Waiting 3 Years for an SUV
The proprietor of a fresh, $85,000 Rivian R1S encountered an extraordinary hindrance only two days after taking delivery in New York when the SUV got stuck deeply in a snow drift, rendering it runless. A tow truck had to be deployed to carry it to a nearby Rivian service station in Massachusetts. Sadly, this necessitated an expenditure of $2,100 for hauling.
As per Insider, Chase Merrill had deposited for the new R1S model three years ago and his wait was over as it arrived on March 10. Snowfall in the Adirondack Mountains near his family property didn’t give Chase a hint of worry as he navigated through this typical winter weather. His family already owns several R1Ts, influencing his decision to build up his collection with an R1S of his own.
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“I encountered around 2 ½-feet of snow, and it just came to a halt right there,” Merrill said with a hint of disappointment. “I had seen all the Rivian advertisements showcasing the cars’ ability to power through the snow, so I was expecting more.”
Merrill is no stranger to dislodging automobiles from snowbanks, however this time was distinctively different. After giving himself freedom from the driver’s seat, and waiting for aid from other motorists, he tripped a safety measure that resulted in getting his SUV jammed in between park and drive. The R1S was doing exactly what it had been intended to do during a possible slide-away incident similar to Merrill’s; the only issue was, it wasn’t sliding away.
“It’s regrettable that a sequence of events and exceptional circumstances combined to create this situation,” remarked Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s senior vice president of software development. “However, we consider this feedback to be a blessing. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to improve the product.”
It could be all right with Rivian, yet Merrill is mulling over discarding his R1S, in spite of the reality that it has been settled, and instead choosing a Toyota Tacoma or any other oil-powered pickup truck. This is not the initial occurrence wherein we heard a tale of another Rivian becoming “bricked.”
Just recently in San Diego, the owner of an R1T witnessed their vehicle abruptly lose power after having been plugged into a 150kW Electrify America (EA) charging point for merely sixty seconds. This proprietor reprimanded EA for this occurrence, yet it is still a situation where both the EV and the refuelling station failed to do what was anticipated of them.
It is worth remembering that Rivian is an emerging carmaker and EA is still resolving many hurdles; they have a duty to their clients to guarantee that their products fulfill their intended function. Under the Volkswagen Group, EA has approximately 800 charging stations accessible and nearly 3,500 individual chargers connected.
Obtaining stalled, whether while powering up or traversing through snow, is a peril as it leaves motorists and their riders isolated. Fortunately for Merrill, Rivian made available to pay his salvaging payment. The problematic issue, however, is when his R1S was reinvestigated, a significant blunder pronouncement emerged on the instrument panel, necessitating him to redeploy the Sport utility vehicle.
“The attitude the whole time from customer service was that a Rivian owner should be able to handle this no problem,” Merrill noted. “Though I’m impressed by the car and want the company to succeed, I’ve realized that I’m not the ideal person to be an early adopter.”
