There has been a lot of talk about Ford's electric pickup truck (F-150 Lightning) over the past week, but we shouldn't forget that as early as this summer, an all-electric pickup truck will make its debut on the market: the Rivian R1T.
Unfortunately, we learned earlier this week that that debut will be delayed by a month. Its arrival is now now scheduled for July.
News of the postponed launch came courtesy an online forum dedicated to the vehicle, and Rivian officials subsequently confirmed the scoop to Autoweek. Those officials said deliveries of the model would start in July, and that everyone who pre-ordered an introductory Launch Edition of the R1T and R1S would receive a response from Rivian by the end of November at the latest regarding their expected delivery date.
The one-month delay is due to a combination of factors, including delays with shipping containers, the current microchip shortage and the need to ensure the service unit is properly installed, a Rivian spokesperson said. The company also said it has been largely spared the chip shortage because its products don't require as many chips as other vehicles on the market.
Rivian is working to keep the R1S SUV on schedule for deliveries starting in August, the spokesman said.
Despite the delay, Rivian will beat all rivals to market with its electric pickup truck. Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns said on a conference call with investors last week that deliveries of its Endurance model are still on track for September, despite a halving of production targets. The F-150 Lightning, meanwhile, is expected in 2022. And Tesla recently confirmed that the Cybertruck will begin production at the end of this year.