Rivian stops promoting R1T’s powered tonneau, Camp Kitchen

Rivian has taken two in style options for its R1T pickup out of rotation. The powered tonneau cowl is being redesigned to deal with issues, the Camp Kitchen and Gear Tunnel Shuttle are being redesigned for unknown causes. Beginning with the tonneau cowl, it is an aluminum panel that slides alongside the built-in mattress rails. Proprietor complaints concerning the cowl not opening utterly and noisy or jerky operation prompted an investigation that discovered a flawed subcomponent. Rivian instructed homeowners it wanted to transform the part in a means that “improves the tonneau cowl’s robustness in opposition to manufacturing construct variations.” The automaker would not know when the engineering job shall be full warning events, “For foreseeable future, all R1Ts shall be constructed with both a guide tonneau cowl or no tonneau cowl.”

New customers aren’t a lot affected. They will select no mattress cowl or the guide cowl, or anticipate the powered tonneau to return. That guide unit is 4 interlocking aluminum and composite panels that slide into the built-in mattress rails, will be locked, and defend “in opposition to mild climate.” When not in use, they slot in a carry bag and stow within the gear tunnel between the cab and the mattress. It appears these are in brief provide, nonetheless, Rivian saying the guide tonneau panels aren’t anticipated to be obtainable till early 2023. 

Consumers who’ve taken supply of truck with the powered tonneau can have their covers mounted freed from cost.

Consumers who have not taken supply are caught with unsavory choices. Those that ordered the powered cowl can have the powered possibility eliminated. The insult salting the damage is that the powered tonneau cannot be added later, so consumers want to decide on the guide cowl or go together with no cowl. For Launch Version consumers, switching to the guide cowl cuts their truck value by $700, omitting any cowl cuts the invoice by $1,500. Rivian would not point out a lower cost for vehicles with the Journey Bundle. 

The carmaker’s assist web page explaining the state of affairs says “In early 2023, we’ll transition to a design with out the built-in siderails.” That would clarify why the powered tonneau cannot be added later. It might additionally imply {a partially} redesigned mattress is on the best way, or Rivian plans to make aspect rails an improve, or one thing else. We’ll discover out subsequent 12 months when the up to date vehicles arrive. The corporate says R1T supply instances is not going to be affected by any of this.

As for the Camp Kitchen, it would not seem like flawed in a means prospects have observed. All Rivian will say concerning the manufacturing pause is that its in-house staff “continued testing Camp Kitchen in varied environments [and] discovered alternatives to refine the design and make our model of cooking within the wild even higher.” The corporate’s Gear Store used to promote the Camp Kitchen x Snow Peak Bundle for $5,000, which included the kitchen, the Gear Tunnel Shuttle slide-out platform the kitchen sits on, and the built-in 30-piece Snow Peak cooking and dishware set. 

What’s arguably even stranger about Rivian eradicating this function is that homeowners weren’t complaining about it. No less than the Camp Kitchen will be added at a later date, though we suspect the kitchen and shuttle are going to be dearer after they come again. The assist web page solutions a query concerning the future value with, “We’ll share pricing particulars as soon as we’ve finalized design updates,” and worse, solutions a query about value safety for many who ordered the primary model with, “We’ll share particulars as soon as we have finalized the Camp Kitchen redesign and set new pricing.” 

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