Rivian Drops Front Passenger Under-Seat Cubby in Cost-Cutting Move

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Rivian has quietly removed the under-seat storage cubby from the front passenger seat on vehicles built after mid-November. The change is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to cut costs and work toward turning a profit—something every automaker needs to figure out, especially in the competitive EV space.

Reddit user mhespenh who just picked up their new Gen 2 R1T Tri noticed no more passenger cubby

The good news? The driver-side under-seat cubby is still there, so you won’t lose all the hidden in-cabin storage. If you’re wondering if this is related to the recent move of the 12V battery to a spot under the passenger seat, it doesn’t seem to be. The cubby was still included in vehicles with the updated battery location, so this change looks purely about trimming costs.

My new Gen 2 R1T Tri-Motor which I took delivery in November includes the cubby

It’s worth noting this isn’t the only quirky decision Rivian has made with interior storage. R1 models famously don’t have a glovebox, relying instead on other creative storage solutions throughout the cabin. While the removal of the passenger cubby might seem like a small thing, it could be missed by owners who value every bit of practical storage.

What do you think? Will you miss the front passenger cubby, or is this no big deal if it helps Rivian reach profitability? Let us know in the comments!

2 Comments

  1. Wow! Cost cutting? Really? It can’t be that much money, right? I’m baffled –especially since the R1 vehicles are already missing a glove box. 🤔

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