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Rivian launches tour of R2, R3X across North America

Credit: Rivian

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Rivian has announced plans to take its upcoming electric vehicles (EVs) on a tour around North America, after the company unveiled the R2 and R3 models earlier this year.

Last week, Rivian announced in a post on its website that it would be displaying both the upcoming R2 and R3X vehicles at various locations in the U.S. and Canada, after initially launching displays at a few select stores. All of the events are set to include the R2 and R3X except the LA Auto Show, which won’t include the R3X, and most of the tour is taking place at automotive shows.

“Get ready—our R2 Road Tour is coming to a town near you,” Rivian writes. “We’re cruising through cities across the country, bringing you an up close and personal look at the all-new R2. You can also meet the new Gen 2 R1S & R1T and take a demo drive. Keep an eye out for R3X making guest appearances along the way.”

The news also comes after Rivian officially began expanding its Normal, Illinois factory last week to accommodate production of the R2 pickup and SUV. The company was originally approved for such an expansion in August, after a unanimous vote from Normal Town Council.

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According to Rivian’s VP of Manufacturing Tim Fallon in a statement in July, the R2 had already gained more than 100,000 pre-orders, following its unveiling in March. In a surprise move after the R2 was unveiled, Rivian went on to share an additional EV, the R3X, is expected to enter production after the R2.

In addition to the upcoming R2 and R3X displays, Rivian has had the R2 on display at multiple locations in California, as well as in Vancouver, B.C., Portland, New York City, Nashville, Austin, and Boston. You can see all of Rivian’s upcoming R2 and R3X appearances below, including an ongoing display at the company’s Laguna Beach space that ends on Sunday.

Rivian R2 and R3X appearances in 2024

November 15 to 17: Laguna Beach (10:00 am – 6:00 pm)

Rivian South Coast Theater – 162 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

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November 20: Venice (11:00 am – 7:00 pm)

Rivian Venice Space – 660 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291

 

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November 22 to 27 and November 30 to December 1: Los Angeles Auto Show

Los Angeles Convention Center – 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

  • 11/22 to 11/24: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • 11/25 to 11/27: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • 11/28 to 11/29: No viewings of R2 and R3X for holiday
  • 11/30: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • 12/1: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Note: The Rivian R3X will not be displayed at the LA Auto Show.

 

Rivian R2 and R3X appearances in 2025

January 11 to 20: Detroit Auto Show

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Huntington Place: 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226

  • 1/11 to 1/14: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • 1/15 to 1/16: 1:00pm – 8:00 p.m.
  • 1/17 to 1/19: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • 1/20: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

February 8 to 17: Chicago Auto Show

McCormick Place: 2301 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616

  • 2/8: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • 2/9: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • 2/10 to 2/16: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • 2/17: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

February 19 to 23: Toronto (Canadian International Auto Show)

Metro Toronto Convention Centre: 255 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2W6, Canada

  • Time: TBD

March 19 to 23: Vancouver Auto Show

Vancouver Convention Centre: 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, B.C.

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  • 3/19: 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • 3/20 to 3/22: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • 3/23: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Rivian and Volkswagen expand joint venture in hopes of surviving EV transition

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990

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Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.

Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.

The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.

Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:

  • Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
  • Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
  • Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
  • Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
  • 89 cubic feet of trunk space
  • Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
  • Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
  • Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
  • Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
  • 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
  • 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
  • 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
  • FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI

Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:

  • Door Trim Puddle Lights
  • Suede Dashboard Wing
  • Exterior and Interior Badging
  • Floor Mats
  • Sill Plates

The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.

It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.

Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.

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Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.

The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.

The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”

Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.

With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.

However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.

Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:

This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.

Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.

Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.

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Tesla is using vehicle microphones to improve build quality: here’s how

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.

It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.

As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.

The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.

It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.

Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements

While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.

This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.

Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.

The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:

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