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55 points TMWNN | 4 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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andrewflnr ◴[] No.45794029[source]
I've also seen Rivian vans with Factor meal delivery branding, besides the Amazon ones I've been seeing for the last several months/year. Congrats to Rivian for making a real business out of EV trucks.
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juujian ◴[] No.45794559[source]
Strange that Tesla has never attacked this angle. Too focused on self-driving trucks and putting humans out of jobs?
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rogerrogerr ◴[] No.45794751[source]
Being associated with delivery vans would dilute the Tesla brand. Imagine seeing beat up Amazon vans with Porsche emblems - it wouldn’t improve your perception of a Porsche as a car you would love to one day own.

Yes, other things the company or CEO does are also diluting the brand. It’s still true that the company can be making a rational decision not to attack this segment.

Rivian’s marketing people probably hate that they’re doing this, but the company had $2.5B revenue and still lost $1.6B the first half of 2025. They’re in survival mode.

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PessimalDecimal ◴[] No.45794819{3}[source]
Mercedes runs their Sprinter line with the Mercedes star on the front. I know some after-market modifications can turn these into really nice RVs, but they're mostly in the "work van" category. In Europe, Mercedes doesn't really have the same connotations of luxury/aspirational purchase that it does in the US, so maybe that explains the willingness to slap their insignia on a work van. But nobody in the US seems to think Sprinters dilute the perception that other Mercedes are a luxury.

Edit: ugh I see at least two others made exactly this same point while I was typing my comment. I guess it shows that it's a valid one...

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1. lispisok ◴[] No.45794960{4}[source]
In the US Mercedes Sprinter vans are used exclusively by very affluent people so it doesnt dilute the brand there.
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2. PessimalDecimal ◴[] No.45794997[source]
I think that's true as a personal vehicle. But you'll see them driving around with ladders, pipes, etc. on them as direct competitors to the Ford E-Series. You definitely don't see the Ford vans turned into luxury RVs though!
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3. maxerickson ◴[] No.45795062[source]
No idea how popular they are, but they certainly exist.

https://leisurevans.com/wonder/chassis/

4. andrewflnr ◴[] No.45795076[source]
And also lots of the existing Amazon van fleet.