Rivian Getting Into the Pre-Owned Market Is a Good Sign

There are certain features of the auto industry that — depending on where you encounter them — can seem alternately quotidian and groundbreaking. If you’re looking to buy a vehicle from a legacy automaker, you might well see some used models sold under the “certified pre-owned” banner. When it comes to EV startups, though, that’s a much more rare occurrence.

And thus, it makes it eminently newsworthy when one electric vehicle-centric marque opts in where few of its peers have been more reluctant to tread. The automaker in this case is Rivian. This week, CarScoops’ Brad Anderson reported that Rivian has begun to sell pre-owned R1T and R1S models online to prospective buyers in California and Illinois.

Anderson also notes that Rivian will honor the original warranty for the vehicle. In the case of one 2023 R1T Quad Large in northern California, that means that its comprehensive warranty is in effect until April 2028 or the vehicle reaches 60,000 miles. Its battery park and drivetrain, meanwhile, are under warranty until April 2031 or until the vehicle has traveled 175,000 miles.

Rivian touts the fact that its pre-owned vehicles have been inspected, and customers can return them after seven days if they’re unhappy with their purchase.

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That Rivian would dip their feet into the pre-owned market isn’t all that surprising; several of their big announcements this year have read less like splashy statements of purpose and more like maneuvers designed to shore up the company’s future. This is another way of diversifying their income even as the market for used EVs grows.

And there’s another encouraging sign here for the EV-curious — namely, that a pre-owned Rivian will save buyers some money on a vehicle that’s earned high marks. That feels like a win-win scenario for all involved.