If you own a Rivian R1T electric pickup truck, you might want to be extra careful on the road. A recent case of a fender bender involving a Rivian owner revealed that repairing the vehicle can be extremely costly.
What Happened?
According to a report by The New York Times, a Rivian owner shared that his R1T electric pickup truck incurred a repair bill of approximately $42,000 after he was involved in a collision at a stoplight earlier this year. The other driver’s insurance company initially estimated the damage to be around $1,600 and sent the owner a check. However, when he took his Rivian to one of only three certified shops in central Ohio, the repair bill was much higher than that.
The shop allegedly gave the owner a detailed cost breakdown, documented every step of the repair, and provided photos for proof. The $42,000 repair cost, along with the owner’s rental car cost, was very close to maxing out the other driver’s $50,000 insurance payout limit.
Why Was It So Expensive?
The owner said that the shop followed the book written by Rivian and that the truck was designed to absorb the impact to limit injuries to the driver and passengers. So in the event of a collision, they need to inspect a lot of parts to make sure they were not damaged.
One of the photos that the owner posted to Facebook, which is said to be from the repair shop, shows a completely disassembled bed, devoid of any body panels, and even missing its rear glass. “The back quarter panel was damaged and that piece goes all the way from the tailgate to the front windshield,” the owner told The Drive.
However, another Rivian R1T owner who was also rear-ended a few months back said that replacing an entire body panel and some tailgate bits cost them just over $14,000. So a $42,000 rear bumper replacement seems exorbitant.
What Does This Mean for Rivian Owners?
The case of the $42,000 repair bill raises some questions about the repairability and affordability of Rivian vehicles. While everyday maintenance can be cheaper for electric vehicles than for gas-powered ones, collisions and insurance can be more expensive.
Rivian is building out a network of service centers to support all Rivian owners. Chris Amato Body Werks is proud to a certified Rivian repair center. If you have any questions about repairing your Rivian vehicle, give us a call at 760-433-5050 or contact us here.
