Rivian’s Next EV Should Be an E-Bike, Not a Car
At an investor call, Rivian teased several new EVs, but it's not cars that I'm interested in necessarily.
Rivian has a lot going on right now. Between a big infusion of cash from VW and the launch of a second-generation version of its R1S and R1T, things are heating up for the electric car maker. And to add fuel to that fire, a recent investor call also hinted at several more EVs in the works. The plot thickens.
It’s impossible to say what those EVs are or will be, but in lieu of insider knowledge, I’ll tell you what I want at least one to be — and it’s actually not a car at all. It’s an e-bike. Before you get your pitchforks, hear me out, because I think it makes total sense for Rivian to make an electric two-wheeler.
Give Us the Rivian E-Bike
On the surface, it may seem kind of strange for me to yearn for a bike when Rivian is busy making high-tech, $70,000 EVs, but the crossover from electric car to bike is far from unprecedented. Polestar, for example, has done collaborations with Cake — a Swedish e-bike company — with pretty appealing results. Likewise, McLaren has its own (very expensive) e-bike.
If the above screenshot from Rivian’s recent presentation is any indication, there’s a lot in the works.
And outside of the feasibility of Rivian making an e-bike, there’s just the general synergy. Rivian has long made a name for itself with sleek and rugged EVs that are capable of taking you off the road and onto the trail. It sells camping accessories like tents and even something called the camp kitchen for grilling and chilling outdoors; its whole brand practically screams, “I have money and like to go outside.”
And with all of that said: What better way to play to the outdoorsy people with expendable income crowd than an e-bike with some big, fat off-road tires or cargo compartments? Not to mention one with the benefit of Rivian’s expert design sensibilities. I mean, hey, if it can make a battery-powered truck, I don’t think an e-bike is out of the question.
It just makes sense in some ways. If you’re taking your amazing electric off-road machine on an epic jaunt to the backcountry, why not bring along a toy that makes your adventure even more fun? Not to give credit to Tesla, but even though the Cyberquad is for kids, it was created to be stowed in the Cybertruck. Clearly, there’s an opportunity for Rivian — a brand without the Elon Musk baggage — to pair its beloved EVs with an e-bike.
A Dynamic Duo
I’ll be honest: There is absolutely no indication that Rivian has any interest in making an e-bike. In fact, all of the teased future EVs on the recent roadmap appear to be cars of some kind.
And whether making e-bikes would be a financially savvy move for Rivian is another question. I am not and have never been a business-minded individual, but it’s not really the financial part that makes me yearn.
The truth is, I just love e-bikes and, in equal measure, I love the look of Rivian’s cars — I’m far from alone in liking those things, too. What I’m saying is, mash those two things up and I think you’ve got a recipe for a two-wheeler that a lot of people would want to buy.
Whether my dreams will come true is anyone’s guess, but a boy can dream. Here’s to hoping Rivian gets this memo and makes the e-bike we deserve.
