Exciting Delivery of Rivian R1T LA Silver/Black Mountain - Driving Experience and Unique Features
Rivian recently delivered a R1T LA silver/black mountain in Pasadena, CA area on March 26. This delivery was ahead of the estimated April-May 2022 schedule. The delivery experience was efficient and smooth with the help of online paperwork and DMV registration. A trade-in of an old Prius was also accepted sight unseen.
The guide showed up with the R1T on a small flatbed and took about 45 minutes to show around the new truck and complete the paperwork. He also mentioned that the service center for this region is located in El Segundo. So far, the owner has only tested it in suburbs and not put it through its paces yet.
The car came with a portable charger which can be plugged into 110V or 220V wall outlets but it's fairly low power so may not be very useful except in emergencies. The owner already has a 6.5 kW charger at home which is similar to the one sold by Rivian.
A 32A 240V charger should provide about 15 miles per hour of range assuming 2.2 miles per kwh of consumption for the truck, which should satisfy daily driving needs. However, most people don't use the entire 125kWh (135kWh minus buffer) charge during daily driving nor do they charge to 100% even during long trips.
When connected to 110v, the app reported that the truck was charging at 2kW - probably due to losses in extension cord as well. When connected to NEMA 14-50 plug, it can charge at 32A @ 240V = 7.6kW.
The color of the car is unique - more white than typical silver seen out there. It looks very pretty and understated compared to other Rivian color options like blue or yellow. The black accents on the car are also very nice.
The interior is quite spacious and comfortable with plenty of room for four adults. The seats are heated, cooled, and adjustable in many ways to provide a custom fit for each passenger. There's also plenty of storage space inside the cabin as well as outside in the bed area.
Overall, it was an exciting experience taking delivery of this R1T LA silver/black mountain from Rivian! It looks great and drives even better than expected - smooth acceleration, responsive steering, good handling around corners - all while being incredibly quiet inside due to its electric motor powertrain!
What was my pre-order date?
April 30, 2020.
When was the estimated delivery date?
Back in November '21 they estimated April-May 2022 delivery.
How was the delivery experience?
It was efficient - my guide called me on Wednesday, then I got the paperwork done online via the website. They were able to arrange the DMV registration paperwork online as well. I did a trade in of my old Prius which they assessed sight unseen (just based on mileage and my stated "Good" condition) and just knocked the assessed value off the price of the R1T. Then on Saturday a few minutes before the scheduled time, a guy from the company showed up with the R1T on a small flatbed, quickly looked at our trade-in, and showed us around the new truck. It took about 45 minutes. I learned from him that the LA area service center is in El Segundo by the way.
Does the car come with a portable charger?
Yes, it did indeed come with a portable charger, with adapters to plug into 110V or 220V wall outlets. But it's fairly low power so doesn't seem super useful except in emergencies in my opinion.
Is the 32A charger really not sufficient in most cases?
A 32A 240V charger should provide about 15 miles per hour of range assuming 2.2 miles per kwh of consumption for the truck. That would satisfy my daily driving needs for sure.
Does this charger come with various plugs such as a plug for 14-50?
Yes, NEMA 14-50 is included. It can charge at 32A @ 240V = 7.6kW when connected that way.
How do you like the LA Silver so far?
I really like the color! Certainly more understated than some of the other Rivian color options like the blue or yellow, but I have never seen an automobile color quite like it - a bit more white in it than the typical silver you see out there. Not sure how well it comes through in the photo but I think it is very pretty.
What are the benefits of owning a Rivian?
The Rivian R1T is an all-electric truck with great performance and range. It has a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs and can go up to 400 miles on a single charge. It also has some great features like adaptive air suspension, four wheel drive, and a panoramic glass roof. Plus, it's made from sustainable materials and has a low environmental impact.