Kenya imports Rivian R1T and modified into 4 row seaters

[Tesla2.0]

Maasai Wildlife Conservation in Kenya uses a few Rivian R1Ts to protect and support East Africa's people, animals, and ecosystems.

 

[xponents]

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Maasai Wildlife Conservation in Kenya uses a few Rivian R1Ts to protect and support East Africa's people, animals, and ecosystems.

All they need to do is turn the gear tunnel into a extra pair of seats.. I already thought it looked like a door!

 

[DeaneG]

Interesting. The R1T has a fording depth of 43 inches. Looks pretty capable as long as it can return to L2 charging daily.

 

[Tesla2.0]

Looks like now African drivers can finally out run Cheetah off-road in 0-60.

 

[Boomer AZ]

Two close friends have Rivians. I see what they go thru with their vehicles. I’ve done a couple of safaris in Africa. The usual safari vehicle is a Toyota Land Cruiser because it is rugged and easily repaired in the field. Cellular coverage doesn’t exist. So having a Rivian safari vehicle in Kenya, leaves many many questions. Repairs, spare parts, durability, reliability and OTA SW updates. I don’t see how they keep them operating. And then there is how to charge them. Most camps run off of local generators. Many camps shut the generators off at night to conserve fuel. Trucking in fuel to run the generators to charge the Rivians doesn’t make sense.

 

[Tesla2.0]

MWCT Goes Electric!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) announces a pilot project with Rivian, the maker of electric trucks, on a mission to help protect our planet

maasaiwilderness.org

Rivian partners with Maasai Wilderness Conservation to support conservation efforts

Rivian is partnering with the Massai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) on a pilot project with four R1T

www.teslarati.com

Another Rivian R1T Spotted in Kenya, This Time With a Maasai Behind the Wheel

If you told anyone a decade and a half ago that the future of the automotive industry was electric – they'd say it's a bunch of baloney a...

www.autoevolution.com

Rivian has many conservation and green projects to support healthier planet climate cause.

 

[Drendino]

Two close friends have Rivians. I see what they go thru with their vehicles.

I’m curious, what do they go through? I picked my R1S up the other day and have been surprised by how solid everything is. Everything just works as it’s supposed to work, when it’s supposed to work. The range it says you will get it spot on with the range you actually get. After living with my GT for a year, it has been a very pleasant surprise.

I think Rivians would be ideal for safari, once charging is figured out. Driving in near silence has a ton of benefits in a setting like that.

 

[Tesla2.0]

I picked my R1S up the other day and have been surprised by how solid everything is.

Picture or it doesn’t exist.

 

[Boomer AZ]

I’m curious, what do they go through? I picked my R1S up the other day and have been surprised by how solid everything is. Everything just works as it’s supposed to work, when it’s supposed to work. The range it says you will get it spot on with the range you actually get. After living with my GT for a year, it has been a very pleasant surprise.

I think Rivians would be ideal for safari, once charging is figured out. Driving in near silence has a ton of benefits in a setting like that.

Well to just name a few. Interior trim pieces falling off. Truck bed cover jamming and needing to wait months while it was redesigned. OTA updates that failed and required service to get the system rebooted. Connectivity issues. Go tho Rivisn’s version of this forum for more details.

 

[borski]

Go tho Rivisn’s version of this forum for more details.

Or don’t haha - let this be a lesson: problems are over-represented in online car forums and most owners are perfectly happy, until they get to a forum and develop anxieties about all of the things that have ever occurred to other owners.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

Or don’t haha - let this be a lesson: problems are over-represented in online car forums and most owners are perfectly happy, until they get to a forum and develop anxieties about all of the things that have ever occurred to other owners.

Truer words have never been said.

Even before my car arrived, after reading this forum, I lost sleep/didn't eat over my car coming with 21" Pirellis. Now, after several thousand miles, I have a spare, I keep the 21s at 45psi, I LOOK CAREFULLY, and have had no issues (knock on wood).

 

[Tesla2.0]

I have R1S with VIN at around 1000, one of earliest delivery. I don’t have fit and finish issue to complaint about, only easy entry seating required calibration. I am being in to their Service Center in Houston for a NHTSA recall of their rear bumper reverse lamp. They told me it’s an under 2 hours time for replacement. I do know R1T has a lot more complaints than R1S. I think as automakers mature in manufacturing process, things get smoother. This led me to believe later Air has less issue than earlier DE and so will be Gravity.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

Looks like now African drivers can finally out run Cheetah off-road in 0-60.

You have not seen a family of Cheetahs make an instant 90 degree turn at 45 mph

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

Two close friends have Rivians. I see what they go thru with their vehicles. I’ve done a couple of safaris in Africa. The usual safari vehicle is a Toyota Land Cruiser because it is rugged and easily repaired in the field. Cellular coverage doesn’t exist. So having a Rivian safari vehicle in Kenya, leaves many many questions. Repairs, spare parts, durability, reliability and OTA SW updates. I don’t see how they keep them operating. And then there is how to charge them. Most camps run off of local generators. Many camps shut the generators off at night to conserve fuel. Trucking in fuel to run the generators to charge the Rivians doesn’t make sense.

I have very different perspective. I think Rivian is a great idea and an EV safari vehicle would be amazing. And should be supported. You mention: Repairs parts, durability and OTA SW updates are an issue - WAIT - are you talking about what WE NOW in the US HAVE TO GO THROUGH or are you talking about what will happen in East Africa??

I recon'd and led overland bike trips and treks in the Rift Valley, Serengeti and Uganda. (My wife/co-leader had the honorary title from a Masai tribe that worked for us in the Ngorongoro of Princess Mzungu ("crazy white woman)). I have replaced a few fuel pumps on LC's in Tanzania that were clogged with shitty fuel. The fuel will be trucked in no matter what - and if not to power the power plants/gens, than to fuel the vehicles. Diesel Land Cruisers stink, leak oil, disturb wildlife and are noisy - and all gets worse as they age. EVs do none of that. Many camps turn off the gens at night due to noise. Since there is no real demand for elec from lights out/9-10pm to dawn, perfect time for charging up.

And this could be great for Africa - more reasons for building solar, high speed wifi, electrifying remote villages and preventing deforestation.

 

[borski]

Diesel Land Cruisers stink, leak oil, disturb wildlife and are noisy - and all gets worse as they age. EVs do none of that.

This. It may not yet be fully “off fuel” or renewable yet, but there are tons of ancillary benefits.

 

[Drendino]

Truer words have never been said.

Even before my car arrived, after reading this forum, I lost sleep/didn't eat over my car coming with 21" Pirellis. Now, after several thousand miles, I have a spare, I keep the 21s at 45psi, I LOOK CAREFULLY, and have had no issues (knock on wood).

You must never utter the “P” word. Now knock on some wood and say your penance.

 

[Worldwide Beagle]

You must never utter the “P” word. Now knock on some wood and say your penance.

@Bobby PM'ed me to do 20 hail Mary's (kidding)

Or was my sin using the P word in vane? Blasphemy!

 

[CraZ8]

I’ll bet the AC will now have trouble keeping the cabin cool due the hotter climate ( and the lack of windows)