Rivian R1T electric pickup to roll out June 2021 as Illinois factory sets up

By Aaron Mamiit Published April 25, 2023

The Rivian R1T electric pickup truck will start rolling out to customers in June 2021, with the R1S electric SUV to follow a couple of months later in August 2021.

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Rivian revealed when the deliveries for the two electric vehicles will start in an email sent to prospective customers, TechCrunch reported, with the dates confirmed to Digital Trends by a company spokesperson. The email was the first to provide a specific window for the release of the R1T and R1S, for which production was supposed to start this year but was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Amazon- and Ford-funded company was in the process of retooling a factory in Normal, Illinois that it purchased from Mitsubishi when the coronavirus-related lockdowns started. After a few months, Rivian started running a pilot production line at the facility, a process that looks to identify issues before ramping up to full production, TechCrunch reported.

Rivian, meanwhile, remains on track to make 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon, which will start receiving the vehicles in early 2021.

The company, however, said that it has not yet shared production details concerning its Illinois factory when asked for information on the planned rate of R1T and R1s production by Digital Trends.

Upcoming electric pickup trucks

The Rivian R1T is far from being the only electric pickup truck on its way to the market. Other options include a variant of the next-generation Ford F-150, the GMC Hummer, the Lordstown Endurance, and the Tesla Cybertruck.

Chevrolet recently revealed that it was joining the suddenly crowded arena with the Chevrolet BET Truck, the brand’s first full-size electric pickup truck designed to offer more than 400 miles of range on a single charge.

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Rivian adds Snow Mode through software update just in time for winter

Rivian Snow Mode information screen.

Making up for slow truck shipments, the Rivian software team has been busy working on improvements and new features to keep existing customers happy. Although it’s a small group, happy customers make for great brand ambassadors.
The biggest and most advertised feature of the new update is “Snow Mode,” - rolled out today for the R1T truck and the R1S SUV - which helps maximize control with an emphasis on comfort when you’re in icy, slushy, or snowy conditions. I’ve found Rivian vehicles to have an overly aggressive regenerative braking system (the only options are Normal and High), and the new Snow Mode helps reduce the sensitivity of the braking system to allow for better control on slippery surfaces. Imagine having to deal with a sliding car every time the brakes come on due to regen mode – not fun for any driver.

You also have to wonder why there wasn’t a “Snow Mode” to begin with, considering these are otherwise incredibly capable off-road trucks, but thankfully Rivian has been listening to its customers and acting quickly to appeal to the masses.
Other important updates include the ability to heat the front and second-row seats, heat the steering wheel, and turn on the defrost system all through the mobile app (software update version 1.9). Another important update is the ability to share an address from Google Maps or Apple Maps directly to the truck’s navigation system – a nice touch.
And for those with range anxiety, this software update purportedly helps with battery efficiency – though the exact numbers have not been released.
You might be wondering why these updates are coming after the vehicles have already been delivered. After all, a lot of vehicles come with these features from day one. While no official Rivian spokesperson has commented, unofficially the response has been that they want to make sure the experience is perfect for their customers and that means extensive testing and cautious rollouts over time.
I happen to think that they are rushing to get vehicles out the door to make investors and early pre-order customers happy. Worth noting is the fact that some Rivian vehicles have wood trim on the back of the first-row headrests, and others do not. Chalk it up to cost-cutting or assembly line improvements?
Here is a shortened list of other new features and bugs that the latest Rivian software update addresses:

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2022 Rivian R1S first drive review: An EV SUV fit for an expedition or a drag race

The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian beat the likes of Ford, General Motors, and Tesla to market with an electric pickup truck, but now it’s time for act two.

The 2022 Rivian R1S shares most of its DNA with the Rivian R1T pickup released late last year, but in place of a bed, it has a three-row cabin with seating for seven. It retains the R1T’s distinctive styling, impressive off-road capability, and improbable acceleration, but in a package for drivers who need to carry people instead of stuff.

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Rivian reportedly delays R1T deliveries amid supply chain and quality issues

People and a dog standing in front of a Rivian R1T electric pickup truck.

Rivian successfully launched production of the R1T, its first model, in a former Mitsubishi factory located in Normal, Illinois. Digital Trends drove the electric truck in September 2021 and loved it, but a new report suggests it will take some time before many buyers can do the same.

Several members of the Rivian Forums wrote that a representative for the young company had reached out to inform them of delivery delays. One said that his estimated delivery date was pushed back from October 2021 to February 2022; he added that the Guide the company assigned him blamed the setback on supply chain-related issues. Another user who claims to have placed a reservation for the R1T in February 2019 also wrote that Rivian moved the estimated delivery date from October 2021 to February 2022. Interestingly, that customer added that the Guide blamed the delay on quality control-related issues, though problems with the supply chain were also partly to blame.