The Rivian R1T – the world’s first electrical pickup – has been pushed by members of the Australian public, however don’t count on it in showrooms any time quickly.
Australian agency MEVCO (the Mining Electrical Car Firm) not too long ago posted on company social media platform LinkedIn that it had taken supply of a Rivian R1T, showcasing the electrical pickup at a buyer drive day in Perth.
The left-hand drive Rivian seems to solely have been pushed on a closed course, with mining executives supplied the prospect to drive the electrical car (EV) as a showcase of the way it might be added to their web site automobiles.
It’s not but clear if MEVCO ordered this R1T from the US and had it shipped right here, or if it is among the Rivian automobiles which arrived in Australia in mid-2021 to carry out local weather testing – although its Illinois producer plate suggests the latter.
Whereas Rivian solely builds for left-hand drive markets in the intervening time, the corporate has beforehand expressed curiosity in launching regionally, which might enable MEVCO to capitalise on the US agency’s current announcement that it gained’t solely provide fleet automobiles to its partial proprietor Amazon.
It might additionally end in MEVCO diversifying its EV choices, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Australian-based worldwide electrical truck producer SEA Electrical to transform 8500 Toyota HiLux utes and LandCruisers to battery energy by 2028.
When the billion-dollar deal was introduced in January 2023, MEVCO and SEA Electrical claimed greater than half of its 2023 allocation had been pre-sold.
Nonetheless, MEVCO could hit a stumbling block whether it is to import the R1T for mining fleets earlier than the electrical pickup goes on sale in Australia.
Virtually all mine websites require their automobiles to have a five-star ANCAP security ranking – one thing Rivian’s fashions don’t have, as they aren’t offered regionally.
That is one purpose why MEVCO, SEA Electrical and different firms have chosen to transform current diesel-powered automobiles to EV, permitting the utes for use by mining firms each above and beneath floor.
In keeping with MEVCO’s LinkedIn publish, will probably be internet hosting one other buyer drive occasion in Perth later this month, adopted by demonstrations in Queensland.
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