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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  • Lorenzo You can't sell an old man's car to a young man, but you CAN sell a young man's car to an old man (pardon the sexism, it's not my quote).Solution: Young man styling, but old man amenities, hidden if necessary, like easier entry/exit (young men gradually turn into old men, and will appreciate them).
  • Wjtinfwb Hmmm. Given that most Ford designs are doing relatively well in the marketplace, if this was forced I'd bet it was over the S650 Mustang. It's not a bad looking car but some angles seem very derivative of other makes, never a good trait for a car as distinctive as Mustang. And if he had anything to do with the abysmal dashboard, that's reason enough. Mustang doesn't need the "Tokyo by Night" dash arrangement of a more boring car. Analog gauges, a screen big enough for GPS, not Netflix and some decent quality plastics is plenty. The current set-up would be enough to dissuade me from considering a new Mustang.
  • Lorenzo Aw, they don't need a designer - just put modern underpinnings on a 1955 Ford Fairlane. Stellantis could revive Chrysler and Dodge by putting modern mechanicals on a 1955 Imperial and 1955 Dodge Coronet.
  • Lorenzo For both models, and their larger Accord/Camry models, the crash test ratings are very close, but only for late year models. The pre-2010 Civic and Corolla both fold like a cheap suit in a crash. If you're looking for a safer 10 year old vehicle, buy a truck.
  • L&L I have a 2004 Xb right now the odometer reads 265,000 miles no mayor issues ,pay 14,500 . you don't need complaints about this lunch box the best .
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