Bad news for anyone planning to camp in their brand new Rivian R1T this summer: it’s not happening. In an email sent to order-placing potential buyers on Friday, Rivian announced that its battery-powered adventure truck will be delayed yet again, pushing deliveries of the R1T back to September.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe blames the delay on the cascading effects of the pandemic. The email cites construction projects at its Illinois manufacturing facility and issues with “vehicle component supply,” nodding to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage.
Friday’s announcement marks the third time that the R1T’s delivery has shifted in recent months, each delay notably caused by the pandemic affecting the global supply chain. Originally, deliveries of the electric pickup were set to begin in 2020 but were delayed until June 2021. In late May, Rivian pushed the date back to July.
Rivian’s 754-horsepower R1S SUV will also be subject to the delay, beginning shipments in the fall—sometime between late September, following the R1T’s newly scheduled launch, and December.
“The timing for the first deliveries of the R1T has shifted to September,” a Rivian spokesperson told The Drive. “As you likely know, the impact of Covid on the supply chain has had a compounding impact. Everything from facility construction to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors), has been impacted by the pandemic.”
“Our Guides will continue reaching out to schedule deliveries and will be there for any questions our pre-order customers have during this process,” the statement concluded.
Rivian pledges to offer unique adventure-based EVs and has attracted the eyes of multiple high-dollar backers. Investment rounds led by Amazon and Ford have brought in more than $8 billion in funding for the California-based company.
Scaringe noted in the email to buyers that launching three vehicles at the same time—the R1T, R1S, and its commercial vans for Amazon—has been complex. Setting up a production line for each vehicle at an old Mitsubishi facility shows how small issues can snowball and cause unexpected delays.
Regardless, the CEO says that the R1-series of vehicles “will be worth the wait.”
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