We Need to Talk About Cost Cutting.
I have owned a Gen 1 R1T and a Gen 2 R1T. I owned my 2022 R1T for two years and 40,000 miles. I did multiple 1,700-mile road trips, including all the big Colorado overland trails, Moab, etc. Sadly, it spent over four months in the shop for ever-more-serious maintenance issues, and eventually I sold it. I then went to a Gen 2 R1T Tri. I only had that truck for about 10,000 miles. It had some annoying issues, like a loose speaker and rattles, but nothing serious. I made the decision to sell it in order to be financially responsible leading up to my wedding.
I say all this just to make clear that I am not a Rivian or EV hater. I have driven EVs exclusively since February 2021. They include Tesla, Ford EVs, and Rivian. I currently drive a 2026 Model Y. I am not a fan of Elon and do not intend to ever drive a Tesla again after this one, mostly because of Elon, but also because Tesla no longer allows FSD transfers.
I test-drove an R2 a few weeks ago in Denver, and I was surprised at how much I liked it. It truly feels like a great package. The issues I am calling out below are mostly nitpicks, but they do amount to real annoyances that I also mostly have with my current Model Y.
My true main issue with the R2 is range and fast charging being stuck at 2019 levels of tech. I intend to keep my next car for 7–8 years, and I drive the crap out of my cars. Being stuck at 260–280 highway miles of range with a 30-minute 10–80% charge curve in 2029 and beyond may be more than I can tolerate. That, and the lack of FM radio, but this post is not about those gripes.
Like many of you, I have a spouse who isn’t an EV nerd. She likes cars that work and are straightforward. These issues drive her insane, and I can’t blame her. The following issues are not isolated to the R2 or Rivian, but I think they represent a trend that is anti-consumer and should be called out as such.
Air Vents:
You cannot convince me that wiring multiple small motors to control the front vents is saving BOM cost versus simple hand-controlled vents. This seems like a bizarre decision, considering Rivian is so concerned about BOM cost that they deleted the FM radio, which on its own is egregious. My wife and I adjust the vents all the time depending on feeling, temperature, drive length, etc. Physical vents are far better to use while driving and must be cheaper than Rivian’s solution. The rear seats have physical vent controls; why can’t the front have them as well?
Exterior Buttons:
Specifically, the exterior capacitive buttons for opening the frunk and the rear drop glass. What are we even doing here? My previous Rivians had a physical button for opening and closing the frunk. It worked every time. It did not have a “learning curve.” Why does a button have a “learning curve”?
Door Releases:
Much has already been said about this. Wassym has responded to my questions in his AMA, and to many other users, about this topic. I am sadly still not convinced. Mechanical door releases are simple and proven. I have been in situations in life that were somewhat life-threatening and required the use of safety equipment. I was trained to use that equipment, and still, in the heat of the moment, my life was saved because the way to activate it was obvious. A random passenger in the rear seats is not going to find the manual release in an emergency. Electronic door releases are not passively safe.
I understand that for some of these issues you can make a cost argument. I understand that Rivian needs solid margins and must turn a profit to survive. I want Rivian to succeed. But at some point, there has to be a balance between cost reduction and consumer comfort. I fear we are witnessing a race to the bottom in margin expansion at the cost of consumers. What other features will be deleted next in the name of BOM cost?