Rivian Reportedly Waiting for Government Approval To Deliver R1T

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Rivian stunned the automotive industry and became a silent force roughly three years ago when it unveiled the all-electric R1T pickup truck at the Los Angeles Auto Show. All those years ago, Rivian announced that it expected to start delivering its electric pickup in fall 2020, while the R1S SUV had an expected delivery date in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the original delivery date back to 2021 for the pickup truck and then the ongoing effects and chip shortage pushed that date even further back. More recently, Rivian announced that it was looking at delivering the R1T in September. According to a report from Electrek, it looks like Rivian will be able to stick to its latest timeline.

September Looks Plausible

Speaking with Rivian's CEO RJ Scaringe, Electrek claims that the electric automaker is waiting for government approval before it starts delivering the R1T pickup in September. In a statement that Electrek received, Scaringe stated that Rivian was looking to get its quality dialed in but is on track to begin getting EVs to consumers. Now, the company is just looking to get the go-ahead from the NHTSA and EPA.

"With all of this, I am excited to report we have started producing vehicles that reflect all of our quality iterations and design refinements," said Scaringe. "We are currently working with various governing agencies on the final approvals needed for us to make the first deliveries to preorder customers in September."

The first R1T pickup trucks that Rivian will deliver include the pricey Launch Edition trims. Those are sold out on Rivian's website and start at $73,000. Obviously, they're packed to the gills with features and come with the automaker's large battery pack for approximately 300 miles of range. The other trims aren't expected to be delivered in 2022.

Some Questions Still Exist

While it's exciting to hear that some consumers will receive their Rivians next month, there are a few questions that still need to be answered. Where will consumers service their vehicles, will Rivian's chargers be ready by September, and will the Rivian mobile app be ready when deliveries start?

Scaringe provided some information on the automaker's service centers. Apparently, Rivian already has five service centers that are operationally in the U.S. The five service centers are located in Brooklyn, NY; Normal, IL; Bellevue, WA; El Segundo, CA; and San Francisco, CA. Rivian plans to open over 100 service centers by the end of 2023 and have a fleet of mobile service vans that will be able to complete vehicle repairs on site.

When it comes to charging stations, Rivian claims that it will have 3,500 DC fast chargers at 600 sites by 2023. Additionally, the automaker will install 10,000 Level 2 chargers by 2023 for all to use. The fast chargers will exclusively be for Rivian owners.

With the Tesla Cybertruck delayed, Rivian is on track to be one of the first automakers to bring an electric pickup truck to market. When the R1T does arrive in an official capacity, it will compete against the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and GMC Hummer EV.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods