Rivian confirms two cars are in Australia

Rivian Automotive has confirmed two of its cars – believed to be the R1 S SUV and R1 T dual-cab ute – have arrived in Australia.

The company told Australian EV blog The Driven two units have indeed come Down Under for climate testing.

It would seem that this is rather late in the development cycle for the two machines, as the cars will be launched in the US this month – with prices starting under US$70,000 (AU$95,700) for the four motor, 588kW load-lugger.

A pair of Rivians were spotted in New Zealand near the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground outside of Queenstown in late June and early July – making it likely the same cars have been shipped here to continue testing on our roads.

The company confirmed in 2018 that right-hand drive is part of the company’s business plan for the UK, Japan and Australia. A move into the European market sometime in 2022 is also on the cards with a manufacturing base mooted in the UK. However, with the UK now separated from the European Union, the plans have been thrown into doubt.

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Rivian is also following Faraday and Lucid into the stockmarket, with an expected IPO in November – aiming to raise somewhere in the region of US$80 billion (AU$109bn). The firm has raised a total of US$10.7 billion (AU$14.6bn) over the last decade, some as debt and some for equity.

Its last US$2.5bn (AU$3.4bn) round included Ford Motor Company, Amazon, Cox Automotive and the Climate Pledge Fund among the investors. Amazon has a large order for EV delivery vehicles ready to sign, according to various reports.

A Rivian spokesperson told The Driven it had noted the “intense interest” in Rivian vehicles from the Australian market, echoing our enthusiasm for the Ford F-150 Lightning and, to a certain extent, the Tesla Cybertruck.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Rivian pair and be sure to let us know if you see them. Given the heavy duty winter testing in New Zealand, perhaps the Northern Territory’s higher temperatures and adventurous road conditions could be part of the program.

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