Video - What Rivian is doing that Tesla isn't

Business Insider put together a video titled What EV Start-Up Rivian Is Doing That Tesla Isn't
that I thought was worth sharing.

So, what are these thing, exactly? Well, there are a few points made in this short video, which also offers some background on the company and a look at the truck.

For one, Rivian is starting with a truck instead of a sports car (kind of obvious, I know).

Two, Rivian is "cozying up" with Detroit, whereas BI contends Tesla prefers to operate as a software company. This is true to a point -- Musk sometimes makes huge spur of the moment decisions rather than the careful, committee-vetted approach seen in typical auto companies -- but I feel misses out on the fact that both Mercedes and Toyota have partnered with Tesla in the past, and that GM and FCA have deals with Tesla with clean air credits in Europe.
Still, it's a valid point that Rivian seems to have more convivial and constructive relationships with Ford and GM.

The next difference called be called "Underpromise, overdeliver." Since they haven't started delivering vehicles yet, it's kind of hard to say Rivian is living up to this solid strategy. I like to take people at their word, though, and am hopeful the performance of its vehicles (and the company more generally) live up to this ideal.

For its part, Tesla has, via its CEO Elon Musk, made some pretty big promises and coe up short on delivery. Not always, of course. Sometimes they come through quite nicely, sometimes they come through but with a much later timeline, and in some cases haven't come through. A mixed bag, in my opinion, and it would behoove Rivian (or any company) to really be careful about the expectations they set.

The video asks an interesting question near the end: Should electric automakers like Tesla be nervous?"
Here, I think BI guy Matt DeBord really gets it right. Rivian will take some "bandwidth" from Tesla, and that's a good thing. It's good for RIvian, electric vehicles in general, and even Tesla.

 

I would love a longer bed with maybe a king cab. The problem is the cost of producing these sorts of variations straight out of the gate. Maybe we'll see some bed/cab options down the road, though.
The Rivian R1T isn't aiming to be a one-size-fits-all kind of truck. It targets a pretty specific niche. Hopefully, there are enough people out there who want this kind of capability in a vehicle and the company gets the sales to keep the plant cranking.