Following our original report, a video showing the Rivian R1T engulfed in flames and exploding just as firefighters arrived at the scene has been shared on Reddit. As of the updated information on June 8th, there is still no official explanation regarding the cause of the fire. However, several commentators have theorized that the fire may have originated near the charge port before spreading to the frunk.
Video & GIF Reddit u/Mundane_Lawyer4504
Photos of the aftermath of a fire relating to a Rivian R1T electric pickup truck have emerged online, showing heavy damage to the left side of the vehicle. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage remain unknown at this juncture, but no one was injured in the incident.
The fire incident, originally shared on a Reddit thread by user Thewildkin, reportedly occurred at an Electrify America charging station in Mill Valley, California, just north of San Francisco, on Monday, June 5. Images shared online show that the Southern Marin Fire Department responded to the incident.
The firefighters can be seen talking to a person in plain clothes and looking at the damaged vehicle. Although the origin of the fire remains unknown, most of the damage appears to surround the area where the charging port is located.
Read: Ford Confirms F-150 Lightning EV Production Stopped Over A Battery Fire
“We are aware of the incident, and we are conducting a full investigation,” a Rivian spokesperson told Carscoops. “Nobody was harmed, and at this time, it does not appear that the vehicle’s high voltage battery was involved.”
That may be good news for the company, as recalls related to high-voltage batteries can be expensive. For example, Chevrolet’s Bolt was embroiled in a battery recall a few years ago due to a fire risk. The company was forced to replace the batteries in several thousand examples of the vehicle, a process that damaged its image and wound up costing billions.
That would be the latest blow to Rivian, which is currently facing a lot of struggles. Recent reports suggest that the company may soon be kicked off the Nasdaq 100 Index due to its underperforming stock.
No alternative explanation for the fire has so far been proposed. Electrify America did not immediately respond to our request for comment. Issues with charger reliability and performance have become a major talking point, as electric vehicles look to go mainstream. Studies frequently find that non-Tesla charging stations are frequently down or defective, a problem that the industry is urgently looking to solve.
