My Rivian Is Gone. In The End It Was All About The Money

These near six-figure EVs are pretty much play things for rich people right now.

As a "normal" non-YouTuber person, I really appreciate the candid information about finances and calculations. I'm perpetually confused by how YouTubers like Kyle Connor (who has far less subscribers than you) is out there buying and keeping so many cars like a Rivian and a Plaid and several other vehicles all at the same time.

Very thoughtful, detailed, informative. Especially appreciate your transparency on the financial aspects of your ownership experience.

Have had my R1T for a couple months now and have put a few thousand miles on it. Thus far we are BLOWN away with how amazing it is. My wife keeps stealing it from me and leaving me her 2022 Acura MDX A-Spec. Even with the 20" AT's the freeway efficiency is solid, getting over 300 miles between charges on our couple longer road trips. Lifetime so far, we are averaging 2.11 miles per kw/h which is not bad I think considering how it is driven. I took it hunting for almost a week, 40 miles from the closest town and it did awesome. Vampire drain was noticed, but not crazy with camping mode enabled. We lost about 5 miles of range a day of drain. My biggest complaint is the lack of CarPlay and Android Auto. You can use the integrated Alexa to simulate some of the functions and the on board Nav is okay, but not as good as google maps. I am an avid mountain biker and the R1T is perfect for that and hauling my bikes and gear. Plenty of places to stash your gear out of sight when out riding. The powered tonneau has been flawless so far, but I did make sure to sweep off the needles and leaves when I was out camping before retracting it. I can totally see how it could cause problems though. Best of all, I can park the R1T easily in my garage, a full size like the Lightning would not fit.

I love that slow b-roll of the truck. It really communicates the materials and quality in a way I don’t get from other channels.

A very thoughtful review. Thanks very much. In the industry I used to work in, we had a requirements category we called MIRs--most important requirements. Sounds like maybe (but I'm not clear on this) your most important requirements involve towing and price. The All Electric Family tow around a 30-foot Airstream regularly with their R1T and their F-150 Lightning, and they have no problem with the charging requirements. Maybe they have a different tolerance for managing the charging frequency and potential difficulties. I don't know. But there are people who tow happily with both vehicles. Price? Well, that's always a personal matter. What are you willing to pay for a particular set of capabilities? Depends on personal financial situation and--again--the most important requirements (the MIRs) and what you are willing to pay to meet those requirements. I'm happy you chose to review these two vehicles. You have informed us and helped us all improve our thinking about what our requirements really are.

Appreciate the transparency! Selling it was definitely the move for now!

What a refreshing real video and appreciate the honesty at the end Alex you are not living in a fantasy "You Tuber" world. You inhabit the same real world any businessperson deals with plus your unique rural off grid life. A video like this is why you have become my favorite car channel.

Thank you Alex for keeping it real. This is the most detailed and comprehensive user experience for electric trucks and vehicle ownership in general.

I wish everyone in the world was more like Alex. His honesty and frankness is second to none. Really appreciate the content, Alex. Thank you!

I really appreciate your explanation. I’m getting an R1T next year, and I wasn’t aware of the significance of the vampire drain issue. Lucky for me, I don’t tow, so overall I can live with the comprises you discussed.

Great real-world review Alex. I find your channel to be one of the few that absolutely deserves to make money. You generally try to be objective bearing in mind that everyone's requirements in a vehicle is different and I now turn to your channel to get unbiased information on vehicles in which I have an interest but also enjoy your reviews as a whole. Your experience with the Rivian is exactly why I never buy a new untested unproven vehicle. It's one thing to lease something for a few years and then just turn it in rather than purchasing it outright. Great that I can turn to you to provide a more in-dept information. Another thing I noticed about the Rivian without having experienced it personally, is the really sharp looking edges of that flap when the body storage area is open. I can see myself ripping off the skin of my legs on it if not paying attention! Did you find that a potential issue?

Yeah, vehicle prices are absolutely crazy nowadays. I plan to drive what I currently own right into the ground!

Excellent feedback. Much of which I’ve never heard. Thank you 🙏

Your videos are so practical. Great info and willingness to say “it doesnt work for me” even though high hopes to the contrary. Thank you for helping me preview a similar decision set.

Thanks Alex for giving me the chance to check out the Rivian at your office! So happy you were able to sell it for what you were looking for! Keep up the great work on the videos. -Rocky

Alex, Let's all agree to call this a long-term wait and medium-term test. Maybe a practical, electric towing pickup will arrive in the next few years.

I love when u do this type of series. Thank u

Alex. Great video. Being on the cutting edge is hazardous. Looks like you escaped. Painful, but us pioneers get to live and learn. My 2011 Leaf only fetched $3600 with 6 bars and 46% SOH, but it was a fun experience. Thanks for being in a position to explain your story.

Great information. I always look forward to your videos.