Rivian customers ‘enraged’ after company cancels its most affordable electric truck

Photo by Mitchell Clark / The Verge

According to an online forum for customers, Rivian raised the price of its base model electric truck by over $6,000 due to the cancellation of the entry level version of the R1T.

The company said in an email to customers that it was canceling the base model in favor of the $73,000 "Adventure" trim. The company advised that customers could upgrade to the more expensive trim level or cancel their orders. The R1S electric SUV is expected to start shipping to customers later this year.

The Explore package was no longer offered by Rivian due to the company's desire to deliver as many vehicles as possible.

Rivian will be able tostreamline its supply chain and make more vehicles with the focus on the Adventure trim package. In its most recent earnings report, the company reported that it delivered 4,467 vehicles and restated its goal to build 25,000.

The price increase will be determined by when the customer originally placed their order. They will get a refund if they cancel their order. Only a small percentage of customers ordered the Explore model, according to the company.

A customer on the Rivian Owners Forum says they were enraged and let down at the same time when they got the email explaining that they would have to upgrade to a higher-end truck.

Rivian preorder holders have been upset by price increases before. In March, the company increased the estimated prices of its vehicles by up to 20 percent, which resulted in some people being told their trucks would be $20,000 more expensive. After an uproar, the company apologized to customers. The company has succeeded in raising the entry price of the R1T and R1S by more than $6,000.

Miller said that no Explore packages have been delivered yet. There is precedent for electric vehicles being announced at a price that most customers won't actually pay, as was the case with the Model 3, which was announced at a price that most customers wouldn't actually pay.

Rivian has recently been in financial trouble. The company laid off 6 percent of its employees last month and had a net loss of over $1 billion in the second quarter.

The price of Ford's electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, will go up by $7,000 when it comes back on sale.