Some Rivian R1S reservation holders have received delivery updates from the automaker informing them their electric SUVs will be shipped a few months later than expected.
A thread started on Rivian Forums by a Launch Edition R1S reservation holder shows a June 11 letter from Rivian that includes an updated delivery window for October–December 2022 for his Launch Edition R1S.
Other reservation holders chimed in and confirmed they had received similar letters, with most forum users' estimated delivery timelines now being October–December 2022.
Looking at the messages posted on the board, the delays range from one month to nine months, with most of those who posted on the forum seeing their estimated delivery dates pushed back from March or April 2022 to sometime between October and December 2022.
Mind you, some R1S preorder holders were informed of shorter delays, from April–May 2022 to August–September 2022. There are also Rivian R1S reservation holders who received no delivery date updates; ideally, this could mean their deliveries remain on track.
It needs to be said that these delivery delays apply for existing reservations, some going as far back as December 2018. For new preorders, Rivian's website lists deliveries as starting in late 2023.
Gallery: Rivian R1S
In the letter to customers, Rivian provided two reasons for the change in plans, the supply chain crisis and its service infrastructure. With regard to the former, the automaker wrote the following.
"As we've continued to navigate a tight supply chain, we've had to reduce complexity wherever possible, including prioritizing certain build combinations over others."
As for the latter, Rivian said it is prioritizing deliveries to areas with a functional service infrastructure.
"We continue to prioritize deliveries in locations where service infrastructure is in place so that we can provide the full ownership experience to Rivian owners from day one."
The company's website lists 19 service centers in 14 states, mostly located on the East and West Coasts, so there's a lot of territory that's not covered.
In late 2021, Rivian told R1S reservation holders that their vehicles would start arriving from March 2022, although it noted that the majority of the first wave of deliveries were expected in the summer and autumn of 2022.
Read Rivian's latest letter to customers in full below.
Thank you for your preorder and your commitment to helping us create a more sustainable world. As we continue to assess our supply chain and build plans, we want to provide an update on your estimated delivery window.
Your Launch Edition R1S estimated delivery window is October - December 2022
Your delivery window estimate is based on your preorder date, delivery location and current configuration. Here’s why your window has shifted:
Supply chain
As we’ve continued to navigate a tight supply chain, we’ve had to reduce complexity wherever possible, including prioritizing certain build combinations over others.Service Infrastructure
We continue to prioritize deliveries in locations where service infrastructure is in place so that we can provide the full ownership experience to Rivian owners from day one.We’re grateful for your continued support and will continue to keep you updated. Your preorder is a vote for finding better ways of doing things on a planet that needs all of us to innovate for the future. If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
Thank you again for being on this journey with us.
