Model Y P vs Rivian R1S

[1.21GW]

So I was planning to get a Model Y Performance for my wife, then I went down the rabbit hole of looking into Rivian R1S. Now I am conflicted.. The reviews of the R1T are very good so far

Model Y Performance

• Smaller / easier to park / less storage
• runs 11's in the 1/4
• More efficient than Rivian
• Supercharger network
• 303 mi Range
• $64.990 ($74,990 w/ FSD)
• 3,500lb towing - but I don't plan to tow anything heavier than that
• Styling very close to my Model 3 - I'm not excited to have twin cars
• Tesla FSD will be WAY better
• Delivery time in months

Rivian R1S

• Larger / harder to park / more storage
• Slightly quicker 0-60 and 1/4mile than MYP based on motor trend article
• Terrible efficiency
• Fast charging network is terrible and $$$
• 316 mi range (edmunds "real world test" showed 317, thats great)
• $77,300 - $7,500 tax credit = $69,800 (with the upgraded wheels)
• 7 seat option is FREE upgrade
• 11,000lbs towing - overkill for me but nice
• 4 motors - very cool!
• Interior quality getting rave reviews and looks nice too
• Risk of issues as Rivian goes through learning curve (service, quality, etc...)
• Delivery time 1 year+

This comparison was way closer than I thought it would be, I don't need the extra off road or towing capability, but I am most surprised by how close the prices are. I am leaning towards the Rivian. I am extremely impressed with what they have done.

Please help convince me one way or the other...

 

[thesmokingman]

They're different vehicles for different purposes imo. I think the big reason to get the R1T is for the towing and off road capability, otherwise for everyday use and road tripping the Y is better.

 

[Schnitz]

It comes down to your needs. If you need more space get the Rivian, if you don't get the Tesla. That's the only real difference. Same range, similar pricing and performance. Tesla build quality still isn't anything to get excited about so that isn't an issue either.

 

[Johnny Vector]

One other point if you plan to tow a trailer: regardless of weight limits, the Model Y receiver is apparently quite low to the ground, which has been a bit of a concern for some folks on the forum. I haven't gotten to the point of towing anything, so I can't personally say how much of a problem it is. I see lots of posts from people towing a T@B or Alto trailer, which is pushing the official weight limit, so apparently it's not a major issue. But I suspect it'll be easier setting up towing with the Rivian.

Also, everyone says the MY setup is very cramped, making it annoyingly difficult to attach the safety chain.

For me, the Supercharger network still wins over all other concerns. Doesn't matter how good the vehicle is if the charging situation isn't reliable. If/when the SC network opens up to everyone, wellll, that'll be an interesting day, as Jayne Cobb once said. Fortunately my big-time travel days are a couple years in the future, so the Buzz might be in the mix too by then.

 

[El joe]

You’ll get the MYP a lot sooner, if that matters. Also, I have FSD and wouldn’t buy it outright, so I’d remove that $10k from consideration. I’d go the subscription route and try it out, while (likely) saving money over the lifetime of your ownership.

 

[1.21GW]

You’ll get the MYP a lot sooner, if that matters. Also, I have FSD and wouldn’t buy it outright, so I’d remove that $10k from consideration. I’d go the subscription route and try it out, while (likely) saving money over the lifetime of your ownership.

Yeah, i have FSD Beta on my Model 3, not sure I'd spend the money on it again. However, It's great when it's not actively trying to murder me.

 

[SkeetShooter]

I originally wanted the R1S, but then the price scared me off. Personally. I have a pre-order in for the R1T, but even now, I'm thinking I will cancel it. I think/hope that the best solution will be the CyberTruck, or the Ford. Trucks and SUV's are just going to get less efficiency in general due to the weight and size of them. The Rivian R1T weighs over 7100lbs dry... Thats almost 2K more than a Model X, and I would bet the R1S is going to be just as heavy if not more so. F150 Lightning is reported to be 6500 lbs. I can't imagine that CyberTruck is going to be that much lighter...

So what would I advise...
If you want a Range Rover interior with Porsche speed, Rivian looks like a winner there.
If you value efficiency, simplicity, and convenience, Stick with a Model Y
If you need towing, storage, and ultimate flexibility, its going to be either the CT or F150 (Potentially a large Value Proposition with the Ford given the Tax Rebates)

 

[1.21GW]

For me, the Supercharger network still wins over all other concerns. Doesn't matter how good the vehicle is if the charging situation isn't reliable. If/when the SC network opens up to everyone, wellll, that'll be an interesting day, as Jayne Cobb once said. Fortunately my big-time travel days are a couple years in the future, so the Buzz might be in the mix too by then.

The supercharger network is a huge factor, It may be one of the biggest deciding factors. I love the reliability and convenience of road tripping in my Model 3

 

[El joe]

Yeah, i have FSD Beta on my Model 3, not sure I'd spend the money on it again. However, It's great when it's not actively trying to murder me.

Agreed, outside of that attempting to murder the driver feature, it’s above average.

 

[804son]

The supercharger network is a huge factor, It may be one of the biggest deciding factors. I love the reliability and convenience of road tripping in my Model 3

The Tesla Supercharger Network was a big decider for me as well. There's just nothing else that compares to the quantity, placement, and reliability.

 

[1.21GW]

I originally wanted the R1S, but then the price scared me off. Personally. I have a pre-order in for the R1T, but even now, I'm thinking I will cancel it. I think/hope that the best solution will be the CyberTruck, or the Ford. Trucks and SUV's are just going to get less efficiency in general due to the weight and size of them. The Rivian R1T weighs over 7100lbs dry... Thats almost 2K more than a Model X, and I would bet the R1S is going to be just as heavy if not more so. F150 Lightning is reported to be 6500 lbs. I can't imagine that CyberTruck is going to be that much lighter...

So what would I advise...
If you want a Range Rover interior with Porsche speed, Rivian looks like a winner there.
If you value efficiency, simplicity, and convenience, Stick with a Model Y
If you need towing, storage, and ultimate flexibility, its going to be either the CT or F150 (Potentially a large Value Proposition with the Ford given the Tax Rebates)

This is a good way of putting it. The price difference was a lot smaller than I thought because Rivian still gets the tax credit, that's why I even started considering the R1S. If congress changes the tax credit rules.. that would throw another wrench into the works.

I have ruled out the CT for being too big and ugly, although performance should be great
I have ruled out the Ford for just being too large and I don't need a pickup. Looking for SUVs only

 

[thesmokingman]

If you want a Range Rover interior with Porsche speed, Rivian looks like a winner there.

It does have that moving brick on wheels appeal if you're into that sort of thing vs the Y's CD of .23.

 

[NovaTech]

If you don't mind waiting a year or more, why don't you get the Rivian for you and your wife can drive the M3? I suspect she does not care about 1/4mi and 0-60 times, towing capacity, and might prefer the everyday maneuverability of the M3. I swear, cars are getting like smart phones, and video cards - the next most amazing thing is just a year away. lol

 

[eCharcoal]

It really depends on when you’ll need a new car. I dig the R1S and also have a R1S on reservation. Last I checked in the Rivian forum, some first day reservation holder have their delivery date pushed to February 2022. Maybe by the time you and I are ready to configure, it will be 2024. A lot can happen in 3 years. Kia and Hyundai will have a Telluride and Palisade-sized EV next year. We will have a lot more options by then.

 

[Ogre]

In their IPO filing, Rivian said they likely wouldn’t finish with their current pre-orders until the end of 2023. You might consider ordering both, then when the time comes up you will have a lot more intel about the purchase.

I agree the MY is not great for towing, but I think it would be tolerable for occasional use. I have a bike rack I use on mine and it is a bit of a pain to install and remove, but not horrible. You can get a hitch riser if it’s too low.

Model Y has a surprising amount of storage for it’s size. Though the Rivian is definitely bigger.

The Model Y is almost certain to be quite a bit more efficient which means charging times will likely be a lot lower.

 

[1.21GW]

It really depends on when you’ll need a new car. I dig the R1S and also have a R1S on reservation. Last I checked in the Rivian forum, some first day reservation holder have their delivery date pushed to February 2022. Maybe by the time you and I are ready to configure, it will be 2024. A lot can happen in 3 years. Kia and Hyundai will have a Telluride and Palisade-sized EV next year. We will have a lot more options by then.

yeah, that is a good point, i only put my reservation in a little while ago. I am towards the end of the line. With all the other companies coming out with EVs soon maybe there will be another interesting option.

The downside I see from many of the legacy OEMs is that they limit the acceleration due to less powerful motors. The VW ID4 would be very annoying to live with having 0-60 over 6 seconds. Going EV, they should have leveraged more of the power that the large battery can produce.

 

[gx9901]

You can get the MYP by January (according to current estimate on Tesla website). Put in a reservation for R1S and when it's finally ready to deliver maybe a year or two later, sell the MYP. Experience the best of both worlds.

 

[1.21GW]

You can get the MYP by January (according to current estimate on Tesla website). Put in a reservation for R1S and when it's finally ready to deliver maybe a year or two later, sell the MYP. Experience the best of both worlds.

 

[NHK X]

They're different vehicles for different purposes imo. I think the big reason to get the R1T is for the towing and off road capability, otherwise for everyday use and road tripping the Y is better.

Also towing is severely restricted with the fragmented, sometimes expensive and unreliable charging infrastructure for Rivian, should get better with time but but because Tesla owns the network, it can deliver a more seamless experience. With range cut in half with towing, you really need dependability and a rather expansive network. Maybe 5-10 years out it will be better? I love the Rivian but that’s my biggest beef so far.

 

[Ogre]

Also towing is severely restricted with the fragmented, sometimes expensive and unreliable charging infrastructure for Rivian, should get better with time but but because Tesla owns the network, it can deliver a more seamless experience. With range cut in half with towing, you really need dependability and a rather expansive network. Maybe 5-10 years out it will be better? I love the Rivian but that’s my biggest beef so far.

I don’t think Rivian will ever build out their own charger network.

There might be one other non-Tesla network by the time this shakes out.

If/ when Tesla opens up their chargers to the rest of the world, this will all shift and change.