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Comment by Animats | Hacker News Reader

“you will be able to complete your configuration as production nears in 2022.”[1]

Rivian is frantically trying to IPO for $80 billion during September. If possible, before they actually ship any trucks.

Meanwhile, Ford is coming out with the electric Ford F-150. They have 70,000 pre-orders. Also, the boring but useful Ford Transit commercial van is going electric.

[1] https://electrek.co/2021/08/07/tesla-confirms-cybertruck-ele...

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I think the F150 Lightening has 130k reservations now: https://twitter.com/mrlevine/status/1433425758307770380

I recall in the Jobs era of Apple that a lot of people bought a lot of products that were knockoffs of Apple products with the Apple-ness toned down. People really enjoyed those products and they wouldn’t necessarily have had them if someone hadn’t gone first.

I’m not comparing Elon to Steve, but I think with the possible exception of SpaceX much of what I appreciate about Elon is as a goad or a foil for other people to respond to.

He’s not actually making the electric F-150, but isn’t he really? In a way?

That’s one way to look at it, but the market was already headed this direction long before the Cybertruck was announced.

Rivian, for example, purchased their factory in like 2017 and it’s very likely that the F150 Lightning was in the works in earnest before that Cybertruck was sketched on a napkin since Ford was talking about and teasing working prototypes of the electric F150 before the Cybertruck was announced.

What Musk is great at, above his other talents, is being a great marketer IMO.

I think big auto commitment to electric would have remained half-hearted and unsuccessful until Tesla showed it could be fine.

Maybe, but some governments are/were planning to ban combustion vehicles. There’s no doubt the big automakers are going to make profits off of their existing technology as long as possible.

Ford seems even more battery constrained than Tesla. Currently on track to ship 15,000 F150L units in 2022, up to 85k/year in 2024.

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/ford-f-150-lightning-production...

Rivian, Hummer, Ford and Tesla will all ship electric trucks next year, but sadly none of them in large numbers.

I saw a Rivian driving down the 280 a few weeks ago so I think they're getting close.

Isn't Rivian partnered with Ford?

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