EV Fail: Rivian Electric Truck Owner’s ‘Honeymoon Phase’ Ends When It Gets Stuck in Snow

Breitbart ^ | 3/25/23 | Lucas Nolan

[CFW]

The owner of a Rivian R1S electric SUV was overjoyed to have his dream electric vehicle after waiting for years. But after owning the car for just days, it got stuck in the snow and immobilized by a safety feature, leading to a $2,100 bill to transport it to a repair facility.

Business Insider reports that a recent incident involving an owner of a Rivian R1S has forced the maker of the electric vehicles to examine its customer service more carefully and think about making changes to improve the user experience. The owner of an R1S truck, Chase Merrill, encountered a difficult situation when his electric SUV got stuck in deep snow and a safety feature rendered it immobile.

[Tell It Right]

With EV's there's still the issue of the cold both reducing range and slowing charging. To test the theory, on Christmas EV we had a rare cold snap in which our low was 9°F and the high was low 20's. Because we weren't driving for 24 hours (we were already at family's house) I watched the battery level affected only by cold weather as the EV sat outside. The battery level dropped around 5%. That was just one harsh day of cold (harsh to us in Alabama). Imagine how much the battery level would drop if the temp never got into double digits all day.

And on the EV forum I frequent for tips, the true believers in warmageddon are aghast at how poorly their EV's perform in the cold. No one should get an EV without first doing his homework on the EV's strengths and weaknesses and if their normal situations play up the EV's strengths or the EV's weaknesses.

[redfreedom]

I doubt it. I’ve been there done that. The truck’s grille will start pushing snow and pretty soon the vehicle will try to climb over it. The 2 1/2 feet of snow will hang up a vehicle with front and back wheels just spinning away digging holes in the compacted snow beneath them.

The good news is the engine on my F150 will still be running. A pull from another truck or lots of shoveling will be much less than $2100.

[VTenigma]

Oh I agree, but within those limitations I’m sure I could make a Rivian go through the snow.

[KC Burke]

I have to say that BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Alpine Rated Tires made a believer out of me. Lasted a long, long time. After 50k they were hardened and became noisy but man were they a great tire for every situation. They are expensive but they lasted me so long on an Xterra I felt the cost was justified.

[lee martell]

This result of EVs not starting in very cold weather has been reported and observed many times over the past few years. It should no longer come as a big surprise.

[dfwgator]

Stupid should hurt.

[gitmo]

Rivian stock was selling for $146 a share two years ago. It is now at $13.59 a share.

[gitmo]

A $2100 towing bill? Did they fly it first class?

[Taxman]

We know, and they know, that the “Greeen New Deal” os a five million pound turd, but as long as they can make money off of it at our expense, they will keep the FRaud/scam alive!

[TheBattman]

There are probably around4 of these trucks here in my region of our state - and I’ve seen at least 3 of them on the side of the road in the last year.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Yes it should.

[BobL]

“But after owning the car for just days, it got stuck in the snow and immobilized by a safety feature, leading to a $2,100 bill to transport it to a repair facility.”

For the LIFE OF ME, I cannot understand why people seem intent to ABUSE Electric Cars by trying to actually drive them, whereas they only exist to Virtue Signal.

But I guess some will NEVER learn.

[Ignatz]

Who knew virtue-signaling could be so expensive?
Or required a basic skill set that included knowing how to use a shovel?

[CFW]

“A $2100 towing bill? Did they fly it first class?”

____

I would at least expect lunch provided at such a cost. Our local towing company finally raised its rates up to a hundred bucks for in-county towing within the past couple of years. Although long-timed customers, and those in the local “good-ole boys club” can still get a discounted price.

Seriously though, I understand that EV’s can’t actually be towed. They apparently have to be loaded onto a flat bed since there is no part of a EV vehicle on which to hook to for towing. .

I’ve also heard that since so much of an EV vehicle consists of the battery itself, special care has to be taken not to damage that integral part of the vehicle, else a small fender bender turn into a ‘totaled’ vehicle. And that in addition, wrecker companies have to make make sure they have all necessary equipment to deal with the specific needs of an EV vehicle load, such as special fire extinguisher equipment, etc.

I read one story that said tow truck insurance companies are starting to include add-ons to their liability insurance requirements. Although, what I’ve heard may just be anecdotal evidence and not any industry requirements or standard, it appears that the initial cost of an EV is just the beginning of the extra cost one will pay for such as purchase. All related purchases and expenses associated with vehicle maintenance will be way, way more than that one will pay for with a regular ICE automobile. I’m not going to fall into that trap. The technology will have to greatly improve before I consider an EV.

[momincombatboots]

Bet he got some tax rebate for it.. so we working class folks are subsiding stupid and the big green unicorn corporations. Double stupid.
But then again, if we are paying for it, who’s stupid.
Mail in ballots..l thank goodness.

[Hot Tabasco]

Owner says he got stuck in 2.5 feet of snow since commercials showed it plowing right along in the deep stuff.

Well, I have a 4WD and I'm not stupid enough to even try doing that.

[Tell It Right]

True that. And the weight of the EV truck's battery helps you with your weight addition for traction. And to your point, the EV trucks are powerful for carrying or towing a heavy load.

But to my point, their range is sorely limited in both cold or carrying weight. So unless the job is a quick job it wouldn't get the job done. That's the main reason when my wife and I decided that one our cars should be an EV to save gas, it would be her car (a crossover) instead of my truck. The math works really well for us, especially with a large solar array for our all-electric home.

Solar provides 80% of our power for free, including charging the EV (for local driving). I wish I could provide my own energy for the ICE truck, but I can't drill and refine my own oil. Nor can I drill my own natural gas. Same with coal. If I could produce those energy types on my own I would because they're way better than solar. But solar is the one energy source I can tap into without the Dims and their regulators getting in between me and it. That one feature about solar makes it very attractive to me. It's really nice being in a situation where I have to buy only about 1/4th of the energy we consume. The EV is part of that financial engineering. I doubt I would have gotten an EV if I wasn't trying to be mostly energy independent.

[VTenigma]

Sounds like you have things working pretty well. It would be nice if I could get there too, but it’s not feasible here. Solar is a no go most of the year, wind is good, and hydro works until things freeze which is a good 4 to 5 months. We use wood, we have lots of that.

[stylin19a]

doesn't look like 2.5 feet either...

[mowowie]

It is one thing to plow through 2.5 feet of snow at speed like in a car commercial and another to STOP in 2.5 feet of snow and ever expect a chance to get moving again.