Rivian Will Give You a Discount to Trade In a Gas Vehicle for a New R1 Model

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Rivian sells two compelling EVs that have garnered a good deal of happy customers, but they’re far from affordable. At around $70,000 to start, the brand’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV are out of reach for most buyers, even after the $3,750 federal tax credits for some models. The automaker is taking steps – small ones, to be fair – to make its vehicles more affordable, though, knocking up to $5,000 off some configurations. Oh, and you’ll have to trade in a gas vehicle to get the price cut.


Buyers who take delivery of a new Rivian before June 30 can get up to $3,000 off the R1T Standard + Pack, $4,000 off the R1T Large Pack, $5,000 off the R1T Max Pack, and $1,000 off the R1S Large Pack. Those sound like generous discounts, at least until you consider that the R1T Max Pack’s price tag easily crests the $100,000 mark.


Of course, discounts don’t usually come without terms attached, and Rivian is no exception. Any configurations not listed in that list are not eligible for discounts, and the vehicles must be bought or leased through the automaker’s online shop. You’ll still have to plop down a $1,000 non-refundable deposit to buy one, and the discounts are applied at the point of sale on the site.


Finally, only a handful of gas vehicles are eligible for the trade-in offer. The list includes:

·     Audi Q5, Q7, and Q8 from 2018 or after

·     BMW X3, X5, and X7 from 2018 or after

·     Ford F-150, Explorer, Expedition, and Bronco from 2018 or after

·     Jeep Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, and Gladiator from 2018 or after

·     Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander, and 4Runner from 2018 or after


Note that those vehicles are in direct competition with models Rivian sells, so the automaker clearly wants to draw traffic away from its ICE rivals. That said, it’s unclear how much the automaker will give you for your trade-in, so it would be wise to shop around a bit before signing for a new Rivian.


[Image: Rivian]


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Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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  • Wjtinfwb Smart. Now, get with Audi and Porsche and work on a state of the art Hybrid system that can be scaled to small products like Tiguan and Jetta and up into larger more powerful products like an A6 or Atlas. VW is really lacking in the gas/hybrid powertrain department, if they want to remain relevant they'll need those in their toolkit.
  • Kjhkjlhkjhkljh kljhjkhjklhkjh There are just less people racing, less events and other tracks that get more traffic. event the assessment by the seller states this. [list][*]On average, Willow Springs track rental rates are 55% below comparable raceways.[/*][/list]SRC: the drive
  • SCE to AUX If they spent that $65 billion (over what period of time?) - or even part of it - on making better EVs, maybe they could be competitive in the US market.
  • Lou_BC Someone like Keanu Reeves should buy it.
  • Theflyersfan That part of California isn't too far out in the middle of nowhere any longer with Palmdale and Lancaster close by and that area exploding in size. That being said, if investors who are not die-hard race fans buy the place, bet on the condo towers and additional shops on the property. It is a California racing iconic track so hopefully it won't go the way of Riverside and end up part of a shopping center.
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