Rivian Is Experimenting With Same-Day Pickup For the R1T

The rise of electric vehicles has also seen an uptick in the number of vehicular startups in the U.S. and abroad, some of which have taken the opportunity to upend aspects of the automotive sales status quo. Rivian, for instance, has avoided setting up dealerships in favor of a direct-to-consumer model. And while there’s an argument to be made for other automakers to adopt something similar, a recent development suggests the old adage about the grass being greener on the other side.

Or, as Electrek’s Scooter Doll points out in a recent article, Rivian is giving direct sales a go — at least, for one day. On June 17, Rivian is holding an event at its facility in Normal, Illinois where prospective Rivian buyers will get to examine vehicles up close, do a test drive and potentially drive home with an electric pickup of their own.

That choice of words is intentional: only the R1T will be sold at this particular event, and only in one particular configuration. (Quad-Motor with a large battery pack.) And while you won’t be able to tour Rivian’s factory, you might be able to take part in what’s billed as a “limited” number of test drives. There’s more information available here.

Putting the Rivian R1S to the Test Over a Long Weekend in the Colorado Mountains

Our correspondent already had his reservation for the EV, but a family road trip through Colorado would confirm whether he wanted to keep it

This seems like a relatively low-risk offering for Rivian. If the event goes well, it’s not hard to imagine more following suit. And it’s likely useful for the automaker to attract potential buyers who — understandably — might like to see the truck that they’re committing their money towards. We’ll have a better sense of things when this event has come and gone.