Why Rivian Wants To Compete In The EV Mass Market With A Lower Priced Vehicle
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 лют 2024
- Rivian is best known for its EV trucks and SUV's that come with a higher price tag in the $80,000 range. But with sales of costlier electric cars cooling, Rivian's CEO RJ Scaringe is attempting to woo consumers with a new smaller SUV with an approximately $45,000 price tag.
Senior Editor Alan Ohnsman, who covers future mobility at Forbes, recently sat down with Scaringe to hear more about this new model and why the brand is offering a more affordable unit in 2024.
Subscribe to FORBES: ua-cam.com/users/Forbes?s...
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
account.forbes.com/membership...
Stay Connected
Forbes newsletters: newsletters.editorial.forbes.com
Forbes on Facebook: forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: / forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: / forbes
More From Forbes: forbes.com
Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.
The R2 will be a great addition to the Rivian lineup!
If it's bigger than a Ford Ranger designed for Range Rover tastes, then it'll be too little too late
They should have started with this instead. I don't understand why these companies are surprised by the low demand when they launch themselves with a product the middle class cannot afford.
I prefer the C3PO model.
It’ll likely never happen. They can’t make money on $80,000 + new vehicles so how can they profit on cheaper cars? They only have enough cash to operate another 1.5 to 2 years at their current burn rate, and raising anymore money would be extremely costly to them.
I see a lot of these where I live! Interviews with the CEO appear normal and rational, which is refreshing ! I wish them a lot of success !
Invest
@YouAreTheAverage They lose a massive amount of money per vehicle produced.
@@sam_s_ Every new company does. Tesla lost money for a long time too.
I don’t understand people who only pay attention to have someone talks, but not how someone behaves. Actions speak louder than words, and Tesla has been profitable and popular for really long time. Rivian still has a long way to go.
It’s called - being a huckster. His whole job is to find and relieve suckers of their money by convincing them to invest in and buy their products. This company’s products do not solve any problems, any better than the existing market’s offerings. Their marginal costs of goods are higher than the fair value (price) of the vehicle. An existing ICE-powered truck can do everything a Rivian can do at a lower purchase price and lower total cost of ownership. So, there’s no practical reason to buy it - the only sales are coming from foolish buyers that wish to virtue signal and brag on instagram. They talk about selling vehicles at lower price points (the sweet spot according to the CEO) - but that segment mostly lives in apartments- but he says you need to recharge at home - oops. That’s a major malfunction and a mismatch of target market and product requirements. Here’s another issue - the truck weighs 8,500lbs! That makes it a 3/4 ton truck - but - the dimensions are that of a half ton truck. This truck will damage the roads much more -than normal sized vehicles - but not pay a dime in road taxes - and will have a deadly impact on anyone involved in a traffic accident with a Rivian truck. So much for being a friendly product- it sticks us with accelerated infrastructure costs and creates higher risk we’ll get hit by one and die from the impact. These are inconvenient FACTS these huckster don’t talk about. Rivian will be bankrupt within 2 to 3 years.
This was just a straight up ad. No additional context, no concerns, no reporting.
Exactly. Should have had a sponsored warning.
That’s about 90% of what Forbes does
@@nam3go3sh3r3 And it worked, people watched the ad and bought shares / calls, then Rivian announces lay offs and JP Morgan downgrades its out look for RIVN this morning ( hit piece ). Boom Stock plummets to 11 and change and Big money toasts to the new bag holders......
That's a lot of "journalism" nowadays. Either they try to sell you propaganda or they try to sell you ads. No wonder polls have them at around the trustworthiness of car salesmen.
@@2wheel_freedom hahah.. you're a funny guy.. The shares are dropping like stones because everyone is selling, not buying.
Honestly, I think Rivians look better than Teslas
Yea..............WAAY better................Wish Them success..............Paul
I test drove the SUV, yesterday, in Manhattan. It rides perfectly well and the technology is great. Thank you Brea.
48k is a sweet spot? Looks like I will have to wait till there are used ones to purchase. I cringe spending anything over 25k for a depreciable asset like a car.
Agreed
Yeah, wait to buy a used one so you can spend $25+k on a replacement battery. Used EV's are just like old cell phones- useless
Exactly. All these EV makers seem to be thinking making the EV available at the average car price is reasonable for mass adoption and the math may support that thinking, but to get people’s attention it’s going to have to be not just technologically groundbreaking, but overwhelmingly economically groundbreaking to the point overall ownership is readily evident to the mass consumer that it costs less. Right now you have sit around with spreadsheets and calculators sorting out or trying to find if the purchase makes sense. Extreme and currently unrealistic example, but imagine if the R1 and these others evs came out with all the features and quality they have and were sold for $20,000- the adoption rates would be insane.
25k for a new car? Won’t get you much..
@@Helojet1999 used is new for me.
If they can't make the current vehicles for less than they sell them for, I have serious doubts they can do the same at half the price point. I hope them the best, there needs to be more companies in this space in general.
Ever heard of economies of scale?
this is what a competent CEO of an EV company looks like
Agreed, I'm tired of Elmo's rants.
Current Tesla stock price : $194.77
The CEO that doesn’t understand that his tech-centric demographic, mostly located in dense cities, aren’t typically privy to a 220v at-home breaker to allow for charging… at home.
He also forgot to consider that most of their clientele won’t pay 100k for a vehicle when they live in a ride-share and public transport hub.
Definition of competent
@@cory8837 The CEO that doesn’t understand that his tech-centric demographic, mostly located in dense cities, aren’t typically privy to a 220v at-home breaker to allow for charging… at home.
He also forgot to consider that most of their clientele won’t pay 100k for a vehicle when they live in a ride-share and public transport hub
@@cory8837 then don't listen
I really like RJ from the interviews and I'm happy to see they're doing good. I'm waiting to get a Rivian myself but I'm in Europe. Hope the R2 will come to Europe.
R2 will be the first Rivian other than the delivery van to be offered in Europe! You may not have to wait too much longer!
@@MikeKantorskiTech Yes the other vehicles are too big and too expensive for Europe and the rest of the world.
rivian is not doing particularly well at the moment. take a look at the stock price.
They have a great product and that’s what sells ! Keep up the good quality and it will sell !
Love my Rivian but it’s too difficult to get it serviced. 4-5 month lead time here in LA just to get an appointment.
What needs to be serviced on an electric vehicle ???
Can't you just go to any mechanics who specialized in EVs?
@@Smileydudekxy Most likely fixing manufacturing defects/issues like leaks, panel gaps, etc.
Wait until your battery needs replacement 😂
@@Smileydudekxygo ask Hertz - maintenance and repair costs were the key reasons they had to sell off a huge portion of their EV fleet. And that was from Tesla- the other brands are even worse. The vehicles are much more complex than you think and anything that fails will be very expensive to fix and result in long wait times for parts and labor.
Most beautiful truck ever
Rivian is wat tesla was in 2012-14 in a good way. great stuff
they are actually at 2016-17 tesla now and have done a great job
The problem with Rivian is that they're trying to design trucks for people who think trucks are only used for weekend camping trips to state parks. They're limiting their market to upper middle class suburban people who already have a ton of options from luxury ice trucks to huge suvs.
most pickups aren't used for towing more than 11k lbs which this can do. almost all f150, ram 1500 and sierra 1500 owners should have a smaller truck and they know it but ego is in the way.
RJ Scaringe looks like Steve-O
agreed
Yeah, he does
YOu may think you are watching a report,.... but in reality, you are seeing a 7 minute long advertisement.... No wonder traditional news medias dying.
I hope R2 will have some consideration for repairability.
I love my R1T, I'm reserving an R2 during the release on March 7th. Can't wait.
Love my Rivian, we will eventually get a 2nd. Hope they expand their service center network quickly.
i imagine you have a lot more money than the average American...the point being is that...
@@sl123sland?
@@dhruvb38 exactly...what is his point ...not sure?
You didn’t really talk about the new vehicle!
Theres no information about it, its being revealed on march 7th
Fact that lower priced is now 40k is a sad time
For real. Bring on the chinese evs.
Chinese EV would bring competition back in the US. I was weary at first but I think it’s the only way to lower back these so called “lower” prices vehicles lol
I think they're planning on building factories in Mexico. To avoid tariffs or whatever.
It actually isn't. In fact a 40k car is slightly cheaper than the transaction price of a new car in 1985. In 85 the average transaction price of a new car was roughly 15k which in today's money would be 43k. Then when you add the fact that in 1985 the average APR on an auto loan was 13% and today it's 7%. This would mean that in today's money that car in 1985 would cost 9k more so in just interest alone car prices are significantly lower now than they were 40 years ago.
@@kenyattaclay7666 I guess it just goes to show that buying a new car has always been a precarious financial decision.
I've owned 3 cars and I have rented maybe 20-30 vehicles in my life... Rivian is hands down one of the best vehicles I have ever driven.
Now you just need to make a country worth staying in ... and leave us tf alone
Thank god there is a quality alternative to musk. RS has good character
Musk is not the only name in the EV game
What - the Rivian CEO likes censorship and race baiting??
Current Tesla stock price : $194.77
Based on what? Him talking about his product doesn’t tell you anything about his character
was this just an advertisement?!?!
Yes. They paid Forbes for some promo.
Scaringe should consider shutting down the line permanently in an effort to not lose $40,000/vehicle built!!!
Hope they can make this R2 happen, they need something more affordable that compete with the less expensive Lightning. Thought I wish I could afford the R1 pickup cuz I think it's the best overall option despite not having a good size AC power outlet center...
coming here from the event, The R2 and R3 are a really interesting proposition yet the safest move as it's the most likely to sell as sub-sections of the market to focus on... great to see these companies grow now!
Awesome
Duh! Scaringe completely ignored the fact that many drivers will never be able to charge at home. We need more,cheaper,lighter,smaller,and much simpler EVs ,selling at under £12,000.
40K is not an affordable vehicle. I respect Rivian but a mid 20K with decent range is what a lot of people want.
Excelencia admiracion
They need to sell 1m vehicles a yr produced at 36k a unit (tesla nos today) and sold for 40k each (10% gm) to cover their fixed costs of 1b a quarter and break even. At 2m units they make 4b profits and get valued at 100b+. It will min take till 2030 to get there
The R2 must have Scout Motors sweating
I actually can't wait for the R2 to come out. Theoretically I can afford an R1T but I'm just not a truck person and not only is the R1S too expensive I have no use for a 3 row SUV. The R2 will not only be pocketbook friendly it fits perfectly into my lifestyle & what I need. I know they are making the comparisons to Tesla but I feel like the R2 will get a LOT of 2 door Bronco, Bronco Sport and 2 door Jeep buyers who might want a PHEV to cross shop & consider going full EV.
Love from Rwanda 🇷🇼
Love Rwanda, deep pity about their current role in the genocide in Congo
@@toyotaprius79yeah sucks man, that the government is supporting m23
If almost all charging is done at night, how do I charge living in an apartment or place without a garage? I’d love to own an R2 but doesn’t seem to work well if I don’t own a single-family home.
Buy a house...................Paul
I am teying to make a purchase now for almost 2 months, cash in hand, and they can’t give me a delivery date or confirm my configuration. They are trying to get me to purchase one of their pre-built R1Ss that don’t meet my spec. RJ says they have issues with the volume of orders but won’t take my money or say when they are going to build my configuration. The people I have spoken to are nice but they need better sales management.
Very nicely done!!!\
"Over half of customers have never owned an EV before." Duh! Of course. 5 years ago, very few people had SUV. So the surprising thing is that number isn't higher.
they made a great truck, now need a Model Y competitor @ $40k-65k
Better yet....$30-----$40................Paul
Considering the lowest priced Rivian can be had for as low as 60k (that was sarcasm) I'd say they already failed. Every expensive car company that makes cheap models always fails. FYI, affordable actually means 30k at max. Not 40-50k.
I love my R1S. The ride is great and the interior is very comfortable. It drives like an EV without weird onscreen controls.
At least half of all Americans can't afford $45,000. How about the electric equivalent of the base model 3-cylinder Geo Metro I used to own? These manufacturers need to be realistic about how far behind inflation worker wages are.
How about same car, same price as a new Forester....$30------$40............Paul
lNY to DC is a long trip? It’s only a 4 hour drive…
Because almost no one can afford a 80-100k vehicle? Duh
I honestly think $40K starting for the R2 is still pretty high
$48k? No way, Please bring us the Chinese EVs for under $20k thank you
Ya...I'm still going to buy an internal combustion engine the infrastructure is still not there. Also why wait 30 mins to charge e every few hours when I just fill up my tank
More than 95% of current EV owners recharge at their homes overnight. Since you can be eating dinner, sleeping, spending time with your family, it actually takes no time at all. And you're only replenishing the energy used during the day. Not recharging the entire battery. Given the average commute of most Americans this equates to about 1-2 hours of charging at a medium-speed L2 home charger per night. Or one full overnight charge per week. This is at a L2 home charger. Fast chargers can replenish that (obviously) much faster.
Let's look at it another way:
Let's say it takes you 3 minutes to fill your tank. Let's also assume it takes another 7 minutes for you to deviate from your normal commute to work. That's 10 minutes, unless you also go inside to pay or get a coffee.
10 minutes per fill-up.
And let's say you fill up once a week.
That's 10 minutes a week, or about 40 minutes a month, 520 minutes a year.
I spend 0 minutes to charge my EV. Yes, ZERO. I charge overnight when rates are lower and the grid isn't as taxed running air conditioners, ranges, ovens, and clothes dryers.
I get up every morning and my car is magically ready to take me wherever I want to go that day.
I commute 55 miles one way. That is WELL over the average commute in the US at 20.5 miles. My Rivian handles that easily with plenty of charge to spare in case I need to run errands, take a long lunch, or go out in the evening.
For everyday use, there is NO comparison. EVs are cheaper and more convenient, with ZERO minutes spent at a gas station.
But the anti-EV faction concentrates on long-distance road trips, because that's all they have.
Nice ad
If the R2 is offroad capable, they will set themselves apart from all the other mid market EVs. The R1S is super capable both on and off road.
Until it runs out of battery 5 miles into the trail
@@WizardnilBEVs are incredibly efficient at low speeds as all torque is available immediately. Conversely, ICE vehicles are more efficient at high speeds, and not so much at low speed crawling. BEVs are less efficient at high speeds, but on trails you’ll be better off with off-roading EVs
Seems that would be more user error, not vehicle error.... @@Wizardnil
@@Wizardnilif you don't plug it in then sure. I doubt these will be used for trails anymore than your average SUV though. Personally, I would just take it to the pumpkin patch once a year. Not challenging conditions, but a standard sedan will high center on the asphalt leaving the farm.
@@Wizardniloh god dude that wouldn’t happen give me a break
RJ is one of the most likable CEO’s in business
I know it will get better the more EVs are adopted, but right now the cost to repair and insure EVs is too great for me.
Where in the world are you? What type of vehicle do you need...need...not want ?
When can we get them in Uganda?
I am curious why people choose to buy Rivian vehicles; current technology in EV industry has been more generalized, I wonder if user experience on both driving experience and appearance of exterior has become the most important factor.
I would guess its the interior is also a factor. While spartan, it is not nearly as spartan as the tesla. I also think its pitch as a somewhat modular outdoorsy EV is appealing to many people
They currently lose over $30,000 on every R1 truck and SUV they sell. How are they planning to make a profit on an even cheaper model??
Wow, Steve-O's slightly better looking twin!
How much did rivian pay for this ad spot?…
It better be a Ford Maverick sized and priced EV
Or what?
@@ericjarvis3051or what?
look around, for the sake of competition (read profit) every new car is inflated unnecessarily, weight, size, bells whistles, and cost inflation included. Inflation is created by market wide profiteering fyi
Look around, new car sales are not looking good and reliant on leasing, consumer confidence is only surface deep, tens of thousands are slipping into poverty every day - and the only EV pickup trucks available are giant fashion statements for the sons of the boss if we seriously sompare at what the Ford Maverick is.
A repeat of 2008 is inevitable, especially with that HUMMER EV shamelessly paraded as Amercia's height of ingenuity
@@toyotaprius79 I agree that some manufacturers seem to have gtotten a bit greedy lately but I made that comment in jest over the ridicoulous "it better be " comment of yours. Or what?... you're not going to buy one? You're gonna firebomb the factory? stupid comment
Rivian should just make an electrick kei truck. R1K has a nice ring to it, a reliable, compact, city friendly version
I hope they make it.
Not very informative. At the moment, it looks like Rivian's survival depends on Amazon. The advent of a PROFITABLE Rivian vehicle in a reasonable price range is yet to be seen.
Agreed on both of your statements. Rivian's survival depends on how many delivery vans/trucks Amazon is willing to purchase. And, Amazon is doing the EXACT same thing consumers are doing...."maybe it's more expensive short term, but in the long term, am I saving money?" "What's the service schedule and costs look like?" "What's the parts supply and fix-it timeframes?" If Amazon doesn't find those answers appealing, Rivian is done. Secondly, yes, Rivian hasn't shown a consumer vehicle to be profitable yet....and interestingly enough, Tesla has been in the business longer and they are, but they've burned through a massive amount of cash to get to this point and their recalls are starting to show quality may not be there; Ford just showed where they're losing money on every EV they sell...so, there's nothing written in stone that Rivian is going to survive.
@joejoe-bs6jq I think, the difference between Rivian and Ford is that consumers buying an EV from Ford can be sure that the parts, service, and support will be available, even if Ford loses money on EV sales. This is, of course, because Ford is sustainable through non-EV profits. Rivian, on the other hand has no fallback, if it continues to lose money on EV sales. Case in point: Rivian just announced a 10% layoff.
What we need, IMHO, is another Kia to enter the EV market - then, the price of the EV9 will decrease to a reasonable level.
I love my Rivian so much! Never have I ever been so excited to drive a truck even after 1year now. I get a smile every time the door handle opens for me.
Do people really want a 40k Rivian EV with 250 mile range?
Will the R2 launch with the NACS charge port? Consumers are starting to become aware the standard is changing and it's going to be difficult to sell CCS cars this year and in 2025.
R2 isn't expected to go into full production until 2026 so it will almost certainly have the NACS charge port.
Even still Tesla is working on adding magic dock to their network so CCS cars can charge too.
@@kng128 That would be nice if they were all magic dock. Tesla even has a home wall connector now that's CCS and NACS. Great if you have friends and family over that need to charge.
#AdventurousForever
Bring back 20k vehicles.
RJ - I agree on the importance of choices. The choice I feel Rivian and most EV companies are missing to achieve widespread adoption is range. Rivian had it right in the early days promising a 400+ mile range quad motor, but has yet to deliver and I think you’re missing a big opportunity. When buying an $80K+ SUV, many buyers including myself, want full-time all-wheel drive, Landcruiser like off road features and 325 miles of real world (not EPA) range under almost any circumstances (uphill, downhill, 80 mph on highways, hot or cold). The Achilles heel of my quad motor R1S is range. Over countless road trips, I’m averaging about 230 miles mostly in Conserve mode. Front wheel drive only in Conserve doesn’t cut it, particularly for winter road trips in bad weather. More charging infrastructure helps, but that’s not the full solution given how long charging takes. Rivian’s dual motor is not full time all wheel drive and lacks the off-road features of the quad. Please give us the 180Kwh battery you originally promised.
100% agreed. I owned the Jaguar I-Pace which was an EV but had a range of 230 or so. During summer trips on highway, using the AC the range was greatly reduced by about 40-50 miles. I lasted only one year with before I traded it and went back to gas powered. A lot of people dont know that EV's do not have compressors therefore the AC does not run as cold as a gas powered car and when parked the AC does not cool. Very frustrating.
Show the R2! And bring it to Europe! 🙏
Rivianfantastic pole star BYD fantastic. All of these things sound fantastic until you realise there is in sufficient charging infrastructure. I live in a city in London and I have no way to charge my vehicle at home because I don’t have a garage until that solved and not to mention the price of vehicles, it’s going to be awhile
Please bring it to Europe. With the supercharger network access this is a winner 🏆
I too said this when the company first went public, they need to make a lower cost vehicle so that the masses can get piece of the electric pie. I’m now even more interested!
It’s the Tesla playbook, first make cars with high margins (Roadster, S) then the mass production (3)
WOW. 4 days ago-- this didn't age well- days before Rivian's earnings and stock plunge (it closed at $10, down $7 from this video!). Good Luck!
They’ve also received billions in tax credits and outright grants. More if our money used to promote a specific agenda. Let the market decide who gets what not politicians.
I’m really rooting for Rivian. Their current models are really cool but just too expensive. Hoping they can find a way to make profit with these more affordable models bc their cars look good and Tesla really needs a strong competitor.
Once I know Rivian vehicles can access the Tesla Supercharger Network, I would become willing to buy their vehicle (R2 cost range).
I love the rivians, but probably never be able to afford one.
The first thing they taught us in Business school was no
matter the product, You will sell more units the lower the $$.
!
The problem is that "sweet spot" of $48,000 is still way too high considering all of the other things citizens have to pay for such as housing, groceries, and still playing world police. R2 needs to be releasing in the $25k range.
$25k? Are you serious right now? You understand that a brand new Toyota Corolla starts at $22k with hardly ZERO tech, fabric seats, and just basic amenities. What world are you living in.
@@Nismobuck-dq7di That sounds like a Toyota problem. No one should be buying a Toyota Corolla at $22k, especially with basic amenities. People don't teach these companies a lesson, though. You still have idiots that will pay it.
@@MurseTech64 buddy, be realistic please. first they can't just jump from making $70k vehicles to $25k. second, show me a profitable electric suv for $25k msrp. they dont exist yet
@@a-don13 I am being realistic. The sweet spot for most people isn't $48,000. Not in Biden's economy. That wasn't a bad deal a few years ago. But everything is ridiculously priced, $48,000 is a lot to pay for a severely depreciating liability
tell me you're poor without telling me you're poor lol
While I believe electric vehicles are an important component to a sustainable future, I’m not convinced that we are designing at the right scale sustaining car culture as we know it. Each of these vehicles has a battery over 100kWh, for that same battery we could make a lot more efficient vehicles, like 200 e-bikes, or any number of vehicles smaller than 200lbs to move cargo.
We can innovate at a different scale, and doing so will help us scale up our production faster and drastically decreasing our demand on rare earth materials.
How would I take my kids to school on an e-bike? How would my mom carry her groceries home from the store on an e-bike?
@@TheRealLaughingGravy there’s lots of great cargo e-bike options now. Riese & Muller have an ebike that seats 3, Tern just released the Orox that can haul 400lbs of cargo and seats a kid.
R2 at 48,000 usd as "affordable" ??? also R1, the way its built body repairs are very expensive... a few youtube videos about it. Hope more models come out at lower cost and more simplified construction.
You poor that's why 😅
If he is selling an adventure vehicle when giving examples of a road-trip he should have said Key West to Anchorage, Alaska.
48k is too high. Don’t be shocked if it doesn’t sell as expected.
model y is literally the best selling car in the world right now at that price lol
I know a lot of it is marketing but if they are serious about every single one of their claims, the R2 looks very promising
Hilarious right as Rivian stock tanks, here comes Forbes with a fluff & pump piece.
Can Rivian survive long enough to bring the R2 to market and meet the market demand?
Super *👌*
48K for a price point of a car? No, that will not bring more consumers. My Outlook at the highest trim, was 38K. 10K makes a difference, perhaps with rebates, some consumers may afford it.
$48K is the average price of a car sold in the U.S. - _somebody_ is buying them.
They do not design these vehicles for affordable repairs. They may know it needs to be repaired but you're going to pay and arm and a leg to repair it.
CEO looks like Steve-O if he didint do whippets
I saw a Rivian SUV looked cool
I love these cars
I rememember the first time I saw one of these. That front end is hideous.
Market wants to see alot of unsustainable growth very quickly.
Average household income in the US is $76,000. Historically, the car you can afford is about 26 weeks of your income, which means the average household can afford a $38,000 car. That's the sweet spot --- and lower.
How much did Rivian pay for this commercial?
Nothing.....They are already Rivian People/salaried..................Paul
Can they first stop blinding me with their silly headlights?
this is just an advert for rivian
They need to make a truck that is affordable and the size of a ford maverick, but it might be too late ?
Of all the EVs, I think I'd like to get a Rivian the most, except they don't sell any in Australia unfortunately.
'You have a refueling station at home' - this is how you alienate the urban population of people who don't have the resources to buy an R1. The more environmentally low-impact consumers in dense urban environments generally don't have access to the infrastructure required to service these kinds of vehicles. Also, talking about damage - the construction of the R1s seems to cause enormous repair bills for minor body damage especially on the rear quarters due to the large size of the single component that reflects - leaving consumers a choice between massive bills or letting their 'flagship' vehicle remain visibly damaged. I love the R1T and would dearly like to own one, but challenges like these are what keep me on the sidelines for now.
Excited for the reveal. Maybe I’ll be able to buy an R2 used in a few years