Now that we have the details about the Rivian SUV, seems only fair to compare it to the only other 7-seater all EV SUV. Still two different vehicles. Much like the F-150 and the Rivian Truck. Two different purposes, but this as close as we get.
Originally, thought Rivian’s new price point was pushing too far. But, when I start to itemize what you get with the Rivian, starts to look like a pretty fair deal.
Tesla has been in a class of ONE for nearly a decade. Now, there are finally some competitors putting up respectable alternatives.
Tesla clearly wins by a country mile when it comes to charging infrastructure. If you want to road trip an EV on a regular basis, then there’s really no comparison. Tesla’s auto-pilot is miles ahead of what Rivian is offering. But, to be fair, am comparing pricing of the Tesla without adding the FSD option. Basic auto-pilot is more competitive to Rivian’s “Driver+” system. Tesla still wins in this department as it doesn’t require mapped roads to work, but is at least somewhat more competitive.
On the other hand, if you want an off-road capable SUV, then the Rivian pretty much stands in its own category. It is the only truly off-road capable Electric SUV on the market.
Sure, there is the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes is coming out with one too. BMW’s iX offers competitive range. Mercedes will as well. But, neither of those are three row SUV’s. So, for a family seeking a people mover, but want to be EV only, the only two options at this point are the Rivian and Tesla Model X or Model Y. The Model Y however, simply doesn’t compare to the Model X or Rivian in terms of overall build quality. It’s also a much smaller vehicle.
The Mercedes and BMW are more competitively priced to the Tesla, all three are more expensive than the Rivian. I thought the Rivian was a bit over-priced after their big price hike. But, looking at the options out there, it’s really not unreasonably priced, when you take a closer look at what you really get.
Especially when directly considering what features each has. Again, different vehicles and will depend on the needs of each particular buyer. The Tesla wins hands down on efficiency, charging network and development of its UI. Rivian is mostly a knock-off of earlier model Tesla’s. It will close the gap in time, but for now, Tesla certainly offers much more tech. How much of that tech people actually use? That’s a different question. I always liked that my car could play video games, watch movies, fart, etc, etc, but over time, realized I never actually used any of these features. They became more party tricks that were cool to showoff, but in practice, didn’t really benefit me.
The Audi & Jaguar are priced lower than the Rivian by roughly $10,000, but both only offer around 220 miles in terms of range. Both are smaller SUV's with only two rows of seating. The battery size alone is enough to account for a $10,000 variance. As noted, the Mercedes and BMW offer more competitive ranges to the Rivian and Model X and are more comparably priced to the Model X. Both do offer more luxury. But again, are only 2 row SUV’s.
Having now owned a Rivian, many Tesla’s, I can say with absolute certainty that Rivian’s quality level is more on par with a Model X than it is to a Model Y. For the sake of argument, assuming you want / need a 3-row SUV capable of seating 7 passengers and only want an all-electric Vehicle, which makes more sense when factoring in everything that each has to offer?
The Tesla is similar in length, but narrower.
Both have air suspensions, but the Rivian's is far more adjustable with up to 8 inches of travel.
The Tesla tech is miles ahead of where the Rivian is currently at.
Tesla's charging network is thousands of miles ahead. Just can’t compare to Tesla’s supercharging network.
Tesla has a slight range advantage at 329 miles for the Long Range version. 316 for the Rivian.
Tesla is far more efficient. It achieves its range on a 100 kWh battery versus Rivian doing so with a 135 kWh battery. The variance being, it doesn’t have to be shaped like a bubble to be aerodynamic. At least it’s not a Hummer with a 200 kWh battery!
Obviously Tesla is more established. More service centers. Etc. But, they too were a start-up company 10 years ago. So, giving Rivian a pass. To their credit, they’re one of the first, start from scratch companies to produce a viable EV since Tesla did it 10 years ago (not counting the Roadster before it).
Rivian has far superior "frunk" space and usability with the auto open-close feature vs Tesla's delicate Frunk that you have to carefully close with two hands in the right spot so you don't bend the hood. I never used my Tesla frunk for this reason. The Rivian’s is like having an actual trunk.
Rivian's split tailgate feature is a nice plus as well. Gives you a place to sit if you want it.
Tesla has the Falcon Wing Doors. A plus for some, a deterrent for others. I went with the Model S specifically because the thought of waiting for those doors every time I need to quickly grab something from the back seat was a huge turn off. Still are as I do commonly grab stuff from the back seat.
The Rivian feels richer inside than a Tesla. But, this is more a matter of personal preference. Personally, I am not a fan of the extreme minimalism. I liked the pre-refresh Model S because it was a good blend between today and yesterday Still having driver friendly functions with the advancement of tomorrow. Rivian went that route while Tesla took the Model S in a different, more Model 3 like route. Again, personal tastes will dictate which is better.
Tesla’s center console storage space is much appreciated.
Tesla still has a glove box. Again, much appreciated.
Rivian has an air compressor. Will be much appreciated if I get a flat on a road trip again.
Rivian has 110v power outlets, which do come in quite handy
Rivian has a camp speaker. (probably will never use it)
Rivian has a built-in flashlight. (cool little thing that comes in handy)
The Rivian accelerates 0-60 in 3.1 seconds. Tesla Long Range does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.
The Rivian offers a compact spare tire. Tesla offers roadside assistance. Great if you don't mind waiting and if you're within their coverage area. Sucks badly if you're not. I know from experience.
Rivian has a blinker stalk.
Rivian has a shifter stalk
Rivian has a horn button where you expect it to be
Rivian has a full steering wheel.
Rivian includes a portable charger. Tesla charges you $200 for one.
All items I took for granted but realize how much I appreciate the existence of. At least for my preferences. Likewise, I appreciate the glovebox and center console storage Tesla has. For those going to and from work, these items may not stand out as much of an issue. For someone like me that uses the vehicle for work and is in and out 10 times a day, I really appreciate the simple driver/user friendly functions.
Those are my bullet points.
The Rivian, at today's pricing with typical options is $95,000.
The Tesla, at today's pricing, is $130,000. Without adding FSD (keeping it more comparable to Rivian’s system). Tesla wins in this category by at least having the option for more, but comes at a cost of $12,000.
If you want to beat the Rivian in acceleration, for another $18,000, you can get the bigger motor in the Tesla. That's exactly all you get for $18,000 as nothing else is included for that $18,000 besides quicker acceleration.
For those that think the Model Y is comparable. The Model Y performance is 3.5 0-60, $70,000 and you can only get 5 seats at 303 miles of range. Have to “downgrade” to the Long Range Version if you want 7 seats. 0-60 then jumps way up to 4.8 seconds. But, then you have to pony up $5,000 to upgrade the wheels and get the third row (to be comparable with Rivian’s offerings). So the slower long range version then goes up to $71,000. It's overall, much smaller, MUCH narrower than the Rivian or X. Compared to the Rivian or Model X, quality of a Model Y or 3 just doesn’t compare to a Model S or X. Much less sound-proofing. Interior has ZERO "Luxury". As bare minimum as you can get. I had a Model 3 for 2 months and hated it. Was in heaven when I went back to a Model S. Everyone that got in it, said "There's nothing in here!" You lose the driver info screen behind the steering wheel. They do at least give you a full steering wheel in the Model Y! LOL It has virtually identical range to the Rivian. You lose the Falcon Wing Doors and the Frunk is pretty much useless by comparison. Model Y has stiff coil springs (no air suspension). This was one of the HUGE reasons why I wanted a Model S again. The 2019 and beyond Model S suspension is incredible. Having now experienced Rivian’s air suspension, it is quite competitive. I have the truck, but the ride quality is extremely good.
Again, the battery size variance alone warrants a chunk of the extra money for the Model X or Rivian. The quality level, clearly varies, noting that Tesla themselves charge nearly $60,000 more for the Model X versus the Model Y. Some of that is “because we can” pricing, but much of it is because the Model X is designed to be a premium vehicle while the Model 3/Y are intended to be the cheaper offerings. Compared to a Model X, it feels far cheaper (because it is) and feels far smaller. As noted, having now experienced both, Rivian’s solidity, sound proofing and overall quality is more on par with the Model S & X offerings.
The above, is based on personal experience having owned versions of each of these vehicles.
When I start to itemize everything out, unless you're someone that does a lot of road tripping where the Tesla charging network is miles ahead and someone that buys their cars to watch videos and play video games, the Rivian seems to offer quite a bit for the money. For those that don’t road trip that often and for those that pass on Full Self Driving and/or the re-introduced Enhanced Auto Pilot, even with Rivian’s recent 20% price hike, when compared to the only other 7-seater EV SUV, for $35,000 less, seems to stand up pretty well.
I tried to be fairly unbiased in my comparison. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of Tesla’s new interior and functionality, nor the lack of a full steering wheel. But, even ignoring my personal opinions regarding this and being that I do little road tripping and rarely use the supercharger network, combined with pretty only using Autopilot to maintain speed and lane centering on the freeway, for my personal use case, some of Tesla’s big advantages where it is clearly superior, are areas that I personally don’t really benefit from. Again, depends on your personal needs and use. Standing on the remaining items and giving equal consideration to the interior styling and layout, for $35,000 less, the Rivian looks like a pretty solid offering.
Rivian will certainly experience some growing pains, but after 9 years with a Tesla, they’re still experiencing them too. Taking a month to get me in for service is not the most appealing. Rivian, for now, is very responsive, just like Tesla used to be in the early days. Both offer mobile service. Rivian still answers the phone so you can call to get quick questions answered rather than having to open a service ticket and wait for a reply. With Tesla, you have to do everything via the app. With Rivian, they’re willing to talk to you to possibly solve issues over the phone rather than having to open a service ticket and wait a week or two to get a reply. Probably will change, as Tesla did over time. But for now, I appreciate Rivian’s eagerness to make things right ASAP, just as Tesla did in their early days.
Anything I’m missing?
Originally, thought Rivian’s new price point was pushing too far. But, when I start to itemize what you get with the Rivian, starts to look like a pretty fair deal.
Tesla has been in a class of ONE for nearly a decade. Now, there are finally some competitors putting up respectable alternatives.
Tesla clearly wins by a country mile when it comes to charging infrastructure. If you want to road trip an EV on a regular basis, then there’s really no comparison. Tesla’s auto-pilot is miles ahead of what Rivian is offering. But, to be fair, am comparing pricing of the Tesla without adding the FSD option. Basic auto-pilot is more competitive to Rivian’s “Driver+” system. Tesla still wins in this department as it doesn’t require mapped roads to work, but is at least somewhat more competitive.
On the other hand, if you want an off-road capable SUV, then the Rivian pretty much stands in its own category. It is the only truly off-road capable Electric SUV on the market.
Sure, there is the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes is coming out with one too. BMW’s iX offers competitive range. Mercedes will as well. But, neither of those are three row SUV’s. So, for a family seeking a people mover, but want to be EV only, the only two options at this point are the Rivian and Tesla Model X or Model Y. The Model Y however, simply doesn’t compare to the Model X or Rivian in terms of overall build quality. It’s also a much smaller vehicle.
The Mercedes and BMW are more competitively priced to the Tesla, all three are more expensive than the Rivian. I thought the Rivian was a bit over-priced after their big price hike. But, looking at the options out there, it’s really not unreasonably priced, when you take a closer look at what you really get.
Especially when directly considering what features each has. Again, different vehicles and will depend on the needs of each particular buyer. The Tesla wins hands down on efficiency, charging network and development of its UI. Rivian is mostly a knock-off of earlier model Tesla’s. It will close the gap in time, but for now, Tesla certainly offers much more tech. How much of that tech people actually use? That’s a different question. I always liked that my car could play video games, watch movies, fart, etc, etc, but over time, realized I never actually used any of these features. They became more party tricks that were cool to showoff, but in practice, didn’t really benefit me.
The Audi & Jaguar are priced lower than the Rivian by roughly $10,000, but both only offer around 220 miles in terms of range. Both are smaller SUV's with only two rows of seating. The battery size alone is enough to account for a $10,000 variance. As noted, the Mercedes and BMW offer more competitive ranges to the Rivian and Model X and are more comparably priced to the Model X. Both do offer more luxury. But again, are only 2 row SUV’s.
Having now owned a Rivian, many Tesla’s, I can say with absolute certainty that Rivian’s quality level is more on par with a Model X than it is to a Model Y. For the sake of argument, assuming you want / need a 3-row SUV capable of seating 7 passengers and only want an all-electric Vehicle, which makes more sense when factoring in everything that each has to offer?
The Tesla is similar in length, but narrower.
Both have air suspensions, but the Rivian's is far more adjustable with up to 8 inches of travel.
The Tesla tech is miles ahead of where the Rivian is currently at.
Tesla's charging network is thousands of miles ahead. Just can’t compare to Tesla’s supercharging network.
Tesla has a slight range advantage at 329 miles for the Long Range version. 316 for the Rivian.
Tesla is far more efficient. It achieves its range on a 100 kWh battery versus Rivian doing so with a 135 kWh battery. The variance being, it doesn’t have to be shaped like a bubble to be aerodynamic. At least it’s not a Hummer with a 200 kWh battery!
Obviously Tesla is more established. More service centers. Etc. But, they too were a start-up company 10 years ago. So, giving Rivian a pass. To their credit, they’re one of the first, start from scratch companies to produce a viable EV since Tesla did it 10 years ago (not counting the Roadster before it).
Rivian has far superior "frunk" space and usability with the auto open-close feature vs Tesla's delicate Frunk that you have to carefully close with two hands in the right spot so you don't bend the hood. I never used my Tesla frunk for this reason. The Rivian’s is like having an actual trunk.
Rivian's split tailgate feature is a nice plus as well. Gives you a place to sit if you want it.
Tesla has the Falcon Wing Doors. A plus for some, a deterrent for others. I went with the Model S specifically because the thought of waiting for those doors every time I need to quickly grab something from the back seat was a huge turn off. Still are as I do commonly grab stuff from the back seat.
The Rivian feels richer inside than a Tesla. But, this is more a matter of personal preference. Personally, I am not a fan of the extreme minimalism. I liked the pre-refresh Model S because it was a good blend between today and yesterday Still having driver friendly functions with the advancement of tomorrow. Rivian went that route while Tesla took the Model S in a different, more Model 3 like route. Again, personal tastes will dictate which is better.
Tesla’s center console storage space is much appreciated.
Tesla still has a glove box. Again, much appreciated.
Rivian has an air compressor. Will be much appreciated if I get a flat on a road trip again.
Rivian has 110v power outlets, which do come in quite handy
Rivian has a camp speaker. (probably will never use it)
Rivian has a built-in flashlight. (cool little thing that comes in handy)
The Rivian accelerates 0-60 in 3.1 seconds. Tesla Long Range does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.
The Rivian offers a compact spare tire. Tesla offers roadside assistance. Great if you don't mind waiting and if you're within their coverage area. Sucks badly if you're not. I know from experience.
Rivian has a blinker stalk.
Rivian has a shifter stalk
Rivian has a horn button where you expect it to be
Rivian has a full steering wheel.
Rivian includes a portable charger. Tesla charges you $200 for one.
All items I took for granted but realize how much I appreciate the existence of. At least for my preferences. Likewise, I appreciate the glovebox and center console storage Tesla has. For those going to and from work, these items may not stand out as much of an issue. For someone like me that uses the vehicle for work and is in and out 10 times a day, I really appreciate the simple driver/user friendly functions.
Those are my bullet points.
The Rivian, at today's pricing with typical options is $95,000.
The Tesla, at today's pricing, is $130,000. Without adding FSD (keeping it more comparable to Rivian’s system). Tesla wins in this category by at least having the option for more, but comes at a cost of $12,000.
If you want to beat the Rivian in acceleration, for another $18,000, you can get the bigger motor in the Tesla. That's exactly all you get for $18,000 as nothing else is included for that $18,000 besides quicker acceleration.
For those that think the Model Y is comparable. The Model Y performance is 3.5 0-60, $70,000 and you can only get 5 seats at 303 miles of range. Have to “downgrade” to the Long Range Version if you want 7 seats. 0-60 then jumps way up to 4.8 seconds. But, then you have to pony up $5,000 to upgrade the wheels and get the third row (to be comparable with Rivian’s offerings). So the slower long range version then goes up to $71,000. It's overall, much smaller, MUCH narrower than the Rivian or X. Compared to the Rivian or Model X, quality of a Model Y or 3 just doesn’t compare to a Model S or X. Much less sound-proofing. Interior has ZERO "Luxury". As bare minimum as you can get. I had a Model 3 for 2 months and hated it. Was in heaven when I went back to a Model S. Everyone that got in it, said "There's nothing in here!" You lose the driver info screen behind the steering wheel. They do at least give you a full steering wheel in the Model Y! LOL It has virtually identical range to the Rivian. You lose the Falcon Wing Doors and the Frunk is pretty much useless by comparison. Model Y has stiff coil springs (no air suspension). This was one of the HUGE reasons why I wanted a Model S again. The 2019 and beyond Model S suspension is incredible. Having now experienced Rivian’s air suspension, it is quite competitive. I have the truck, but the ride quality is extremely good.
Again, the battery size variance alone warrants a chunk of the extra money for the Model X or Rivian. The quality level, clearly varies, noting that Tesla themselves charge nearly $60,000 more for the Model X versus the Model Y. Some of that is “because we can” pricing, but much of it is because the Model X is designed to be a premium vehicle while the Model 3/Y are intended to be the cheaper offerings. Compared to a Model X, it feels far cheaper (because it is) and feels far smaller. As noted, having now experienced both, Rivian’s solidity, sound proofing and overall quality is more on par with the Model S & X offerings.
The above, is based on personal experience having owned versions of each of these vehicles.
When I start to itemize everything out, unless you're someone that does a lot of road tripping where the Tesla charging network is miles ahead and someone that buys their cars to watch videos and play video games, the Rivian seems to offer quite a bit for the money. For those that don’t road trip that often and for those that pass on Full Self Driving and/or the re-introduced Enhanced Auto Pilot, even with Rivian’s recent 20% price hike, when compared to the only other 7-seater EV SUV, for $35,000 less, seems to stand up pretty well.
I tried to be fairly unbiased in my comparison. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of Tesla’s new interior and functionality, nor the lack of a full steering wheel. But, even ignoring my personal opinions regarding this and being that I do little road tripping and rarely use the supercharger network, combined with pretty only using Autopilot to maintain speed and lane centering on the freeway, for my personal use case, some of Tesla’s big advantages where it is clearly superior, are areas that I personally don’t really benefit from. Again, depends on your personal needs and use. Standing on the remaining items and giving equal consideration to the interior styling and layout, for $35,000 less, the Rivian looks like a pretty solid offering.
Rivian will certainly experience some growing pains, but after 9 years with a Tesla, they’re still experiencing them too. Taking a month to get me in for service is not the most appealing. Rivian, for now, is very responsive, just like Tesla used to be in the early days. Both offer mobile service. Rivian still answers the phone so you can call to get quick questions answered rather than having to open a service ticket and wait for a reply. With Tesla, you have to do everything via the app. With Rivian, they’re willing to talk to you to possibly solve issues over the phone rather than having to open a service ticket and wait a week or two to get a reply. Probably will change, as Tesla did over time. But for now, I appreciate Rivian’s eagerness to make things right ASAP, just as Tesla did in their early days.
Anything I’m missing?
