For the past year, I have leased a Rivian R1T truck. The more I drove, the more I noticed other Rivians on the road — and noticed them noticing me. A nod of the head, a finger lifted off the steering wheel in salute, a knowing smile of appreciation.
I have met fellow owners in coffee shops only to share stories about our cars. It is like being part of a secret club.
It did not take long for me to wonder: is Rivian Colorado’s new Subaru?
For decades Subaru has rightly been the ubiquitous Colorado vehicle. If you wanted the Goldilocks between a sedan that can barely get you to the ski slope or a jacked-up Jeep that can crawl straight up a mountain but gets only 5 miles per gallon and has no cargo room, you went with a Subaru.
More than just safe and reliable, Subarus have been a lifestyle statement for Coloradans.The extra space and all-wheel drive lend themselves to trekking into the mountains for a day hike or weekend camping trip.
As one old joke goes: “How do Coloradans find the trailhead? They follow the other 500 Subarus.”
My wife drives a Crosstrek. It is zippy and fun and can just as easily get her to and from work as climb I-70 with a few friends for a day exploring along the Continental Divide. She may not be a Colorado native like me, but driving that Crosstrek has made her more Coloradan for the past few years.
I feel like I am back in the game in my Rivian.
Last year a confluence of events drove me to visit Denver’s Rivian dealership. Primarily our daughter needed a new-to-her car and that let me rationalize my own need for a new truck. She got mine, I got the Rivian.
When I went looking, I knew the rebates for electric vehicles would not last long under a Trump administration (they are gone now). After driving sedans and small SUVs my whole life, I wanted a truck that would make hauling things around easier. But I also wanted an electric vehicle. The list matching that description is not long.
I could have gone with a Tesla Cybertruck and hated myself in the morning. Beyond the association with Elon Musk, they look like a miniaturized Jawa Sandcrawler from Star Wars. They’re ugly inside and out, and I never even considered it.
Alternatively, some legacy car companies had dipped their toes into the EV world. The Ford Lightning caught my eye; however, it wouldn’t have fit in my garage and I did not trust Ford’s long-term commitment to EVs (Ford discontinued the line last December).
But I had a few friends who absolutely raved about their Rivians. One bought his only a few months before and said he found himself inventing places to go just to drive it. The other had traded in two Teslas for two Rivians over the past few years.
Both told me I would never second guess myself. It did not hurt that by using one of their referral codes, we both got free charging for six months and a few hundred dollars to spend at the Rivian Gear Shop (reach out if you want my referral code!).
The slogan “Adventurous Forever” seems custom made for Coloradans. I returned to Colorado from New York City — my favorite city on Earth — in part because I love to ski and play sports and backpack over mountain passes. Having something I could toss wet, muddy or sweaty equipment into appealed to me. Likewise, as a regular DIYer, I needed something I could haul around lumber or landscaping rocks.
However, I am also a little bit bougie. A smooth ride and nice interior appeal to me. Tough outside, comfortable inside is what I wanted. Rivian delivered. After one test drive I knew I would end up with one. Crazy acceleration mixed with more cargo room than I could ever imagine? Yes, please.
There is some sticker shock that comes with any EV, including Rivians. It takes getting used to the idea that the upfront cost is offset to a great extent by no longer paying for gas and dramatically reduced maintenance costs.
Furthermore, both original Rivian products — the R1T truck and R1S large SUV — have always been considered high-end flagship vehicles. Rivian gambled that outstanding quality would overcome reluctance about higher costs.
In addition, Colorado still offers tax credits for EVs and Xcel offers rebates for installing home chargers. For example, I spent about $1,000 buying a Chargepoint charger and having an electrician install it — but got $500 back from Xcel. I get another $50 per year back if I do not charge during peak hours, which I avoid anyway to reduce the cost. It is those little things that made the price tag easier to swallow.
That and switching into “Snow Mode” during the few storms we had this year.
Just a few days ago, Rivian also introduced the R2, its long-awaited medium-sized SUV. Next year they plan to launch a rally-car inspired R3. Neither as ginormous as the R1T or R1S and both carrying a much friendlier price tag, they are Rivian’s attempt to take a big bite out of Tesla Model Y territory.
In Colorado it might be Subaru instead.
Mario Nicolais is an attorney and columnist who writes on law enforcement, the legal system, health care and public policy. Follow him on BlueSky: @MarioNicolais.bsky.social.
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