Rivian’s CEO looks like if Steve O was sober in the early 2000’s
What does VW get out of this?
VW is good at making cars, but bad at software. They’ve had to delay the introduction of new models (Golf, ID.3) because of software issues. Rivian has sort of the opposite problem: their production lines sit still often because of problems in the supply chain.
Volkswagen has the expertise to solve Rivian’s production and supplier problems, and the cash they will need to survive and develop some cheaper models (the EV market is stagnating right now for a lack of budget options, and Rivian only sells trucks and SUVs). And they’re hoping Rivian software engineers can help them fix their software woes.
Mixed feelings, I like VW but I don’t really like Rivian.
I’m in the opposite camp. What are the reasons you don’t like Rivian? (I don’t like VW because we had not one, but two vehicles caught up in Dieselgate. They’re dead to me. Which is a shame because I really liked them.)
For what it’s worth, all automakers had illegally high emissions (well apart from Tesla I guess). This is something I never see people bring up.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_emissions_scandal
VW wasn’t even close to being the worst for it (surprisingly they were among the least bad). They were just the first to be tested, and their leadership owned up to breaking the law immediately, meaning news media could happily call them out without fear of a libel/slander case.
VW alone took the PR hit for an entire shady industry.
I mean they also own like half the industry. So, I don’t feel particularly bad for them to be honest.
VW doesn’t own a single one of the other brands on that list.
Yea but many of them were involved. The Audi CEO at the time was on the board making the decision and the first to be convicted.
Well yeah I don’t feel bad for any big company when bad stuff happens to them (well, within reason, I obviously don’t want massive layoffs and people left unemployed).
My point isn’t to be an apologist for VW, my point is that the others are just as bad, and plenty are even worse, yet they got away with it. They shouldn’t have.
Don’t worry, I don’t think you are. I just think there’s a reason they admitted so easily. Probably just another calculated fallout to save all their other brands from their own mini backlash which would ultimately cause more damage.
But yes, the whole industry is a dumpster fire when it comes to regulations and also lobbying.
Rivian comes off as a tech bro startup that has talked a big game but produced poor results, they’ve been advertising autonomous self driving since like 2015 or earlier. After shipments started, so did layoffs.
VW has a long history of reliable manufacturing to high standards in Europe. They’ve had executives make claims that they would overtake Tesla as the world’s largest electric car company by 2025. Obviously, VW has been lagging hard on EV and won’t reach that goal, but if I had to pick a favorite car company it’s between them and maybe JEEP or KIA.
