Rivian opens second Chicago-area store at Old Orchard Mall
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Carrie in front of the 2nd generation of the R1S. Photo: Moyo Adeolu/Moyo
The electric vehicle made in Normal, Illinois, is opening its second store in the Chicago area Friday at Old Orchard Mall.
- I used that as an opportunity to test drive an EV for the first time.
Why it matters: In addition to the Gold Coast spot, the new North Shore space makes Chicago one of the only markets with two Rivian stores at a time when the company has just reported weaker than expected earnings.
Zoom in: Rivian launched new models earlier this year called the R2 and R3 that are priced around $45,000, compared to $70,000+ for the current models. It has the option for a battery pack that allows the mid-size sedan to go about 300 miles on a charge.
Test drive: The R2 is currently only available for pre-order, and the R3 should be soon, so I test drove the latest version of one of Rivian's standard models, the R1S, which is a seven-seater SUV.
- You start the Rivian on an app on your phone or a card similar to a hotel key (which I admit I would lose), rather than a button or car key.
- The second major adjustment is regen braking, which slows down the car by easing off the accelerator rather than pushing the center brake. Imagine that when you're tailing someone on Lake Shore like I was. It took some getting used to.
- All the standard controls, like radio and temperature, are on a center iPad size screen, along with options to raise and lower the vehicle based on road conditions and a diagram that shows where you are in relation to other cars on the road.
- The interior is minimal with vegan leather seats accented by real wood (that Rivian assures me is sustainable).
The verdict: Since this was a city-based test drive, I only went from Rush Street to Lake Shore to Belmont and then back south, so no need for a charge, which would probably be the biggest source of stress for me.
Yes, but: Charging stations are becoming as ubiquitous as gas stations and ComEd offers rebates for homes and businesses with EV chargers.
What we're watching: How the second location affects Rivian's sales but also EV sales overall as a Trump presidency could mean scaling back some of the existing federal subsidies.
- Illinois offers a $4,000 rebate for EV car purchases.
If you go: The Rivian space at Old Orchard opens Friday at 10am and they're hosting an evening happy hour at 6pm.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say Chicago is one of the only markets (not the only market) with two Rivian stores.