Rivian is set to deliver one of the most highly-anticipated electric vehicles to date with the R1T pickup, but the company said Friday that there will be a delay.
In an email to reservation holders, Chief Executive RJ Scaringe said initial deliveries won’t begin until September. The R1S sport utility vehicle will be delivered “shortly thereafter, he said. The company hoped to ship the pickup in July.
According to Scaringe’s email:
There are many reasons why our production ramp is taking longer than expected. The cascading impacts of the pandemic have had a compounding effect greater than anyone anticipated. Everything from facility construction, to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic. Beyond these unforeseen challenges, launching three new vehicles while setting up a multi-vehicle manufacturing plant is a complex orchestra of coordinated and interlinked activities where small issues can translate into ramp delays.
Scaringe said the company has produced hundreds of vehicles to date, including a line of delivery vans for Amazon.
