Let's Just Drive

Our first customer drives in Normal, IL

By Rivian

August 21^st, 2021

Tacos on the Camp Kitchen, long rides on our new Adventure Test Track, big laughs and great conversations set the stage for our first drives with preorder holders in Normal, IL.

All of you have been on this journey with us for quite awhile, and we don’t take your passion and commitment for granted.

We felt strongly that our first believers should also be our first drivers, which is why we invited a group of our earliest preorder holders to come tour our plant in Normal, meet our team and kick up some dirt in the R1T. And like any good adventure, things went off script, unplanned detours were embraced, and we all went home smiling wide.

After picking up our guests at their hotel in R1Ts and bringing them to the factory, we bonded over cold drinks and tacos made fresh on the Camp Kitchen.

The schedule called for drives to happen the next morning but nobody wanted to wait that long, especially RJ, so we got right out on the tracks for some evening ride-alongs.

"Let's see what this thing can do."

"I know what that would feel like in my truck, and it wouldn't be as fun."

"I want to try going fast but maybe not all the way fast. That's ok, right?"

Esmerelda P., Rivian Preorder Holder

"It felt like we were on a roller coaster, but you felt so safe the entire time and everything's alright … yeah, it was goooood!"

Our time together included a deep-dive factory tour.

The 90-minute tour included stops in stamping, body assembly, paint, general assembly and trim lines, as well as detailed demonstrations of the Rivian skateboard platform and battery pack.

Handing over the keys and letting our guests do the driving was the highlight of the day.

It was incredibly rewarding for our team to witness these firsthand reactions from our customers and gain valuable feedback.

"They clearly wanted to make a sports car. Then they made a truck that's still a sports car. It's a cheat code – it should not be this fast."

"Whether I was sliding around the track or running down the heart at 100 MPH or climbing the rock hill … just unbelievable control."

John R., Rivian Preorder Holder

"Smooth as silk. Quickest thing I’ve ever driven."

After the drives were done and the dust had settled, we gathered for an unfiltered Q&A roundtable with RJ.

If you have some time to spare, a video of the session is here for all those who couldn't join firsthand.

Some images shown may contain pre-production vehicles and vehicle specifications mentioned in this blog post may have changed. Please refer to our website or reach out to Customer Service for current vehicle information.