Rivian had surprises with R3 and R3X
The Rivian R2 Problem: Predictions for the Future of the Electric Vehicle Industry, and Implications for General Motors and Hybrids
Rivian thinks of itself as a pioneer. One of the few companies to offer an electric SUV is it and it was first to market with an all-electric truck. And its EVs are marketed for off-road adventures — the literal blazing of trails.
The R2 is a big deal for Rivian. If the company is to see the car, this year and next are crucial, as it won’t be production until 2026 at the earliest.
Rivian had its fourth quarter earnings reported last month, and it wasn’t pretty. The company reported losing $1.58 billion over the last three months of the year, bringing its net annual losses to $5.4 billion. It will lay off 10 percent of its employees, the third round of layoffs in the last two years.
Investors were dubious. How could a company that didn’t have any idea about the future of production not expect to compete in a volatile market? “Rivian’s results continue to largely disappoint, whether on volume or margin progression,” Morgan Stanley wrote in a note to clients.
It’s an especially vulnerable period for a young company. Rivian is not able to receive a financial benefactor with bottomless pockets like Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Amazon owns a 16 percent stake in Rivian, making it the company’s largest stakeholder. The company had an exclusive delivery van partnership with Rivian until last year.
By that point, you won’t need a crystal ball to know there will be more competition. Companies with a lot more experience making mass-market vehicles will have a lot more EVs for sale. Rivian needs to sell more of its current generation of vehicles in order to survive.
When times are bad, legacy car companies have entire lines of internal combustion engine vehicles to fall back on. Ford, GM, and other companies are reporting robust hybrid sales that help remove some of the sting out of the billions they are losing on EV development and production.
The Rivian Surprises with R3 and R3X Electric Suv Crossover Spectros (http://www.verge.com/articles/2014/05/13)
The R3 and R3X have sloping rear ends compared to the boxier R2. And like the R2, it will come in two battery sizes, both with over 300 miles of range and zero to 60mph acceleration of three seconds. The R3X can be used both on and off road.
The R3 and R3X will launch “soon after” the R2 “to ensure a smooth launch and rapid ramp of R2,” the company said. This is based on “learnings” from the company’s simultaneous launch of the R1T, R1S, and EDV delivery van. The vehicles can be found in international markets after they are launched in North America.
Like the R2, the R3 and R3X will feature Rivian’s new 4695 cylindrical battery cells, which is 15 mm taller than Tesla’s 4680 cells. And it will have a native version of Tesla’s NACS charging port built directly into the vehicle. DC fast charging will take the R3 from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes, Rivian said.
The company is promising a more powerful computer, along with a sensor suite that includes 11 cameras and five radars. The R3 will have a significant level of automation, though the company did not specify which level it was shooting for.
One of the features highlighted by Scaringe during the event was a rear gate window that lifts up to allow for extra storage, especially of long items. (He called it “flipper glass,” but it was unclear if that was a nickname or something more official.) The R2’s rear seats fold flat for extra cargo space and he said that it makes for an opportunity for in-car camping.
The Apple presentation was not intended to be described as a presentation of Jobs’ sensitivity to physics and an attempt to teach his son’s science
The hallmark of Steve Jobs’ Apple presentation was one more thing. The story was wrongly attributed to the man who has used it a number of times. We regret the error.
