Top-Trim Quad-Motor Rivian R1T Delayed Until 2024

• Long-range “Max pack” four-motor model pushed back until 2024.
• Dual-motor Max pack R1Ts could be ready by next summer.
• Entry-level Standard battery model also due in 2024.

Prospective buyers interested in the most capable Rivian R1T truck with the longest range will have to wait a while longer to get one. Rivian told reservation holders last week that it was pushing back deliveries of quad-motor R1T trucks fitted with the Max pack battery until 2024. When it does finally come to the fore, this version of the R1T will be the most powerful Rivian you can get, with one motor per wheel, more than 800 horsepower, 900 lb-ft of torque, and more than 400 miles of range.

In December last year, Rivian told customers it intended to delay deliveries of Max pack-equipped trucks and SUVs until 2023, citing low interest in the long-range battery. Instead it would prioritize orders for the midlevel Large pack, offering 314 miles of range in the quad-motor setup.

Rivian still thinks it can deliver some of the bigger-battery models before 2024 though, telling reservation holders it can reconfigure Max pack trucks with the dual-motor setup instead. That combination is good for more than 600 hp and 320 miles of range and is expected by next summer. Instead of a motor dedicated to each wheel, the dual-motor configuration places one at each axle.

Reservation holders can also re-spec their quad-motor order with the Large pack or cancel their reservation. Rivian says it intends to update customers every three months with estimated delivery times.

Along with the quad-motor Max pack configuration, Rivian also plans to release an entry-level Standard battery model in 2024. With a capacity of 105 kWh, the Standard battery is estimated at 260 miles of range and only comes with the dual-motor setup. The delay might not be optimal, but it could give Rivian buyers news choices — Max and Standard — to compete with Tesla’s Cybertruck, which is on target to roll out around the same time.

Bumps in the road

The delay is the latest in a run of bad news for the brand, including a price hike in March that tacked on $12,000 to the price of a quad-motor R1T, lifting it to $79,500 before undisclosed destination and handling fees. Rivian cited higher component prices, but outraged reservation holders compelled the company to limit the hike to orders placed after the announcement. The company eventually changed its mind, and prices for orders that were made before the price hike were set back to their original number.

In August, Rivian cut its earnings forecast, announcing that it expected to lose nearly $5.5 billion this year, and in October a recall for a defective steering component sent the company’s stock price tumbling. Analysts don’t expect lasting damage from the recall, but it’s one of several setbacks on Rivian’s road to legitimacy.

Closer to home, our own struggles with the RT1 have included the aforementioned steering recall (fixed swiftly by a Rivian mobile technician) and a snafu with the drive stalk that caused one of our drivers to accidentally shift to neutral after just a 200-millisecond press of the gear selector stalk.

Edmunds says

Rivian’s delays might dissuade some buyers, especially with Tesla’s Cybertruck on the horizon. But setbacks aren’t uncommon in EV production and Rivian’s RT1 is a compelling truck. The brand still has plenty of upside.