Rivian secured a $1.3 billion round of investment dollars lead by T. Rowe Price Associates. The first group led by Amazon brought $700 million. Ford brought its $500 million to the EV startup. The Ford deal also consists of a collaboration utilizing Rivian’s skateboard platform. Then in September 2019, Cox Automotive invested $350 million. The total for 2019 is $2.85 BILLION.

Rivian wants to be the adventurers’ electric vehicle. They did not start with a car, but with a truck and a sport utility vehicle. The R1T & R1S are the production models that will be delivered toward the end of 2020. These models both use the same skateboard platform and have an estimated range of 400 plus miles. Both models will be produced at Rivian’s plant in Normal, Illinois.

The next model that Rivian is planning will be a part of Amazon’s fleet of sweet, sweet vans. Rivian is collaborating with Amazon to create 100,000  fully electric delivery vans. The vans should start deliveries to Amazon and your door in 2021.

Rivian does not have any plans to announce any other models. I can’t help but imagine the Amazon vans in a passenger configuration. The collaboration with Ford could get them the assembly line expertise to make both vans in the same facility. That is 100% speculation, but I want it to be true. An electric-based camper van would be pretty sweet. Yes, you would have to pay more attention to charging stations, but imagine rolling through the countryside with just the noise of tires on the gravel.

R1S, please

That’s also why I like the R1S so much. It has room for everyone and a theoretically good range. The frunk isn’t as spacious as I would hope. Maybe they will do an XL version and lengthen the backend to get closer to Suburban cargo capacity numbers. I need to see one in person.

This post has way too much speculation. The critical piece is that with this much investment money, we are going to see Rivians on the road, at our doors (Amazon), and on the trail soon.