An important milestone happened in 2018 - the number of electric vehicles sold in the USA surpassed 1 million units. This milestone and current trend in the automobile industry are clues of what is to come. That is, more and more vehicles on the road will be electric and it is sure to increase. Most of the vehicles sold thus far are sedan style, Tesla cars being the most common.
But, this is America. And in America, we like adventure, freedom and pickup trucks. So what about an electric pickup? Look to Rivian for the answer. Rivian is a new manufacturer of emissions-free electric adventure vehicles based in California, as well with locations in Plymouth, MI; Normal, IL; and the United Kinfgom. The philosophy of Rivian is right in the logo - two outer arrows surrounding two smaller ones. According to the website, "The compass changed the way the world traveled. It fostered exploration and embodied the idea that with the right tools, we can go anywhere and do anything. Our logo was inspired by this mechanism of possibility, and for accompanying so many on their journeys north, south, east, west and everywhere in between." Rivian was founded in 2019 by RJ Scaringe, an MIT graduate in Mechanical Engineering.
Couple cooks using the CampKitchen from the Rivian truck. [Photo/Rivian]
Rivian started from a clean sheet and a quest to build something new. In a behind the scenes promo, Scairinge says, “When I first started this company..We had plastered on the wall, ‘We are building the car because it does not exist.’” And they built two that are unlike any other on the market, specifically for the adventurer - a pickup truck and an SUV. They both have extremely impressive specs. The pickup truck, R1T, can go up to 400 miles on a single charge and 0-60 in 3 seconds with zero emissions. And if you think it is just like any other electric vehicle, it isn't. This pickup can tow 11,000 pounds and has an enticing wading depth of over 3 feet submerged in water. It is meant for any adventure that an American would like to take. The SUV has similar specs with just a slightly reduced tow capability at 7700 pounds. Rivian just bought an old 2.6 million square feet Mitsubishi manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois and is building it's pickups and SUVS with the first shipments planned for late 2020.
It has big names associated with it, too. In April of 2019, Rivian announced that Ford Motor Company invested $500 million into the company. Ford invested in Rivian's products, as well as will be working together to develop a new electric vehicle for Ford. Interesting side note, Ford is planning two fully electric vehicles - one inspired by the Mustang, coming in 2020, and the other will be a zero-emissions version of the F-150, with date unannounced.
Another big investor in the company is Amazon. “We’re inspired by Rivian’s vision for the future of electric transportation,” said Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO Worldwide Consumer. “RJ has built an impressive organization, with a product portfolio and technology to match. We’re thrilled to invest in such an innovative company.” Amazon invested $700 million in the company.
Recently, they unveiled another awesome product for the pickup - an electric camp kitchen. The camp kitchen, also zero emissions, slides out from a storage tunnel between the bed of the pickup and the cabin. The camp kitchen was unveiled at Overland West Expo in May of 2019 in Flagstaff, AZ. According to the press release, the R1T pickup was the first electric vehicle to appear at an Overland event. Rivian says of the camp kitchen, "The unit slides right out of the gear tunnel and incorporates two induction burners, a sink and 5 gallons of water storage. It was designed to keep all your cookware, place settings and coffee equipment organized while you’re out in the wild. And yes — it will be available at launch."
In a meeting with employees in the behind the scenes promo, Scaringe says the reason why they are all here is “to make something better. To make the world a better place.” The video goes on to tell the stories of some of the employees, who all embody the idea that it is important we try to change the world for the better. What is great about the Rivian vehicles is that it will help make the world and our environment cleaner and help people have a more sustainable lifestyle without sacrificing the adventure and fun that makes this country such a great place to see and explore.
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