--- title: "Totaled Rivians Are Living Second Lives in Ukraine. Here’s How" description: "Rivians aren't sold in Ukraine. But these electric trucks and SUVs are still finding their way to the war-torn country after being crashed." date: "2024-10-01" modified: "2024-10-01" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/totaled-rivians-are-living-second-lives-in-ukraine-heres-how" categories: - "Culture" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Rivian News" tags: - "Electric Vehicle" - "pickup" - "R1S" - "r1t" - "Rivian" - "suv/crossover" --- # Totaled Rivians Are Living Second Lives in Ukraine. Here’s How ![2022 Rivian R1T in front of the flag of Ukraine]() *\James Gilboy (foreground), public domain (background)\* Strange things have been happening with wrecked Rivians as of late. Across social media, [Rivian]() owners' apps are telling them that their old EVs have come back online. Not locally, but in the faraway war-torn land of Ukraine. They aren't being turned into technicals, nor [adapted into homebrew bunker busters, like a Toyota Mirai was](). They're being fixed and returned to the road as a result of a strange pipeline that's sending damaged EVs abroad. Posts from owners wondering about their former cars' whereabouts have recently made their way onto [Facebook]() and [Reddit]() alike. In the comments of the latter, one Ukrainian user linked classified car ad site [Auto.ria.com](), which features dozens of for-sale listings for [R1T]() pickup trucks and [R1S]() SUVs in Ukraine. These aren't regular used cars, as Rivians aren't sold new in Ukraine yet. Instead, they're getting here via the same channels that funnel many used EVs—specifically crashed ones—out of North America. ![Used 2023 Rivian R1S listed for sale in Ukraine, likely repaired after being crashed.]() *Used 2023 Rivian R1S listed for sale in Ukraine, likely repaired after being crashed. *Auto.ria.com** As [*Wired*]() reported in November 2023, it has become extremely common for crashed EVs to be exported from the United States and Canada. Between their complexity, high cost of repairs, a shortage of qualified technicians, and the potential for liability in battery repairs, EVs are written off by insurers at disproportionate rates after crashes. Many salvage yards don't want them either, as demand for parts is low and the batteries themselves are challenging and dangerous to work on. That means many crashed EVs, [particularly oft-wrecked Teslas](), suddenly become economical to import to regions like the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, or Eastern Europe. There, skilled laborers can fix the EVs that North Americans are scared to touch, be that by [importing parts from China]() or the West, or by combining the still-working parts of two damaged cars. The latter practice is known in some places as a "cut-and-shut," and the resulting vehicle can be extremely unsafe in a crash. But it's a risk many Ukrainians are increasingly willing to take. Between reduced taxes on imported used EVs, the relatively high availability of chargers, and escalated gas prices in the wake of Russia's invasion, imported EVs are now reportedly the economical option for many Ukrainian drivers. One source joked to *Wired* that ICE vehicles are now the luxury option, flipping the dynamic in Western countries. Sometimes, EVs that are too far gone are still worth bringing in due to their batteries alone—they can be broken down to power smaller vehicles like electric scooters, or even drones to contribute to the war effort. [Rivians](), however, might be a little too fancy to meet that particular fate. They're also unlikely candidates for front-line service due to their cost. Meanwhile, the [Tesla Cybertruck]() seems to be a vehicle that Russia is ready to deploy [with a machine gun on its roof](). That'd be one heck of a way to find out [it's not as bulletproof as Elon Musk says it is](), though. *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()