Rivian’s new lower-priced EVs are a clever distraction for Tesla buyers

The Rivian  (RIVN)  R1T and the R1S are some very radically designed EVs that are sure to stand out on the road, but their high price has dissuaded many from their unique looks. 

However, buyers looking for a cool, new EV who had to scratch Rivian off their list might want to reconsider, as they introduced some competitively priced products to its lineup. 

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The California-based manufacturer of the R1T electric pickup truck and the R1S electric SUV has introduced two new battery options that are lower priced than its previously cheapest options. 

Dubbed the Standard and Standard+, the new options bring the total selection of batteries to four choices, with each providing a different estimated range.

Amongst the current selection, the Standard and Standard+ act as theoretical "value sizes" of EV batteries. The R1T and R1S equipped with the 106-kilowatt-hour Standard battery pack brings a respectable 270 miles of estimated range, while the same models with the 121-kWh Standard+ battery pack delivers an estimated 315 miles of range.

We're introducing two new range options for the R1T and R1S. With the same capability and performance Rivian owners love, these new options make R1 ownership more accessible than ever: https://t.co/56qJUln6zY pic.twitter.com/w8TWMEPkQX— Rivian (@Rivian) February 8, 2024

The two new batteries join Rivian's 135 kWh "Large" battery pack, which brings an EPA estimated 352 miles on equipped R1T and R1S models, while its largest battery pack – the 149 kWh "Max" battery brings 410 miles of range on the R1T pickup and 400 miles of range in the R1S SUV. 

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Rivian's new batteries lower the barrier of entry for its vehicles by about $3,100, bringing the R1T to as low as $69,900 and the R1S to $74,900 competitively priced against Tesla's Model X, which goes for $79,990 without a $7,500 federal tax credit incentive. 

What's more is that Rivian says that the vehicles may be eligible for a $3,750 tax credit, which can still undercut a Model X with full federal tax credit incentives at $72,490, with the R1T going as low as $66,150 and an R1S as low as $71,150 for qualified buyers. 

Rivian is set to unveil the first model using its new 'R2' electric vehicle platform on March 7. 

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