Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe tells customers R1T truck deliveries delayed until September

Rivian is delaying the to start with deliveries of its R1T battery electric pickup until finally September, CEO RJ Scaringe mentioned Friday in a letter to clients who anticipated their vans this month.

“We know you are unable to hold out to get powering the wheel of your car or truck. Before this summer time, we declared that deliveries would get started in July nonetheless, the timing for the to start with deliveries of the R1T has shifted to September, with the R1S soon thereafter in the tumble. I needed to be guaranteed you read this from me specifically,” Scaringe wrote.

Rivian entrepreneurs have been griping in on the web boards about the absence of conversation from the organization in new weeks as anticipation for the Start Version of the R1T grew.

Scaringe, in his letter, positioned a great deal of the blame for the most up-to-date delay on the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing chip scarcity and the problems of making a few new cars in a new plant.

He wrote: “The cascading impacts of the pandemic have experienced a compounding influence increased than any one anticipated. Every thing from facility building, to equipment set up, to car or truck component source (primarily semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic.

“Over and above these unexpected difficulties, launching a few new cars even though setting up a multi-car or truck manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interlinked routines where by little troubles can translate into ramp delays.”

Rivian’s plant in Usual, Unwell., Scaringe mentioned, is at this time making cars on two creation lines: a person for the R1T and R1S utility car or truck, the other for electric delivery vans for Amazon, Rivian’s most important business buyer. He mentioned the organization is performing to assure that cars offered to clients will not likely have good quality troubles.

“We have now constructed hundreds of cars as part of our validation system, with a lot of of people noticed out in the wild protected in exclusive vinyl wraps. I have been asked why we are not offering people cars or why we proceed to test somewhat than supply.

“We imagine it is critical to both of those our long-phrase success and your ultimate pleasure that the good quality and robustness of our start products and solutions definitely sets the tone for what to expect from us as a manufacturer,” Scaringe mentioned in his be aware.

The organization, which has reportedly been preparing a inventory providing that would area its market place worth at $70 billion, at first planned to commence buyer deliveries late final year but has delayed various times as its manufacturing facility and function drive, now totaling seven,000, has occur on the web.

Rivian has been backed by various high-visibility traders led by Amazon. Ford Motor Co., Cox Automotive and expense manager T. Rowe Value also manufactured important investments about the final several many years.