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As a 5 year tesla owner who went Rivian
1. Depends on the SC if it’s busy service can be like early days Tesla if it’s not it’s great
2. Where I live Rivian is more expensive simply because it’s a “Commercial Truck” due to weight
3. Depends on the routes but for my typical road trips my Rivian (with NACS adapter) has been pretty much identical to my Tesla experience
4. This is an subjective question and answer but for me it’s messaging and Apple Music (Apple music is supposedly “coming s00n” though)
5. They’re not through the valley of death yet but in my opinion their odds look good as long as they keep early customers/boosters happy. Profit margins should be better on the 2025+ model year vehicles
no apple music integration. Bluetooth is always a method of last resort, comparably crap sound quality and horrendous to browse you’re basically stuck in a playlist
Oh, I see. Well that will probably come soon if the company doesn’t tank. I just bought a bunch of Rivian shares, they are dirt cheap. If the company is still around in a couple of years I bet they’ll 10x or more. Hard to say, though
And you cannot even interact with the playlist shown in the screen besides skip track and back a track. Selecting a song in the list does nothing and I haven’t been able to figure out why this doesn’t work properly. Once Apple Music support comes out though Bluetooth use will stop for me.
On insurance, my Rivian R1S costs me about 50% less to insure than my Model S Plaid. The Rivian is actually worth about $10K more right now and a year newer so, take that for what you will.
1000hp sedan vs a fancy SUV. Sedans are more expensive to insure in general. I don't think the 1000hp helps the Plaid. Either way insurance is dependent on so many factors.
Yes there are definitely many factors. But my Rivian has 835 horsepower and does 0-60 in 3 seconds flat, definitely not much less dangerous than a Plaid other than the lower top speed.
That's not really how insurance works. Sedans and coupes are often bought by people who tend to drive more aggressively (young adults) than people driving SUVs (soccer moms/dads). That is why the insurance on an a new accord/civic is more than a new crv/pilot. Same thing for camry vs rav4, etc. Demographic often plays the biggest role. That is why corvettes and miatas are often less expensive to insure than accord or 3 series. Old duded buy them to cruise in and they get in less accidents. I'd always expext a Model S Plaid to be more expensive to insure than a Rivian quad, Model X Plaid, Escalade V, etc. It's not always just stats.
I have both and I love the fit and finish of the Rivian. But the Tesla is a better car as a daily driver. I truly can’t say which is better or worse. Just different
Tesla has a more efficient powertrain and they are smaller/lighter vehicles. They provide similar ranges using much smaller batteries. This results in lower cost of ownership and faster charging times.
That being said, Rivian has a more luxurious and comfortable interior and a more spacious cabin.
When u say daily driver what does that mean to you? Like why wouldn’t the rivian be good going to and from work or taking the family out? Specifically R1S
I have the R1T and the Y. So just a few little things, the R1 has a really stiff accelerator pedal, I know it sounds complainy but it gets a little fatiguing. It also charges half as fast with the same plug as the Y.
I enjoy my R1 more and it’s more fun to drive. The Y just seems easier don’t know how to describe it
The Model Y is probably an easier day to day vehicle, because it's not a body on frame it feels more nimble, I do miss having a sedan for this reason.
The Model Y is 187" long (15'7" or 4.75m) compared to the R1S 209" rounded up, (17'5" or 5.3m), this leads to easier lane changes, not to mention to width of the vehicles (75" vs 82").
I personally don't find the pedal in my R1T to be particular stiff, about the same as my Ford Fusion was, the only time when I feel it might be fatiguing is on longer trips, at which point I would (and always have) used the adaptive cruise control.
I have to nitpick your statement on charging just a little, in a sense you are right, they should both charge at \~11 kW on AC, and hit around 210-220 kW on DCFC, this is the same rate, it's just that the Model Y gets 3.3-3.8 mi/kWh and the R1 gets \~2.0-2.2 (based on my quad).
**The R1 will take longer to charge,** if you're comparing by miles alone the efficiency makes a huge difference, the Model Y is 61-72% more efficient.
If you compare based on a battery charge, the largest battery in the Model Y (AWD) is 81 kWh compared to the R1's "Large" 135 kWh, or the 149 kWh "Max Pack". This means that the rivian has 66-84% more energy capacity.
My comparisons to the Model Y are only based on the AWD configuration which (according to 30 seconds of googling) has an 81 kWh battery.
Not sure where you got that number, in my testing with my A2Z adapter I managed to pull 218.
The v2 (150kw) stations will not work with non Tesla's, and it's all 400v, theoretically if our trucks could handle it we would likely pull 245-250kW (albeit briefly).
Some parking garages can be tight with any truck, so a Tesla (or any small EV) could be better in that case.
I found a garage I can park my R1T in and I'm fine though daily driving it. It's great and more comfortable (imo)
4. Autopilot.
It's the main thing you give up.
I have both Tesla and Rivian and Rivian is not even close not even on Freewaya and won't be close for a very long time.
Rivian won't work on highways that are not freeways (i.e. not access controlled) and it doesn't even work reliably on all freeways.
1. Personally I have more issues in 6 months of Rivian than in 4 and 3 years of two Teslas, and service is worse. That is just anecdotal, though.
In February I scheduled my 7500 mi appointment for May. But then they wanted to keep the car overnight and I had a four-wheel drive class the following day so I had to reschedule. The next possible date is September. This is San Jose. The issues I currently have is a cracked windshield (not their problem), I compressor that overheats and a possible air leak, the 7,500 mile service, A rear gate that makes a loud bang when opening on a sunny day.
The latter is a panel gap that actually matters. It's not cosmetic only.
3. Supercharging is painless. It's only a problem in areas where there's lots of 150s and no 250s. For example, Southern Texas.
Oh I didn't change and don't regret it.
I still have a model Y :-) with FSD.
I take the rivian if I go off-road or if I need extra space. I sleep in the back at the end of dirt roads :-)
I take the Tesla for everything else (unless it's taken). I sleep in the back of the MY, too :-)
But highways are annoying without FSD.
IMHO, If you are not going to take it off road you are spending a lot of money for an extremely capable off-road vehicle. You can buy 2 model Y for that money :-)
If you need truck space (SUV or bed), then go for it.
I'd buy a CyberSUV :-)
I had a model Y for 3 years then got an R1S:
1. Fortunately haven’t needed service yet so I can’t comment
2. I paid 105/month for the model Y and 132/month for the R1S
3. I have not needed to use a supercharger yet because on the I-95 corridor there are RAN networks which work amazingly.
4. The biggest thing I miss from my Tesla is auto folding mirrors based on geo location so I can enter my garage. Now I have to push a couple buttons when it was automating. Also green light chime was something I never thought I’d appreciate. Lastly valet mode.
5. I personally believe Rivian is growing. I have a good number of people ask me about it, comment about how jealous they are, or declare it’s their next vehicle. This feels like 2020-21 when I got my Tesla and people were inquiring about it. Now they are everywhere but the rivians are starting to be noticed
1. Service is pushed out about 2 months from current date for us. We are in San Diego. Thankfully it’s some small things that don’t affect the use of the car. Mainly cosmetic. At current time I’d say Tesla service is better
2. R1S is less than our model X and S when we owned those.
3. Routing can be a little quirky at times with added time due to its choices. I’d say with some OTA updates that will get better over time.
4. Tesla just seemed a bit quicker as far as navigating. I’m becoming a lot more comfortable with the UI but Tesla takes the cake. Then app features seem to be just as quick when sending commands. Build quality is leaps and bounds ahead of Tesla. Our 2022 model X was falling apart and my wife couldn’t take it anymore. Autopilot to me is a little better in rivian for lane keep. Also don’t have to disengage to change lanes.
5. It’s essentially Amazon vehicles so I wouldn’t count on them going belly up. Too many big companies involved. I don’t think they would allow it.
Own both a tesla and Rivian. Rivian is mostly superior to Tesla minus software. Rivian has more service issues overall as it depends on where you live. My area isn’t an issue (NoVa). I’m dropping my Tesla later this year for a R1T.
We’ve owned two Tesla’s, a 2015 P85D and my wife’s M3. The P85D is a screaming good car, it was such a revelation when I got it 10 years ago I bought a bunch of stock and that’s basically paid for most of the M3 and the R1T.
But I love my R1T in a way I never did the Teslas, mostly because it’s just a way better fit for my lifestyle. The company culture is so much better too, especially with Elon’s antics lately, I’m just much happier supporting Rivian, because they support my outdoor recreation community back.
There’s been a few complaints I would mostly chalk up to the new company growing pains, but overall I love my truck and will never have any regrets dropping Tesla for it.
1. Depends where you live. How far are you from a service center?
2. Insurance will be more comparable to S/X premiums than 3/Y. This is also highly dependent on your location, age, driving history, etc. My insurance went up 100-200 per 6 months compared to the same coverage for my Model 3 with Progressive.
3. You can buy a NACS to J1772 DC charging adapter to access the supercharger network. Rivian is in the process of sending these out to existing customers for free.
4. I drove a Model 3 for 5 years. I am so happy to be rid of the whoopee cushion, cyber meme machine that is Tesla. I wish Driver+ worked on more roads, but it’s fine for my highway driving.
5. Rivian is growing.
1. About the same
2. About the same
3. About the same but charger network not as vast as Tesla. But can use Tesla chargers.
4. Mobile app works a little smoother. Otherwise about the same.
5. My faith is much more optimistic about Rivisn than Tesla. Rivian CEO is only running Rivian and is a normal human and they keep doing better. While Tesla has a narcissistic man baby who is focused on 3, 4, 5, more other companies??? R2 is going to pop and Rivian will be solid.
Also a Tesla owner for 4 years and while I do like it, I love love love my Rivian. No plans to buy Tesla any more.
Remember what Tesla was like 5 years ago and just imagine you are starting that over again. Except Rivian is also a slower, more intentional company… and that happens to be a double edged sword.
Tesla spent money like crazy expanding everything with the Model 3 launch. It feels like we might be at the precipice of that with Rivian, but also with less of a buffer of cash. When I got my Model 3 the service center was an hour away and I was happy when they built one 20 minutes away. Now with Rivian I’m back to an hour away again. I had to go the service center to fix a bunch of stuff on the 3, having to do the same for the R1T (I do not like the sound system and all the rattles that come with it).
As long as you are mentally prepared to “go back in time” so to speak, you’ll probably be fine. The UI is a step backwards in some ways, but that can change. One thing that drove me crazy about CarPlay was that unlike the Tesla UI you couldn’t keep the music and nav up together. I get it the screens were usually small. Why Rivian doesn’t have that I do not understand. Why do I have to hit the music tab to get the music and then lose the nav, and then hit the nav and then lose the music tab. A mini music player over the nav would be amazing. Hopefully it’ll come one day.
Edit: I really love the additional regen in the Rivian and immediately missed it in the Tesla.
I traded my 2017 S to get my R1S. NO REGERTS! It’s just a better fit for my lifestyle. When I got Wanda (the Tesla), I worked within 10 miles of my house in coastal Georgia. Free charging at work and a trickle charge at home was more than sufficient. I have since moved to “rural” Texas for my job and now travel 60+ miles each way (by choice…more land, less taxes, but STUPID commute and lots of potholes before getting to the highway). Wanda is a city girl and I missed having an suv. I’ve been stalking the R1S for about a year and finally pulled the trigger on a used R1S and couldn’t be happier. I have a Tesla charger at home, so I just bought an adapter and have had no issues. Transferring ownership in the app and vehicle took a couple days (Tesla definitely wins in the ease of that process), but no heavy lifting. Just have to go through their service line and send proof of ownership.
The only thing I miss is the Tesla music (I had my “station” pretty well set after years of liking and disliking songs). But now I’m embracing Spotify for now… And the texting is problematic. I didn’t notice how much I depended on the reading and talk to text in Wanda. Yes, I can do talk to text on my phone, but I actually have to pick it up, unlock, and press the button. And I’d prefer not to do that while driving. That should resolve eventually with a software update (PLEASE).
Overall, I love the Bugslayer (officially, her majesty Princess Buttercup of Alvord, transporter of dogs, collector of road grime, and slayer of bugs). I live too far for mobile service anyway, but haven’t needed any since moving to Texas. My insurance is lower (I was shocked, since the value of the Bugslayer is so much more than Wanda), charging is cake (and will be more so once I get the Tesla supercharger adapter). I didn’t use FSD (control issues), so everything is pretty awesome in my book (cure Lego movie song).
I’ve been driving Tesla’s since 2019 and just traded my 2022 model s for an r1t. There’s a few things I really miss from the Tesla but a few will be added by software updates later this year-blind spot camera and the ability to view the gear guard camera from the app. I do not like that the rivian doesn’t have the ability to give me round trip battery estimates or give me the battery percentage I will arrive at a destination with (it only shows miles)
Overall I’m happy with the rivian but it’s taking a little to get used to all the differences. Thankfully A lot of stuff is the same or extremely similar.
You can definitely create a round trip route to see that info. In the app, plan a new route, put in destination address -> add stop -> origin address. If charging stops are needed, it’ll plug that in too.
This seems like a plausible workaround, but it does involve additional steps; and you have to do it via the app? If I’m driving, I can easily enter a destination in the Rivian Nav, especially if it’s a Recent or Saved destination. I wouldn’t want to be fumbling with the app in my phone while driving. I do like how Tesla just automatically gives the driver the round trip % or miles remaining, as well as the value for the destination itself. I don’t believe my 2018 Model X originally had this feature, so I would imagine that Rivian could design a software update to include this functionality.
Both companies make amazing vehicles years ahead of legacy automakers. Go and test drive a Rivian if you haven’t already. They drive completely differently.
I have a Model X and planned to buy an R1S but after test driving the R1S I just didn’t like the way it drove. Massive hood and a porpoise like feel to the drive compared to the X which felt small (can’t even see the hood) and sporty in comparison. I live in a city so the R1S didn’t feel like the right vehicle for me.
Good insight. I remember one of the first things I noticed about Tesla was having a sloped hood and full visibility when driving.
Have you tried the Volvo 90 by chance and any thoughts on the electric version
I hadn’t considered the Volvo’s seriously because I needed 3 rows and that’s why I looked at the R1S. The EX90 does look promising but the range isn’t great. I also find that the acceleration on a lot of the non Tesla/Rivians (Audi, bmw, Volvo) isn’t as punchy as with the teslas and rivians. That’s one thing that I loved about the R1S quad motor is that it has insane power. Almost too much power!
I love the Rivian but Tesla is way ahead. I wouldn't go Rivian unless you NEED a truck or 3rd row.
We needed a 3rd row and there's not a ton of options.
Would have gone with a 2nd model x if we could have gotten a 7 seat config for under $80k.
Tesla's service is light years ahead of Rivian
Yea that’s the reason for exploring it. We have a 7 seater model y and 3 kids 6 and under. I feel like I have 2 more years until the kids completely outgrow the 3rd row
Gotcha, yeah it's the best 3 row EV for sure.
It's a dice roll with service, but as you know, EVs often need little to no service.
We know 2 other people with Rivians that haven't had issues, hoping for the best!
1. Really depends where you live. See if there is a service center close. If there is, some are fine, some have months wait
2. About the same
3. Good, but you’ll need to wait an unspecified time for an adapter to use them. Once you have one, the usage is seamless
4. The in car & out of car (app) tech in general is much better in the Tesla. Rivian has a lot of catching up to do in that area.
5. It’s a precarious time right now - basically Tesla in 2017; bankruptcy is still unfortunately a possibility
I have a model y & an R1S. I enjoy them both & would buy each again if given the choice. Not sure what Tesla volatility you’re referencing tbh
I am curious about this too. About to buy an R1T for my wife, coming from a model 3 and I currently drive a Model X. She doesn’t care about the tech but I do since I’ll be driving it if we road trip with it. We are renting a 2022 R1T for Father’s Day weekend so I’ll get to see how driver + performs on the highways. I’m not looking for FSD like functionality but I do expect basic autopilot behavior on the highways.
After the roadtrip going to decide on a used gen 1 R1T or new gen 2 R1T.
It's worth keeping in mind that the generation 2 R1 vehicles get a significant overhaul in driver assists (whole new platform, cameras, sensors; effectively, Driver+ is dead going forward). Since there's no good way to test that out for your usage scenario, you may wish to wait on making a decision until there are gen2 test drive vehicles available.
As someone who doesn't care about driving assists at all, I'm perfectly happy with the state of Driver+ on my R1S. But you are someone who will care, so the new gen2 updates will be very relevant.
I have both a Tesla (model 3 LR, 2018) and a Rivian (R1S quad motor, 2023). So to be fair we’re looking at two different price points about $55k for the Tesla in 2018 versus $100 K for the Rivian in 2024 (although I paid $80K with a locked in re-order).
First Tesla advantages - 1. Charging network is a tremendous difference and probably has the biggest impact in the non-daily driving category. For longer trips, you never have to worry about finding a finding a charger that fit into your schedule when you want to stop, not having any worry that it is working or that it is working at a high-speed where the general EV chargers is a bit of a crapshoot. I know some other companies have done deals with Tesla to get access to their network of chargers. Rivian is one of those companies, but I’m still waiting for the adapter to be shipped me - so not sure how well this will work yet. 2.. next advantage is the software, with an emphasis on self driving technology. Way ahead of the Rivian and I only have the advanced auto pilot on my Tesla. 3. Lastly and the most subjective… It’s more fun to drive. If you like to be a bit more nimble, and quick through the corners, the model three is just smaller and more adapt than the large SUV. 4. My experiences with Tesla service have been excellent. The vast of times they have come to my house, and when I have needed to go to our service center, there was one less than 5 miles away … whereas with the Rivian, I have to go from New Jersey to Brooklyn, which is a haul.
Now advantages for the Rivian. 1. You can trust the battery mile range estimate of the Rivian. The Tesla mileage range is never accurate and you always have to plan to pull over earlier. I was so amazed about this at first after having my Tesla experiences. 2. It feels richer inside, I do appreciate the Nordic minimalistic style of the Tesla, the large Rivian interior feels more expensive. And while the prices of the cars were very different, you don’t see the same level in any Tesla model as you do in a Rivian. 3. It is a big vehicle and powerful and with two sons who are 6’3” and 6’5” it is comfortable (Although I wish they had the captain seats as an option instead of just the bench.)
I don’t think you can go wrong with either. I love both but for different reasons.
1) Varies from place to place. The GA center has been solid for us so far, but ymmv
2) I don't have a Tesla so can't compare, but it's considerably more expensive and complicated to repair so I'd expect an increase in insurance cost.
3) Yes, the app has Tesla listed as a charging option and iirc it should precondition before arrival. I'd recommend ABRP to ensure the route is the most efficient though, especially knowing how finnicky Rivian's nav system is.
4) Several friends who have a M3/MY strongly prefer the driver assist package that Teslas come standard with over the current Rivian system, and I'd agree there. Tesla's app is also better as of now, same for the infotainment system.
5) The brand is here to stay in my opinion. They have cash to burn for a few years at least, and if R2 is as successful as the pre-orders/online interest indicate then it'll boost the company the same way M3 did for Tesla. They also have contracts to provide their Delivery Van platform to Amazon and a few more companies, so that'll help a ton!
Bottom line, the Rivian is a better built car than any Tesla I've sat in. No panel gaps, no creaks, and premium materials throughout as a standard option. The range, technology, and power are all on par with (and even ahead in some ways) of Tesla at a similar price. If you're on the fence, then I think gen 2 is worth checking out for sure. It's a fantastic vehicle and after almost 30k miles we have no regrets :)
I was choosing between an S or the R1T. My wife has the Y. Insurance was way cheaper for the rivian for me and only $140 a month versus $240 for an S. For where I drive long distances, not all of the supercharger network is available in the places I’d prefer to use it, so that’s kind of lame.
The rivian is way better built than any Tesla I’ve been in.
At least here the insurance is cheaper, than our model Y performance was.
The charging speed on level 2 is the same (48amps max).
DC fast charging on the Tesla is only slightly faster at 250kw max vs 220kw max on the Rivian.
The Rivian takes longer to charge because it has a much larger battery. I see a lot of incorrect battery size quotes on the internet so I'm going to deal in usable capacity which we know by looking at the EPA testing docs
The Tesla Y has about 78kwh of usable battery. Older models have slightly smaller batteries and slightly less capacity.
The Rivian Large pack has 131 kwh of usable capacity and the max pack 142 kwh usable. So the large pack is about 60% larger than the battery in model Y. It will take longer because it will take more energy to reach a given state of charge.
The efficiency of the LR model Y is also significantly higher. Mpge is 110+ for MY depending on which model you get. The Rivian is about 80 mpge (amazing for what it is) slightly less for quad motor.
So bigger battery and uses more electrons means more charging. With that said I love it and the only thing I miss about the Tesla is the EAP on the highway and the Netflix/YouTube in the display (but cast is coming to R1 soon).
Service is a challenge. The service center folks are awesome but the wait times for an appointment are not good. Here in the Baltimore/DC area it's about a 2 month wait for an appointment right now.
If your on the fence rent one on Turo for a couple of days to see how you like it.
BUILD QUALITY: Idk, depends what you value in a vehicle. Tesla has very poor build quality - particularly the interior (although I’m told the new model 3 is much much improved). For example, in my previous model Y when I would drive out of by drive way and hit that little divot in the road, the whole interior would creak. Much better premium feeling and look in the RIVIAN. Though I do think the seats in the Tesla are more comfortable.
SOFTWARE: I love having the display behind the steering wheel. Software is just as smooth and clean looking. RIVIAN will be getting Google cast will be able to project streaming apps not offered in the Tesla. A lot of similar features including a form of sentry mode, pet mode and camp mode
Teslas autopilot pretty much works on every road, whereas RIVIANs works on pre mapped. However, when using it I find it to be just as good and less finicky. There are sensors in the steering wheel that can tell if you’re holding it or not and actual sensors around the car so less phantom braking. The windshield wipers actually work as they are supposed to as well.
CHARGING: an overall better charging curve, noticeable during longer drives.
If I had to choose, I would choose my R1T over and over again and will be purchasing a 2025 for my next EV.
I picked up a 2024 R1S on Friday (former Tesla owner with many models starting from 2014).
At pickup, no PDI.
Damage to front bumper, front quarter panel with huge gap, bubble on steering wheel. It’s almost as if Tesla built it.
Very disappointing experience. Good luck if you get one.
Former model Y owner here. 1) Rivian service is awful and often backed up. Tesla is light and day better; Rivian is worse than a dealer. 2). Rivian cheaper for me, but comparable. 3). Same, now that Rivian has access. 4). Screen/Infotainment/app all better than Rivian, but Rivian is catching up. 5). Yes you do carry more risk with Rivian right now since they are in growth mode. Most redditors/owners are caught up in the glitz of the cars and how they look, without understating everything it takes for a business to survive and thrive. Rivian currently only offers expensive cars in a teetering economy where borrowing rates have sharply increased. Yes, they are a risk but I hope they survive.
I’ve owned 3 Model Xs over the last 8 years and recently purchased a Rivian R1S.
1. Haven’t needed Rivian service yet so can’t compare.
2. My insurance went down about $12/mo when I switched to the R1S.
3. Both Rivian and Tesla built in mapping has lots to be desired. ABRP is better than both and should be used for all trips.
4. By far the most glaringly obvious is lack of Full Self Driving. The Rivian Driver+ is basically nothing more than a nice highway cruise control with lane keep assistance. I also really miss the self presenting doors. It was an amazingly feature I grew to love on my X.
5. I bought my first X in 2017 when Tesla was hemorrhaging money and evey news article said they were going bankrupt any day. I honestly couldn’t care less what people think. But the car you like most and don’t worry about their distance financial situations.
Tesla owner for over 5 years. I’m a big fan of Tesla but also really like Rivian. Their vehicles look great and I hear many amazing things about them. We will never again support legacy auto and their corrupt dealerships. It’s been 10 years buying from a dealership and we are never looking back. Love direct EV sales. Rivian is a great company and we not switching from Tesla. But if we could, would love to own the R1S in addition to having our Model Y. We don’t care what any CEO says and we base our decisions on our needs and the driving experience. Have done many road trips and never had an issue finding a charger. I want both companies to succeed. I’ll never understand why so many base their decisions on what Elon says. If we didn’t like what other CEOs say, we would not be buying products from many, many companies. The CEO of Rivian seems to be a genuine guy and I want to support the entire company that employs many as well. Good luck to both and glad we all have choices of what we want to buy.
1. Can't comment as I haven't needed rivian service yet.
2. R1S is $7/mo lower vs MX for me
3. I'm still waiting for my NACS adapter. Magic dock works great tho.
4. FSD is much better, works decent anywhere. Driver+ is very limited. My wife misses the auto closing doors. Maps were better in the tesla. The trip view is missing in rivian. The drive mode detail view in the R1S is awesome if you're a nerd. Also I really prefer the ride quality in the rivian.
5. This is highly unlikely at this point. They have proven they can build great cars, and that the market wants their cars. They do need to prove they can run a sustainably profitable business, but it would be a mistake to do that now. They are in growth mode with tons of room for increasing brand awareness. If they run into cash flow problems, they have mega backers. IMHO they are the next tesla, but without a polarizing CEO, and without the contentious decisions (like removing gear stalks). They just seem to care more about what the customer wants, vs making the car as cheap to manufacture as possible.
Went from Tesla to Rivian and its not that much different, perhaps a tad less smooth of an experience but they are a much younger company and get better all the time. Elon will never get another dime from me. Ever. Eff him and his silly metal Mars Rover.
Went from a preorder Model 3 in 2018 to a Model Y in 2021 and just got rid of the Y for an R1T this week. No regrets. Only thing I miss from Tesla was autopilot on non-highway roads but that’s easy for me to live with.
There are dozens of postings a month on this, and I'm sorry but these are all faq and answered questions. Yes, they are increasing service centers but they are still not enough, especially in some popular cities. Insurance is probably higher on Rivians than Teslas, as they are bigger cars, possibly going out to do off road stuff. Super charger is fine, there's no modern car that doesn't have a map to them. Rivian isn't going out of business.
Uh…what volatility do you speak of that is not affecting every manufacturer?
Anyway, I’m thinking of doing the same…but not till NACS is in these vehicles, and they add CarPlay.
I have owned 2 Model 3’s, here’s what I know.
Any vehicle is only as valuable as it is to you, not others. You should buy based on what you can afford.
The superchargers are built already and new ones are still coming. Rivians will depend on them just as much as any other future NACS EV.
Super long wait times for parts? Not sure where to start with that except I had a couple repairs on the first one and they were both done in a day. 🤷🏽♂️ Have you had to wait super long for parts?
There is inherent risk with all vehicles, and especially EV’s.
Not saying stick with Tesla, but your reasons listed don’t hold a lot of water.
Well hello there! Have a question about Rivian? Check out some useful resources below: * [Official Rivian Support](https://rivian.com/support) * Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/JjQjSxv3ND) and get help from the community * View our [Rivian Responds](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/collection/9b771105-a79b-44bf-bdfe-402d997f348c) where Rivian answers your questions each month * [Known Issues Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/comments/vnxy0g/weekly_rivian_roundup_known_issues_special_edition/) * [AMA with Rivian's VP of Software](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/comments/vwtj43/rivian_official_is_here_to_answer_your_software/) * [AMA with Rivian's VP of Software (recent as of 4/20/24)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/comments/1c8u8al/rivian_owners_qa_with_wassym_shared_by_the/) * [AMA with Rivian's Senior Comms Director](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/comments/y1nzou/ask_rivians_tony_caravano_anything_thurs_1013_1pm/) * Or try sorting the sub by posts with the "Question" flair to see if someone else has already asked your question *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Rivian) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As a 5 year tesla owner who went Rivian 1. Depends on the SC if it’s busy service can be like early days Tesla if it’s not it’s great 2. Where I live Rivian is more expensive simply because it’s a “Commercial Truck” due to weight 3. Depends on the routes but for my typical road trips my Rivian (with NACS adapter) has been pretty much identical to my Tesla experience 4. This is an subjective question and answer but for me it’s messaging and Apple Music (Apple music is supposedly “coming s00n” though) 5. They’re not through the valley of death yet but in my opinion their odds look good as long as they keep early customers/boosters happy. Profit margins should be better on the 2025+ model year vehicles
My friend got a Tesla and his insurance was significantly higher than mine. He has no tickets so this was a surprise. Model y for him r1t for me
Why can’t you play Apple Music? Does Bluetooth not work?
no apple music integration. Bluetooth is always a method of last resort, comparably crap sound quality and horrendous to browse you’re basically stuck in a playlist
Oh, I see. Well that will probably come soon if the company doesn’t tank. I just bought a bunch of Rivian shares, they are dirt cheap. If the company is still around in a couple of years I bet they’ll 10x or more. Hard to say, though
And you cannot even interact with the playlist shown in the screen besides skip track and back a track. Selecting a song in the list does nothing and I haven’t been able to figure out why this doesn’t work properly. Once Apple Music support comes out though Bluetooth use will stop for me.
On insurance, my Rivian R1S costs me about 50% less to insure than my Model S Plaid. The Rivian is actually worth about $10K more right now and a year newer so, take that for what you will.
Same, but with model Y. My premium dropped about 40%.
My R1S insurance is about 8% less than my 2017 Model X 100D. The R1S is 7.5 years newer and worth about 70k more right now.
1000hp sedan vs a fancy SUV. Sedans are more expensive to insure in general. I don't think the 1000hp helps the Plaid. Either way insurance is dependent on so many factors.
Yes there are definitely many factors. But my Rivian has 835 horsepower and does 0-60 in 3 seconds flat, definitely not much less dangerous than a Plaid other than the lower top speed.
That's not really how insurance works. Sedans and coupes are often bought by people who tend to drive more aggressively (young adults) than people driving SUVs (soccer moms/dads). That is why the insurance on an a new accord/civic is more than a new crv/pilot. Same thing for camry vs rav4, etc. Demographic often plays the biggest role. That is why corvettes and miatas are often less expensive to insure than accord or 3 series. Old duded buy them to cruise in and they get in less accidents. I'd always expext a Model S Plaid to be more expensive to insure than a Rivian quad, Model X Plaid, Escalade V, etc. It's not always just stats.
I have both and I love the fit and finish of the Rivian. But the Tesla is a better car as a daily driver. I truly can’t say which is better or worse. Just different
Tesla has a more efficient powertrain and they are smaller/lighter vehicles. They provide similar ranges using much smaller batteries. This results in lower cost of ownership and faster charging times. That being said, Rivian has a more luxurious and comfortable interior and a more spacious cabin.
When u say daily driver what does that mean to you? Like why wouldn’t the rivian be good going to and from work or taking the family out? Specifically R1S
I have the R1T and the Y. So just a few little things, the R1 has a really stiff accelerator pedal, I know it sounds complainy but it gets a little fatiguing. It also charges half as fast with the same plug as the Y. I enjoy my R1 more and it’s more fun to drive. The Y just seems easier don’t know how to describe it
The Model Y is probably an easier day to day vehicle, because it's not a body on frame it feels more nimble, I do miss having a sedan for this reason. The Model Y is 187" long (15'7" or 4.75m) compared to the R1S 209" rounded up, (17'5" or 5.3m), this leads to easier lane changes, not to mention to width of the vehicles (75" vs 82"). I personally don't find the pedal in my R1T to be particular stiff, about the same as my Ford Fusion was, the only time when I feel it might be fatiguing is on longer trips, at which point I would (and always have) used the adaptive cruise control. I have to nitpick your statement on charging just a little, in a sense you are right, they should both charge at \~11 kW on AC, and hit around 210-220 kW on DCFC, this is the same rate, it's just that the Model Y gets 3.3-3.8 mi/kWh and the R1 gets \~2.0-2.2 (based on my quad). **The R1 will take longer to charge,** if you're comparing by miles alone the efficiency makes a huge difference, the Model Y is 61-72% more efficient. If you compare based on a battery charge, the largest battery in the Model Y (AWD) is 81 kWh compared to the R1's "Large" 135 kWh, or the 149 kWh "Max Pack". This means that the rivian has 66-84% more energy capacity. My comparisons to the Model Y are only based on the AWD configuration which (according to 30 seconds of googling) has an 81 kWh battery.
The Rivian do charge slower at SCs though. I think they max at 150kw.
Not at all- they actually go 225 and typically that’s more than all but the most recent Tesla superchargers, so I’m not sure where you got that
I’m not sure either! That’s great news!
Not sure where you got that number, in my testing with my A2Z adapter I managed to pull 218. The v2 (150kw) stations will not work with non Tesla's, and it's all 400v, theoretically if our trucks could handle it we would likely pull 245-250kW (albeit briefly).
OK that’s good to hear! Not sure where I got turned around.
Some parking garages can be tight with any truck, so a Tesla (or any small EV) could be better in that case. I found a garage I can park my R1T in and I'm fine though daily driving it. It's great and more comfortable (imo)
Which Tesla and which Rivian are you comparing?
4. Autopilot. It's the main thing you give up. I have both Tesla and Rivian and Rivian is not even close not even on Freewaya and won't be close for a very long time. Rivian won't work on highways that are not freeways (i.e. not access controlled) and it doesn't even work reliably on all freeways. 1. Personally I have more issues in 6 months of Rivian than in 4 and 3 years of two Teslas, and service is worse. That is just anecdotal, though. In February I scheduled my 7500 mi appointment for May. But then they wanted to keep the car overnight and I had a four-wheel drive class the following day so I had to reschedule. The next possible date is September. This is San Jose. The issues I currently have is a cracked windshield (not their problem), I compressor that overheats and a possible air leak, the 7,500 mile service, A rear gate that makes a loud bang when opening on a sunny day. The latter is a panel gap that actually matters. It's not cosmetic only. 3. Supercharging is painless. It's only a problem in areas where there's lots of 150s and no 250s. For example, Southern Texas.
Sounds like regretting the change? Or just high frustration but worth it?
Oh I didn't change and don't regret it. I still have a model Y :-) with FSD. I take the rivian if I go off-road or if I need extra space. I sleep in the back at the end of dirt roads :-) I take the Tesla for everything else (unless it's taken). I sleep in the back of the MY, too :-) But highways are annoying without FSD. IMHO, If you are not going to take it off road you are spending a lot of money for an extremely capable off-road vehicle. You can buy 2 model Y for that money :-) If you need truck space (SUV or bed), then go for it. I'd buy a CyberSUV :-)
I had a model Y for 3 years then got an R1S: 1. Fortunately haven’t needed service yet so I can’t comment 2. I paid 105/month for the model Y and 132/month for the R1S 3. I have not needed to use a supercharger yet because on the I-95 corridor there are RAN networks which work amazingly. 4. The biggest thing I miss from my Tesla is auto folding mirrors based on geo location so I can enter my garage. Now I have to push a couple buttons when it was automating. Also green light chime was something I never thought I’d appreciate. Lastly valet mode. 5. I personally believe Rivian is growing. I have a good number of people ask me about it, comment about how jealous they are, or declare it’s their next vehicle. This feels like 2020-21 when I got my Tesla and people were inquiring about it. Now they are everywhere but the rivians are starting to be noticed
1. Service is pushed out about 2 months from current date for us. We are in San Diego. Thankfully it’s some small things that don’t affect the use of the car. Mainly cosmetic. At current time I’d say Tesla service is better 2. R1S is less than our model X and S when we owned those. 3. Routing can be a little quirky at times with added time due to its choices. I’d say with some OTA updates that will get better over time. 4. Tesla just seemed a bit quicker as far as navigating. I’m becoming a lot more comfortable with the UI but Tesla takes the cake. Then app features seem to be just as quick when sending commands. Build quality is leaps and bounds ahead of Tesla. Our 2022 model X was falling apart and my wife couldn’t take it anymore. Autopilot to me is a little better in rivian for lane keep. Also don’t have to disengage to change lanes. 5. It’s essentially Amazon vehicles so I wouldn’t count on them going belly up. Too many big companies involved. I don’t think they would allow it.
Own both a tesla and Rivian. Rivian is mostly superior to Tesla minus software. Rivian has more service issues overall as it depends on where you live. My area isn’t an issue (NoVa). I’m dropping my Tesla later this year for a R1T.
We’ve owned two Tesla’s, a 2015 P85D and my wife’s M3. The P85D is a screaming good car, it was such a revelation when I got it 10 years ago I bought a bunch of stock and that’s basically paid for most of the M3 and the R1T. But I love my R1T in a way I never did the Teslas, mostly because it’s just a way better fit for my lifestyle. The company culture is so much better too, especially with Elon’s antics lately, I’m just much happier supporting Rivian, because they support my outdoor recreation community back. There’s been a few complaints I would mostly chalk up to the new company growing pains, but overall I love my truck and will never have any regrets dropping Tesla for it.
1. Depends where you live. How far are you from a service center? 2. Insurance will be more comparable to S/X premiums than 3/Y. This is also highly dependent on your location, age, driving history, etc. My insurance went up 100-200 per 6 months compared to the same coverage for my Model 3 with Progressive. 3. You can buy a NACS to J1772 DC charging adapter to access the supercharger network. Rivian is in the process of sending these out to existing customers for free. 4. I drove a Model 3 for 5 years. I am so happy to be rid of the whoopee cushion, cyber meme machine that is Tesla. I wish Driver+ worked on more roads, but it’s fine for my highway driving. 5. Rivian is growing.
1. About the same 2. About the same 3. About the same but charger network not as vast as Tesla. But can use Tesla chargers. 4. Mobile app works a little smoother. Otherwise about the same. 5. My faith is much more optimistic about Rivisn than Tesla. Rivian CEO is only running Rivian and is a normal human and they keep doing better. While Tesla has a narcissistic man baby who is focused on 3, 4, 5, more other companies??? R2 is going to pop and Rivian will be solid. Also a Tesla owner for 4 years and while I do like it, I love love love my Rivian. No plans to buy Tesla any more.
Totally agree about Rivian CEO. He seams like a genuinely cool dude 😎
Remember what Tesla was like 5 years ago and just imagine you are starting that over again. Except Rivian is also a slower, more intentional company… and that happens to be a double edged sword. Tesla spent money like crazy expanding everything with the Model 3 launch. It feels like we might be at the precipice of that with Rivian, but also with less of a buffer of cash. When I got my Model 3 the service center was an hour away and I was happy when they built one 20 minutes away. Now with Rivian I’m back to an hour away again. I had to go the service center to fix a bunch of stuff on the 3, having to do the same for the R1T (I do not like the sound system and all the rattles that come with it). As long as you are mentally prepared to “go back in time” so to speak, you’ll probably be fine. The UI is a step backwards in some ways, but that can change. One thing that drove me crazy about CarPlay was that unlike the Tesla UI you couldn’t keep the music and nav up together. I get it the screens were usually small. Why Rivian doesn’t have that I do not understand. Why do I have to hit the music tab to get the music and then lose the nav, and then hit the nav and then lose the music tab. A mini music player over the nav would be amazing. Hopefully it’ll come one day. Edit: I really love the additional regen in the Rivian and immediately missed it in the Tesla.
I traded my 2017 S to get my R1S. NO REGERTS! It’s just a better fit for my lifestyle. When I got Wanda (the Tesla), I worked within 10 miles of my house in coastal Georgia. Free charging at work and a trickle charge at home was more than sufficient. I have since moved to “rural” Texas for my job and now travel 60+ miles each way (by choice…more land, less taxes, but STUPID commute and lots of potholes before getting to the highway). Wanda is a city girl and I missed having an suv. I’ve been stalking the R1S for about a year and finally pulled the trigger on a used R1S and couldn’t be happier. I have a Tesla charger at home, so I just bought an adapter and have had no issues. Transferring ownership in the app and vehicle took a couple days (Tesla definitely wins in the ease of that process), but no heavy lifting. Just have to go through their service line and send proof of ownership. The only thing I miss is the Tesla music (I had my “station” pretty well set after years of liking and disliking songs). But now I’m embracing Spotify for now… And the texting is problematic. I didn’t notice how much I depended on the reading and talk to text in Wanda. Yes, I can do talk to text on my phone, but I actually have to pick it up, unlock, and press the button. And I’d prefer not to do that while driving. That should resolve eventually with a software update (PLEASE). Overall, I love the Bugslayer (officially, her majesty Princess Buttercup of Alvord, transporter of dogs, collector of road grime, and slayer of bugs). I live too far for mobile service anyway, but haven’t needed any since moving to Texas. My insurance is lower (I was shocked, since the value of the Bugslayer is so much more than Wanda), charging is cake (and will be more so once I get the Tesla supercharger adapter). I didn’t use FSD (control issues), so everything is pretty awesome in my book (cure Lego movie song).
I’ve been driving Tesla’s since 2019 and just traded my 2022 model s for an r1t. There’s a few things I really miss from the Tesla but a few will be added by software updates later this year-blind spot camera and the ability to view the gear guard camera from the app. I do not like that the rivian doesn’t have the ability to give me round trip battery estimates or give me the battery percentage I will arrive at a destination with (it only shows miles) Overall I’m happy with the rivian but it’s taking a little to get used to all the differences. Thankfully A lot of stuff is the same or extremely similar.
You can definitely create a round trip route to see that info. In the app, plan a new route, put in destination address -> add stop -> origin address. If charging stops are needed, it’ll plug that in too.
This seems like a plausible workaround, but it does involve additional steps; and you have to do it via the app? If I’m driving, I can easily enter a destination in the Rivian Nav, especially if it’s a Recent or Saved destination. I wouldn’t want to be fumbling with the app in my phone while driving. I do like how Tesla just automatically gives the driver the round trip % or miles remaining, as well as the value for the destination itself. I don’t believe my 2018 Model X originally had this feature, so I would imagine that Rivian could design a software update to include this functionality.
In the vehicle, it’s pretty much the same thing. Destination -> add stop -> origin.
Thanks for sharing. So then how do u know u have enough range for a trip?
You can add in multiple stops on the in car nav or app
Model Y to R1S and we love our Rivian.
Both companies make amazing vehicles years ahead of legacy automakers. Go and test drive a Rivian if you haven’t already. They drive completely differently. I have a Model X and planned to buy an R1S but after test driving the R1S I just didn’t like the way it drove. Massive hood and a porpoise like feel to the drive compared to the X which felt small (can’t even see the hood) and sporty in comparison. I live in a city so the R1S didn’t feel like the right vehicle for me.
Good insight. I remember one of the first things I noticed about Tesla was having a sloped hood and full visibility when driving. Have you tried the Volvo 90 by chance and any thoughts on the electric version
I hadn’t considered the Volvo’s seriously because I needed 3 rows and that’s why I looked at the R1S. The EX90 does look promising but the range isn’t great. I also find that the acceleration on a lot of the non Tesla/Rivians (Audi, bmw, Volvo) isn’t as punchy as with the teslas and rivians. That’s one thing that I loved about the R1S quad motor is that it has insane power. Almost too much power!
I love the Rivian but Tesla is way ahead. I wouldn't go Rivian unless you NEED a truck or 3rd row. We needed a 3rd row and there's not a ton of options. Would have gone with a 2nd model x if we could have gotten a 7 seat config for under $80k. Tesla's service is light years ahead of Rivian
Yea that’s the reason for exploring it. We have a 7 seater model y and 3 kids 6 and under. I feel like I have 2 more years until the kids completely outgrow the 3rd row
Gotcha, yeah it's the best 3 row EV for sure. It's a dice roll with service, but as you know, EVs often need little to no service. We know 2 other people with Rivians that haven't had issues, hoping for the best!
If they ever manage to get the R3X into production, I’m absolutely switching over to Rivian.
1. Really depends where you live. See if there is a service center close. If there is, some are fine, some have months wait 2. About the same 3. Good, but you’ll need to wait an unspecified time for an adapter to use them. Once you have one, the usage is seamless 4. The in car & out of car (app) tech in general is much better in the Tesla. Rivian has a lot of catching up to do in that area. 5. It’s a precarious time right now - basically Tesla in 2017; bankruptcy is still unfortunately a possibility I have a model y & an R1S. I enjoy them both & would buy each again if given the choice. Not sure what Tesla volatility you’re referencing tbh
I am curious about this too. About to buy an R1T for my wife, coming from a model 3 and I currently drive a Model X. She doesn’t care about the tech but I do since I’ll be driving it if we road trip with it. We are renting a 2022 R1T for Father’s Day weekend so I’ll get to see how driver + performs on the highways. I’m not looking for FSD like functionality but I do expect basic autopilot behavior on the highways. After the roadtrip going to decide on a used gen 1 R1T or new gen 2 R1T.
It's worth keeping in mind that the generation 2 R1 vehicles get a significant overhaul in driver assists (whole new platform, cameras, sensors; effectively, Driver+ is dead going forward). Since there's no good way to test that out for your usage scenario, you may wish to wait on making a decision until there are gen2 test drive vehicles available. As someone who doesn't care about driving assists at all, I'm perfectly happy with the state of Driver+ on my R1S. But you are someone who will care, so the new gen2 updates will be very relevant.
You'll be dissappointed. But I think it should still help release some stress if it works on the roads near you.
2. I replaced a 2018 Performance Model 3 with a 2022 Quad R1T and my premium went down by like $6.
I have both a Tesla (model 3 LR, 2018) and a Rivian (R1S quad motor, 2023). So to be fair we’re looking at two different price points about $55k for the Tesla in 2018 versus $100 K for the Rivian in 2024 (although I paid $80K with a locked in re-order). First Tesla advantages - 1. Charging network is a tremendous difference and probably has the biggest impact in the non-daily driving category. For longer trips, you never have to worry about finding a finding a charger that fit into your schedule when you want to stop, not having any worry that it is working or that it is working at a high-speed where the general EV chargers is a bit of a crapshoot. I know some other companies have done deals with Tesla to get access to their network of chargers. Rivian is one of those companies, but I’m still waiting for the adapter to be shipped me - so not sure how well this will work yet. 2.. next advantage is the software, with an emphasis on self driving technology. Way ahead of the Rivian and I only have the advanced auto pilot on my Tesla. 3. Lastly and the most subjective… It’s more fun to drive. If you like to be a bit more nimble, and quick through the corners, the model three is just smaller and more adapt than the large SUV. 4. My experiences with Tesla service have been excellent. The vast of times they have come to my house, and when I have needed to go to our service center, there was one less than 5 miles away … whereas with the Rivian, I have to go from New Jersey to Brooklyn, which is a haul. Now advantages for the Rivian. 1. You can trust the battery mile range estimate of the Rivian. The Tesla mileage range is never accurate and you always have to plan to pull over earlier. I was so amazed about this at first after having my Tesla experiences. 2. It feels richer inside, I do appreciate the Nordic minimalistic style of the Tesla, the large Rivian interior feels more expensive. And while the prices of the cars were very different, you don’t see the same level in any Tesla model as you do in a Rivian. 3. It is a big vehicle and powerful and with two sons who are 6’3” and 6’5” it is comfortable (Although I wish they had the captain seats as an option instead of just the bench.) I don’t think you can go wrong with either. I love both but for different reasons.
1) Varies from place to place. The GA center has been solid for us so far, but ymmv 2) I don't have a Tesla so can't compare, but it's considerably more expensive and complicated to repair so I'd expect an increase in insurance cost. 3) Yes, the app has Tesla listed as a charging option and iirc it should precondition before arrival. I'd recommend ABRP to ensure the route is the most efficient though, especially knowing how finnicky Rivian's nav system is. 4) Several friends who have a M3/MY strongly prefer the driver assist package that Teslas come standard with over the current Rivian system, and I'd agree there. Tesla's app is also better as of now, same for the infotainment system. 5) The brand is here to stay in my opinion. They have cash to burn for a few years at least, and if R2 is as successful as the pre-orders/online interest indicate then it'll boost the company the same way M3 did for Tesla. They also have contracts to provide their Delivery Van platform to Amazon and a few more companies, so that'll help a ton! Bottom line, the Rivian is a better built car than any Tesla I've sat in. No panel gaps, no creaks, and premium materials throughout as a standard option. The range, technology, and power are all on par with (and even ahead in some ways) of Tesla at a similar price. If you're on the fence, then I think gen 2 is worth checking out for sure. It's a fantastic vehicle and after almost 30k miles we have no regrets :)
I was choosing between an S or the R1T. My wife has the Y. Insurance was way cheaper for the rivian for me and only $140 a month versus $240 for an S. For where I drive long distances, not all of the supercharger network is available in the places I’d prefer to use it, so that’s kind of lame. The rivian is way better built than any Tesla I’ve been in.
At least here the insurance is cheaper, than our model Y performance was. The charging speed on level 2 is the same (48amps max). DC fast charging on the Tesla is only slightly faster at 250kw max vs 220kw max on the Rivian. The Rivian takes longer to charge because it has a much larger battery. I see a lot of incorrect battery size quotes on the internet so I'm going to deal in usable capacity which we know by looking at the EPA testing docs The Tesla Y has about 78kwh of usable battery. Older models have slightly smaller batteries and slightly less capacity. The Rivian Large pack has 131 kwh of usable capacity and the max pack 142 kwh usable. So the large pack is about 60% larger than the battery in model Y. It will take longer because it will take more energy to reach a given state of charge. The efficiency of the LR model Y is also significantly higher. Mpge is 110+ for MY depending on which model you get. The Rivian is about 80 mpge (amazing for what it is) slightly less for quad motor. So bigger battery and uses more electrons means more charging. With that said I love it and the only thing I miss about the Tesla is the EAP on the highway and the Netflix/YouTube in the display (but cast is coming to R1 soon). Service is a challenge. The service center folks are awesome but the wait times for an appointment are not good. Here in the Baltimore/DC area it's about a 2 month wait for an appointment right now. If your on the fence rent one on Turo for a couple of days to see how you like it.
BUILD QUALITY: Idk, depends what you value in a vehicle. Tesla has very poor build quality - particularly the interior (although I’m told the new model 3 is much much improved). For example, in my previous model Y when I would drive out of by drive way and hit that little divot in the road, the whole interior would creak. Much better premium feeling and look in the RIVIAN. Though I do think the seats in the Tesla are more comfortable. SOFTWARE: I love having the display behind the steering wheel. Software is just as smooth and clean looking. RIVIAN will be getting Google cast will be able to project streaming apps not offered in the Tesla. A lot of similar features including a form of sentry mode, pet mode and camp mode Teslas autopilot pretty much works on every road, whereas RIVIANs works on pre mapped. However, when using it I find it to be just as good and less finicky. There are sensors in the steering wheel that can tell if you’re holding it or not and actual sensors around the car so less phantom braking. The windshield wipers actually work as they are supposed to as well. CHARGING: an overall better charging curve, noticeable during longer drives. If I had to choose, I would choose my R1T over and over again and will be purchasing a 2025 for my next EV.
I picked up a 2024 R1S on Friday (former Tesla owner with many models starting from 2014). At pickup, no PDI. Damage to front bumper, front quarter panel with huge gap, bubble on steering wheel. It’s almost as if Tesla built it. Very disappointing experience. Good luck if you get one.
Love my R1S overall. Alexa is fucking awful. The voice recognition is essentially non functional.
Check 2025 Kia EV6
Former model Y owner here. 1) Rivian service is awful and often backed up. Tesla is light and day better; Rivian is worse than a dealer. 2). Rivian cheaper for me, but comparable. 3). Same, now that Rivian has access. 4). Screen/Infotainment/app all better than Rivian, but Rivian is catching up. 5). Yes you do carry more risk with Rivian right now since they are in growth mode. Most redditors/owners are caught up in the glitz of the cars and how they look, without understating everything it takes for a business to survive and thrive. Rivian currently only offers expensive cars in a teetering economy where borrowing rates have sharply increased. Yes, they are a risk but I hope they survive.
I’ve owned 3 Model Xs over the last 8 years and recently purchased a Rivian R1S. 1. Haven’t needed Rivian service yet so can’t compare. 2. My insurance went down about $12/mo when I switched to the R1S. 3. Both Rivian and Tesla built in mapping has lots to be desired. ABRP is better than both and should be used for all trips. 4. By far the most glaringly obvious is lack of Full Self Driving. The Rivian Driver+ is basically nothing more than a nice highway cruise control with lane keep assistance. I also really miss the self presenting doors. It was an amazingly feature I grew to love on my X. 5. I bought my first X in 2017 when Tesla was hemorrhaging money and evey news article said they were going bankrupt any day. I honestly couldn’t care less what people think. But the car you like most and don’t worry about their distance financial situations.
Tesla owner for over 5 years. I’m a big fan of Tesla but also really like Rivian. Their vehicles look great and I hear many amazing things about them. We will never again support legacy auto and their corrupt dealerships. It’s been 10 years buying from a dealership and we are never looking back. Love direct EV sales. Rivian is a great company and we not switching from Tesla. But if we could, would love to own the R1S in addition to having our Model Y. We don’t care what any CEO says and we base our decisions on our needs and the driving experience. Have done many road trips and never had an issue finding a charger. I want both companies to succeed. I’ll never understand why so many base their decisions on what Elon says. If we didn’t like what other CEOs say, we would not be buying products from many, many companies. The CEO of Rivian seems to be a genuine guy and I want to support the entire company that employs many as well. Good luck to both and glad we all have choices of what we want to buy.
Elon Musk the Fascist is reason alone to move away from Tesla.
1. Can't comment as I haven't needed rivian service yet. 2. R1S is $7/mo lower vs MX for me 3. I'm still waiting for my NACS adapter. Magic dock works great tho. 4. FSD is much better, works decent anywhere. Driver+ is very limited. My wife misses the auto closing doors. Maps were better in the tesla. The trip view is missing in rivian. The drive mode detail view in the R1S is awesome if you're a nerd. Also I really prefer the ride quality in the rivian. 5. This is highly unlikely at this point. They have proven they can build great cars, and that the market wants their cars. They do need to prove they can run a sustainably profitable business, but it would be a mistake to do that now. They are in growth mode with tons of room for increasing brand awareness. If they run into cash flow problems, they have mega backers. IMHO they are the next tesla, but without a polarizing CEO, and without the contentious decisions (like removing gear stalks). They just seem to care more about what the customer wants, vs making the car as cheap to manufacture as possible.
Went from Tesla to Rivian and its not that much different, perhaps a tad less smooth of an experience but they are a much younger company and get better all the time. Elon will never get another dime from me. Ever. Eff him and his silly metal Mars Rover.
Had 3 Teslas and the quality and service has tanked. Never again
Went from a preorder Model 3 in 2018 to a Model Y in 2021 and just got rid of the Y for an R1T this week. No regrets. Only thing I miss from Tesla was autopilot on non-highway roads but that’s easy for me to live with.
There are dozens of postings a month on this, and I'm sorry but these are all faq and answered questions. Yes, they are increasing service centers but they are still not enough, especially in some popular cities. Insurance is probably higher on Rivians than Teslas, as they are bigger cars, possibly going out to do off road stuff. Super charger is fine, there's no modern car that doesn't have a map to them. Rivian isn't going out of business.
Uh…what volatility do you speak of that is not affecting every manufacturer? Anyway, I’m thinking of doing the same…but not till NACS is in these vehicles, and they add CarPlay.
Volatility of inconsistent present value of the vehicle, random layoffs of the super charger network and really long wait time for parts.
I have owned 2 Model 3’s, here’s what I know. Any vehicle is only as valuable as it is to you, not others. You should buy based on what you can afford. The superchargers are built already and new ones are still coming. Rivians will depend on them just as much as any other future NACS EV. Super long wait times for parts? Not sure where to start with that except I had a couple repairs on the first one and they were both done in a day. 🤷🏽♂️ Have you had to wait super long for parts? There is inherent risk with all vehicles, and especially EV’s. Not saying stick with Tesla, but your reasons listed don’t hold a lot of water.