Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe tells clients R1T truck deliveries delayed right up until September

Rivian is delaying the initial deliveries of its R1T battery electric pickup till September, CEO RJ Scaringe claimed Friday in a letter to consumers who expected their vehicles this month.

“We know you are not able to hold out to get at the rear of the wheel of your car. Earlier this summer season, we introduced that deliveries would start in July however, the timing for the first deliveries of the R1T has shifted to September, with the R1S soon thereafter in the fall. I preferred to be confident you read this from me straight,” Scaringe wrote.

Rivian owners have been griping in on the web message boards about the deficiency of communication from the company in the latest months as anticipation for the Launch Edition of the R1T grew.

Scaringe, in his letter, positioned a great deal of the blame for the most recent delay on the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing chip shortage and the problem of producing 3 new autos in a new plant.

He wrote: “The cascading impacts of the pandemic have experienced a compounding outcome increased than any person expected. All the things from facility development, to products installation, to car element source (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic.

“Over and above these unforeseen challenges, launching a few new motor vehicles although environment up a multi-automobile manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interlinked actions wherever tiny difficulties can translate into ramp delays.”

Rivian’s plant in Usual, Ill., Scaringe said, is at the moment producing automobiles on two manufacturing traces: just one for the R1T and R1S utility motor vehicle, the other for electric shipping and delivery vans for Amazon, Rivian’s most important professional client. He said the business is doing work to ensure that vehicles offered to customers will not have top quality concerns.

“We have now constructed hundreds of cars as element of our validation approach, with a lot of of individuals spotted out in the wild protected in one of a kind vinyl wraps. I have been questioned why we usually are not providing all those cars or why we carry on to check fairly than supply.

“We believe that it is significant to each our lengthy-phrase success and your greatest gratification that the high quality and robustness of our start products certainly sets the tone for what to count on from us as a model,” Scaringe reported in his be aware.

The business, which has reportedly been arranging a stock giving that would place its current market benefit at $70 billion, initially prepared to begin consumer deliveries late very last year but has delayed various periods as its manufacturing facility and get the job done power, now totaling 7,000, has appear online.

Rivian has been backed by several superior-visibility buyers led by Amazon. Ford Motor Co., Cox Automotive and expense supervisor T. Rowe Cost also designed major investments in excess of the past couple a long time.