First Rivian electric utes get ready for Australian mining customers

Lucky miners. It appears that the first commercial customers for the much sought after Rivian electric utes in Australia are mining companies, looking for zero emission off road vehicles that can handle extreme conditions in remote areas.

Australian mining companies have been trialling various form of electric vehicles at their sites, included converted Toyota Landcruisers and Hilux utes. But one mining services firm, Mevco, is bringing in a number of Rivian RT1 electric utes for as yet unnamed customers, and for “drive days” at mining expos to attract more interest.

A reader of The Driven spotted a collection of Rivian utes at a Mevco’s Osbourne Park depot in Perth this week, and the company confirmed that at least six were at its facility waiting to be “up-fitted” before delivery to mine sites.

“I’d love to tell you which mines and how many but we have confidentially agreements in place with our mining customers,” Anthony Bettanin, the COO of Mevco (Mining Electric Vehicle Company), told The Driven.

The deal between Mevco and Rivian for Australia was first announced in April, as reported here, and Mevco have revealed some of the electric utes at the drive days it began about a month ago. One Rivian R1T ute has been spotted on Melbourne roads, but these latest, however, appear to be the first headed to actual customers.

“I was in Perth in September for our Drive Week at Driver Risk Management where we had many mining companies in attendance to test drive the vehicles,” Bettanin said.

“We’ll also have a vehicle at the International Mining and Resources Conference in Sydney next week, and then Drive Days in Brisbane the week after.”

The “up-fitting” of the Rivian R1T electric utes appears to include being painted in the hi-viz colours and branding of Mevco.

Rivian is yet to bring its electric vehicles to Australia, and has been facing challenging conditions in its home market in the US, with delivering falling and facing a lawsuit with a previous supplier, although it has also signed a potential $A7.5 billion deal with VW.

Numerous mining companies are looking at how to cut emissions at their mine sites, including through the use of electric haul trucks, electric excavators and dozers, as well as with light commercial vehicles. Fortescue has the most ambitious plans, vowing to reach “real zero” emissions – meaning no burning of fossil fuels for transport or power – by 2030.