new, and consists of three separate automobile varieties. Whereas we’ve already discovered to not belief the placeholder photos, observe that the pictures are all completely different, suggesting that there could be a big, medium and small-size automobile on this eventual platform.
When R2 and R3 have been unveiled, many figured that the R3 would possible be lower cost than the R2, which Rivian confirmed – however didn’t go any additional than that to state a value vary. We assumed it could most likely be someplace across the value stage of the Volvo EX30 or Chevy Equinox – someplace within the mid-30s. We figured this was the following step in direction of mass-market, as it could be decrease in value than the R2.
One other class of “reasonably priced mass market” autos suggests both that the R3 might be increased in value than we had thought, leaving room within the low-to-mid 30s for a 4th-gen platform, or it means that Rivian is engaged on a ~$25k automobile to be within the really reasonably priced mass market vary, among the many lowest value stage supplied for brand spanking new autos by most main producers (and sooner or later goals of EV makers, like VW’s ~$22k 2027 providing or the fabled $25k Tesla Mannequin 2).
We additionally don’t know what measurement these autos might be. They could all be “crossover-like” autos like these Rivian at the moment makes and has introduced (the R3 sits someplace between crossover and sizzling hatch), and the autos beneath the sheets (which, once more, we will’t belief) do look to have “Rivian DNA” and could be pictures of the R1, R2 and R3. However maybe the usage of 3 completely different automobile sizes means that Rivian could be engaged on a sedan, a compact, a sporty small automobile, or one thing alongside these strains. The corporate’s first-ever undertaking was a sportscar, in spite of everything.
Or perhaps it’s nothing in any respect. We reached out to Rivian about this and have been informed “it simply demonstrates how our software program can scale throughout platforms.”
But when that’s the case, why not use pictures of VW autos, or why use autos which are clearly Rivian-styled reasonably than generic lumps? Why have a coated automobile beneath the Gen 2 column, which presumably wouldn’t be the structure utilized by any partnerships (as MSP would possible be prepared by the point this VW partnership bears fruit)? So, we nonetheless assume there’s one thing right here.
A ultimate observe is that, whereas we did know the R2 was coming and noticed a number of leaks prematurely of its unveiling, everybody was blindsided by the R3. Equally, when Rivian first unveiled its R1T in 2018, it was a whole shock to everybody regardless of that the automaker had been based in 2009 and had been working in “stealth mode” since then. So, Rivian does know how you can maintain secrets and techniques, apparently, and your guess is nearly as good as ours as to what’s beneath these covers.
What do you assume Rivian is hiding? Or is it nothing in any respect? Tell us within the feedback.
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