Outdoor Trend
Before we talk about Rivian, let’s talk about outdoor activities.
The car was second-hand, the equipment was borrowed, and the clothes were shabby, but it was a spiritual journey.
You can check out my vlog from 11 years ago, with obvious digital noise. That was how I played outdoors back then.
Back then, my single-person motorcycle trip of 800 km, which was epic in the eyes of my peers, was actually without any accommodation except for a RV parked in the campsite. If it weren’t for my motorcycle getting stuck in the sand, I wouldn’t have asked for help. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have known that there were only two middle-aged men in the RV in this deserted, waterless and powerless campsite. It’s scary to think about now.
11 years later, I’ve grown up and obviously gotten older. If I were given another chance to play like that again, would I do it?
Actually, it’s still possible, because I miss the motorcycle I rode back then, and there’s nothing that can replace the beautiful sound of its V4 engine with a pure gear-driven camshaft now.
However, it has been eliminated by the emission regulations pushed by the wave of electrification.
But to be honest, the action of “borrowing equipment for a complete set and tough it out when problems arise” is no longer my thing. My consumption habits have certainly changed compared to 11 years ago. I don’t need to suffer so much for this kind of entertainment that cannot provide a milestone achievement. Isn’t going out to have fun for pleasure? If I really want to bear hardships and pursue limits for the sake of spending money, I can choose to play triathlon or mixed martial arts. The former burns a lot of money on equipment, and the latter eats punches with my face, doesn’t it sound good?
Ideas have changed, the market has changed, and consumption has changed.
And so has outdoor activities.
Show off
New media, new outdoor activities
If I went out to play today and captured images like the video above, it would definitely be too shabby to be shared on various social media platforms.You can calculate the proportion of time you spend on your phone and computer during your waking hours. For many people, this result is evidence that their online life is moving towards the metaverse, and they are becoming more and more immersed… Thus, in today’s world, your virtual identity can represent you more than your real self. Consider my pen name; it pays homage to this fact.
Anyway, personal image management is essential in this day and age.
If you were to choose between the two images above to post on your friend circle during a weekend trip, which one would you prefer? It goes without saying that the more upscale image is preferred. Sometimes, satisfying your audience is equivalent to satisfying yourself when going out and taking pictures to post on social media platforms, such as Little Red Book, is a matter of personal dignity.
Compared to ten years ago, quality was not important and made no difference. However, in the era of self-media, everyone has access to filming tools, and everyone is connected to the network. Audiences have more significant appetites, and there is a distinction between good and better.
Rivian makes you look good
For those of you who have access to YouTube, I highly recommend checking out Rivian’s official account.
Although they don’t update frequently, each one is a well-produced, beautifully shot outdoor documentary.
For technical details that are not particularly relevant to consumers, Rivian does not go into too much depth. However, when it comes to storytelling and performance experience, they are incredibly detailed. From a content marketing perspective, Rivian can be said to have a very immersive feeling. Through filming documentaries in the beautiful scenery of nature, they cleverly showcase the lifestyle and off-road capabilities that their products can bring, stimulating potential customers’ desire to buy.
When you visit their official website, you are immediately greeted with an environmentally friendly vibe. The webpage structure is also very simple, with a total of four buttons in the center at the top. These are the pickup truck “R1T,” the SUV “R1S,” the “gear store,” and the “fleet” that received 100,000 orders from Amazon.
We don’t need to rush to see the cars. Let’s take a look at their official store and see what they have to offer.
Sure enough, they’re very much geared toward outdoor enthusiasts, and everything is heavily customized.
For example, this official kitchen kit that can be stored in the gear tunnel at the rear of the car even includes snow peak cookware and tableware, which is known as the Louis Vuitton of outdoor gear.
On a regular weekend, imagine taking your Rivian out to nature with your family, without the hassle of starting a fire or worrying about camping on the ground. With a high-quality product ecosystem like this, you can comfortably and elegantly enjoy the outdoors, and capture beautiful photos.
Socializing Outdoors
Outdoors = Upscale Socializing Scene
What’s the purpose of buying luxury cars? Watches? Birkin bags? In fact, buying a simple yet elegant titanium cup that costs hundreds of dollars is for the same reason. When others appreciate it, in addition to its performance, it also has social value.
You can enjoy the feeling of winning in comparison, and also find common ground for further dialogue by sharing equipment and discussing it. When you find that the other person has products with a similar price and taste like yours, you may find your social relationship can be closer.
Drinking is too tiring, sports are too tiring, car club is too basic. We need to go somewhere with less interference from the outside world for socializing, which seems to be something new.
Rivian gives you a chance to socialize
Rivian not only provides equipment for the outdoors, but also offers outdoor social channels.
According to Rivian’s official explanation, the brand will have four types of offline experiential spaces.
- Center – equivalent to a city showroom, aiming to bring outdoor scenes into the city center;
- Seasonal space – similar to pop-up stores;3. Forward Base – A supply station in the wilderness that provides equipment and vehicle rental services;
- Protection Zone – A natural reserve exclusively for Rivian user community.
After the offline operation is deployed, there will inevitably be official expedition routes. This will be a more advanced and targeted enthusiasts club.
Of course, self-built DC fast-charging stations are also essential.
Performance Display
Outdoor is a Functional Fashion
Outdoor equipment is no longer just a tool. In addition to reflecting functionality and workmanship, the price also includes brand value. The green lifestyle influenced by carbon neutrality concept and the difficulties brought by the pandemic for traveling abroad have made more and more people shift their focus to the beautiful mountains and rivers in their own country. This has also enlarged the whole outdoor market.
Under this background, the definition of outdoor products has also begun to change. Jeans, which were born in the gold rush in the western United States, are now a common sight, from labor protection products to fashion and even luxury goods. The scope of jeans has undergone a change from “availability” to “quality”.
These products may never be used in extreme climates and geographical conditions for which they were developed, but they have been given new fashion elements. This “functional fashion” is essentially a constant pursuit of technological content and extreme performance, which differentiates between good and better. Moreover, with more technical terms, trademarks, and data support, outdoor products are clearly more able to highlight price differences than jeans.
# Different from traditional luxury brands that rely on brand loyalty and reputation, outdoor brands still pursue craftsmanship and functionality. Besides stimulating consumer consumption by the common mentality of luxury comparison and herd effect, they can create relatively more positive consumer motivation by promoting healthy lifestyles and exploring nature.
Rivian brings you ultimate performance
Rivian’s end-use vehicles are the R1T, a pickup truck model, and the R1S, an SUV model, both selling for around $70,000. Although the pickup truck model has a long wheelbase of 3,450 mm, and the SUV has a shorter wheelbase of 3,076 mm, the latter has a larger interior space and is more expensive by about $2,000.
Judging from the series of propaganda with a strong “white left” flavor, the environmental label is also surely grasped.
Due to the advantage of the electric platform and the longer wheelbase without considering the space of the third row, the R1T has dug out a storage channel at the rear of the back seat, which is spacious enough to accommodate an adult male and can be used with various official accessories, such as the electromagnetic stove mentioned above. The doors on both sides of the channel can also bear the weight of a person, facilitating the placement and removal of items on the roof or the truck bed.
The front trunk is also available for both vehicles, which for the R1T can hold more valuable items, and for the R1S, can also serve the purpose of separating wet and dry items.
Some people say that the HUMMER EV, with a grille that can be integrated with the hood, lowers the threshold of the front trunk, making it more suitable for loading and unloading items. But if small items that are easy to slip out are placed there, Rivian’s top-loading method is perhaps a safer option. In this respect, there is no right or wrong.
L2 advanced driving assistance is a configuration that no electric car should be without, and Rivian has it, of course.
However, what really makes the above features a unique selling point (USP) is based on Rivian’s cute appearance and strong off-road performance.
Rivian’s powerful off-road performance and flexible body layout depend on one of its greatest selling points: the scooter platform. In a sense, it widens the pickup’s beam to both sides, fills the middle with batteries, and forms a flat foundation for designers to showcase their imagination on the body.
The scooter platform is a new track that has emerged with the rise of autonomous driving. The concept of autonomous driving and intelligent cabins has transformed cars from personal consumer products into smart mobile terminals and travel solutions.
As a universal platform, the scooter has become a start-up hot spot. Players such as Canoo in the United States, Arrival in the UK, REE in Israel, and U-Park Technology in China all exist in this field. Traditional car companies may not share the latest results of the chassis with new players to maintain competitiveness and ensure sufficient profits. For new vehicle manufacturers, defining a cockpit for the scenario and researching intelligent driving is their strength, and they cannot tilt too many resources to the traditional chassis part.
At present, there doesn’t seem to be a big application scenario, but with the influx of Internet players into this field, the fastest way for them to return on investment is to quickly create a smart car that can be mass-produced and sustainably upgraded through a universal platform. In addition, the demand for level L4 autonomous driving in the future, as well as technology such as remote control, which can decouple mechanical connections and free up space, is also a major reason for the popularity of the scooter platform.
The reason why Rivian’s IPO is stunning is because of Amazon’s support behind it. Not only did it promise 100,000 orders, but Amazon also holds a 20% stake in Rivian. This van, like other Rivian models such as R1T, is also designed based on the scooter platform, and the body can be customized according to different scenarios. Similarly, the off-road performance of the Rivian R1T/R1S, which are also based on the scooter platform, is derived from the following configurations:
- Four motors
Each wheel is driven by a separate motor, which means that each wheel can receive torque at any time, and power can be output to wheels without traction. This is equivalent to this car having “three locks”, which are three differential locks. Compared with ordinary fuel off-road vehicles, it can easily make the left and right wheels rotate in the opposite direction, achieving the function of turning around in place.
The 835 horsepower and 1,231 N·m power is sufficient to allow this car to accelerate to 100 km/h in just over 3 seconds and has a towing capacity of 5 tons.
- Powerful suspension system
The current electric pickups, unlike most hardcore off-road models, have independently front and rear suspension, providing up to 366mm of ground clearance, although it may not appear as hardcore, it actually enhances on-road stability thanks to the air springs, which also allow the ground clearance to be lowered to 16.5cm. In addition, the traditional mechanical anti-roll bar has been replaced by a more innovative hydraulic anti-roll system, which can completely disengage the relationship between the left and right wheels when needed, supporting more extreme off-road manoeuvres.
- 135 kWh battery pack
Rivian’s battery pack has a unique cooling method, where the cooling water does not go through the battery sidewall or bottom, instead, it is sandwiched between the upper and lower batteries. In addition, Rivian has also made a series of battery calibration for extremely cold conditions, allowing users to obtain better winter performance.
Listening to the sound of a creek and birds while enjoying a quiet off-road experience is perhaps the beauty of electric pickups.
In conclusion
I do not know if the valuation logic of Rivian, which has not yet delivered any vehicles, is reasonable. However, its commercial and civilian dual-use business model, backed by giants such as Amazon and Ford, and the promise of building its own charging network, are among the larger players in the new market.
But these are not important. Although I certainly have to wait for this frenzy to subside before buying the stock, the low-carbon footprint outdoor consumption advocacy that it promotes still impresses me.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.