In response to the wave of dangerous publicity, CEO RJ Scaringe partially backtracked two days after saying the hikes, saying the automaker would respect the unique costs for purchasers who ordered earlier than March 1.
Rivian delivered 920 automobiles final yr after beginning manufacturing in September.
“Earlier this week, we introduced pricing will increase that broke the belief we had labored to construct with you,” Scaringe wrote in an open letter to clients. “We wrongly determined to make these adjustments apply to all future deliveries, together with pre-existing configured preorders.”
“We additionally did not handle communications properly,” he wrote. “We did not offer you sufficient perception into what was driving these selections. Crucial side of what we’re constructing is our relationship with all of you.”
Along with the value rollback for reservation holders, the Rivian CEO stated the automaker would reinstate orders canceled on or after March 1, with the unique configuration, pricing and supply timing — for purchasers who request it.
Scaringe additionally defined Rivian’s rationale for the value hikes, given fast-rising prices which have affected all automakers. “Every little thing from semiconductors to sheet steel to seats has change into costlier,” Scaringe wrote final week. “And with this, we’ve got seen common new-vehicle pricing rise greater than 30 % since 2018.”
