Chris Davies/SlashGear EDITORS’ RATING: 9/ 10 Pros Little obvious efficiency sacrifice versus quad-motor R1T Lower rate methods (some) trims are tax credit qualified Practical and capable with a high tow score Cabin holds up to similarly-priced high-end vehicles Cons Still not low-cost Some software/infotainment aggravations remain Off-road specification sacrifices a piece of variety It’s a familiar EV method: initially, you wow them, then you reel them in. Rivian definitely didn’t stem that method– Tesla just used the high-end Model S and X for several years before the more economical Model 3 showed up– however its R1T electrical pickup beat competing trucks to market and with an extensive specification list befitting a new car manufacturer wanting to make a splash. The initial R1T didn’t simply have an early arrival in its favor: its 4 electrical motors and wild amounts of torque made it as much an off-road monster as it was an asphalt-chewing speed maker. The drawback– or, a minimum of, the greatest drawback– was the expense, with even a base-spec R1T quad-motor presently beginning at $87,000. Now, Rivian has a more budget friendly dual-motor variation of the R1T (and the R1S SUV) to attend to that. Chris Davies/SlashGear Affordability operates on a moving scale, naturally: priced from $73,000 (plus location), the R1T dual-motor is still easily in the high-end vehicle section. Once again, so is many of its electrical truck competitors. Chris Davies/SlashGear Despite early pledges, a Cybertruck will set you back a minimum of $76k if you desire one this year; customer variations of Ford’s F-150 Lightning formally begin at $55k, however best of luck discovering one within $10k+ of that. Chevrolet’s upcoming Silverado EV will begin at $75k, and the leviathan GMC Hummer EV presently starts north of $96k. The pickup might have concerned signify American movement, however you’ll still require to be relatively upwardly mobile if you desire one that operates on batteries, not gas. Neither extravagant nor offending to the eye Chris Davies/SlashGear In the strata of electrical truck style, the R1T falls someplace in the middle. Unlike the F-150 Lightning, which is practically similar to Ford’s gas and diesel pickups, the Rivian does stand apart as something uncommon in the truck world. The distinct light bars front and rear assistance, there. Still, it’s far from the love-it-or-hate-it Cybertruck. Chris Davies/SlashGear The tidy shape is useful, too. Rivian’s power front hood exposes a helpful 11.1 cu-ft of storage area (larger than in a great deal of EVs, though not rather as quickly accessed as the F-150 Lightning which raises its grille, too. Chris Davies/SlashGear The 4.5-foot bed– the only length Rivian deals presently– has a power tailgate and a lot of beneficial tie-down points, in addition to an integrated air compressor and 2 120V outlets. A manual tonneau cover is a $1,800 choice. Chris Davies/SlashGear Still unequaled is the R1T’s Gear Tunnel, a truck-spanning compartment in between the taxi and the rear wheels. Accessed by a drop-down door on either side– which are each tough adequate to utilize as actions to access the trunk or optional roofing rails– it can hold an additional 11.7 cu-ft and likewise has power outlets. One touchscreen to rule them all Chris Davies/SlashGear Inside, Rivian is an advocate of the touchscreen-first method. A 16-inch display screen in the center manages navigation, multimedia, and automobile settings like drive mode, as you ‘d anticipate; it likewise changes the HVAC system, down to the air flow from the motorized vents. A 2nd, smaller sized display screen for the chauffeur reveals speed, a map, and driving metrics. Chris Davies/SlashGear Like a variety of EVs, there aren’t committed controls for changing the guiding wheel and side mirrors: that’s accessed through a menu, and modified utilizing the guiding wheel buttons and dials. There are, a minimum of, devoted seat change controls, and pushing any of those summons the wheel/mirror menu. As a workaround it’s practical, however real, physical controls for a great deal of this things would be even much better. Chris Davies/SlashGear Also missing is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto assistance, though the R1T’s exceptional audio system made routine Bluetooth-streamed music noise suddenly terrific. Rivian spreads 6 USB-C ports around the cabin, though individuals wishing to charge laptop computers or other gadgets may discover them reasonably low-powered, and choose to plug their adapter into among the truck’s 2 120V outlets. A pull-out Bluetooth speaker under the front armrest functions as a camp light. High-end area with green qualifications Chris Davies/SlashGear Overall, it’s a tidy and comfy cabin, with a lot of nooks and cubbies for storage. Those anticipating to carry a household more frequently may wish to aim to the three-row R1S SUV. Both get Rivian’s comfy seats– with an option of 5 color pattern, all of which utilize vegan leather– and a breathtaking glass roofing. A heated guiding wheel, in addition to heated and aerated front seats, are basic. Chris Davies/SlashGear Rivian has actually made excellent usage of its OTA (over-the-air) upgrade assistance, utilizing the R1T’s baked-in cellular modem to provide numerous brand-new functions given that the pickup very first introduced. There are 3 car wiper speeds, now, for instance (the slowest of which I still discovered a little too excited), plus the capability to arrange cabin preconditioning. A revamped mobile app introduced midway through 2023, while the Gear Guard system can now conserve video from the truck’s different video cameras to a USB-C drive. Chris Davies/SlashGear That OTA system will likewise be utilized to broaden the R1T’s driver-assistance innovation. The electrical pickup is ranked to tow approximately 11,000 pounds, for example, however presently, the basic blind-spot caution system does not take into consideration what’s hanging off the tow drawback. That’ll obviously be resolved– together with a growth of the other ADAS– in a future upgrade. More than simply half the motors Chris Davies/SlashGear The initial R1T wowed with its a-motor-for-each-wheel technique, efficient in separately managing torque at each corner. For the dual-motor variation, there’s a single electrical motor for each axle, and the car manufacturer utilizes brake-based torque vectoring to press their torque to the left or best wheels. Rivian didn’t simply slice out 2 electrical motors and stop. The distinctions in between the initial quad-motor R1T and this dual-motor variation are significant, debuting as it does Rivian’s Enduro next-generation motor. Established and produced internal, Enduro assures to be less expensive and more versatile to construct, more effective, and more resistant to the sort of part lack traffic jams which affected the business’s early production. Chris Davies/SlashGear Incidentally, do not hold out hope for a single-motor variation of the R1T (or the R1S, for that matter). According to Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe, the flagship positioning of the R1 series would not fit with a more affordable, single-motor setup. That’s much more most likely to occur with the upcoming R2 series, the car manufacturer’s vision for more mass-market EVs gotten out of around 2026. This is still an extremely effective pickup Chris Davies/SlashGear There are 2 variations of the R1T dual-motor: routine and, for $5k more, the Performance upgrade. The previous’s drivetrain is tuned for 533 horse power and 610 lb-ft of torque, whereas the latter gets a bump to 665 horse power and 829 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are below the quad-motor R1T, definitely– which has 835 horse power and 908 lb-ft to have fun with– however the reality of the matter is that these are still indecently fast trucks. Compared to the quad’s 3.0 2nd 0-60 miles per hour time, the R1T dual-motor in Performance kind takes simply 3.5 seconds. Even the “slowest” variation will still do that in 4.5 seconds. Chris Davies/SlashGear Put your foot down and the R1T whooshes. An easy-to-modulate accelerator pedal in addition to 3 levels of regenerative braking strength makes both one-pedal city driving an easygoing affair, and abrupt sports-car-shaming blasts of speed practically too simple. The Performance trim includes a devoted Sport mode to the routine All-Purpose, Snow, and All-Terrain, together with a Soft Sand mode, however honestly, in any setting, the electrical truck warranties you will not be doing not have punch. For the roadway, or beyond it Chris Davies/SlashGear Hit the corners, and the air suspension does a remarkably great task of keeping things level, too. That’ll reduce immediately at highway speeds (or in Sport mode) for higher effectiveness or can be by hand decreased and raised depending upon roadway conditions. Rivian’s basic wheels are 21-inches and road-focused (with 22-inch variations optional). With the $3,850 All-Terrain Upgrade, they’re switched for 20-inch off-road alloys shod in 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake tires (and a full-size extra taking up the under-bed storage). In snowy, icy Michigan, that was a welcome upgrade. The R1T is surefooted and capable, brushing off whatever from slush through to ice. In All-Purpose mode, there might be some quickly regulated (and, honestly, amusing) wiggle as the double motors’ excesses of power overwhelmed the 3-Peaks’ instant grip. Changing to Snow mode axed that. Chris Davies/SlashGear Absent from the drive mode carousel is the R1T quad-motor’s Conserve setting, another side-effect of the Enduro motor switch. Unlike the initial R1T (and R1S), which might just disable 2 of the 4 motors because devoted mode, the dual-motor variations can detach the rear axle on the fly. It suggests the R1T dual-motor can selectively change to a more cost-effective single-motor setup when more power isn’t required, such as highway travelling, and in any of the truck’s drive modes bar Sport. 3 batteries however some limitations on versatility Chris Davies/SlashGear It’s a modification that pays dividends in variety. The most affordable R1T dual-mode setup includes Rivian’s 105 kWh (gross) Standard battery pack ranked for approximately 270 miles; $6,000 more gets you the 135 kWh Large pack, ranked for approximately 352 miles; the 149 kWh Max pack is $16,000, and ranked for as much as 410 miles. Wheel and tire option likewise affect the overall prospective variety. If you desire that complete 410-mile price quote from limit pack, for instance, you’ll require to stick to the basic 21-inch roadway wheels. Changing to the 22-inch variations implies compromising 30 miles of variety; the grippier rubber on the All-Terrain upgrade’s 20-inch wheels sees that dip even further, to 355 miles. With the mid-sized Large battery and the least-efficient wheels– as on this specific evaluation R1T– you’re down to 307 miles. Chris Davies/SlashGear There are some setup characteristics, too. You can’t get the All-Terrain upgrade with the Standard battery (and provided the effect that would have on variety, it’s most likely a smart choice), however more especially, you can’t have the Standard pack with the Performance trim. Rather, the tiniest battery alternative there is the Large pack. At $84k, that setup pushes the R1T past the $80k cost cap for the U.S. federal tax credit; stick below it, and the R1T is qualified for as much as $3,750. The truths of Rivian variety Chris Davies/SlashGear Range is, certainly, greatly affected by how you’re driving, on what roadways and at which speeds, and ecological conditions. Winter in specific does electrical vehicles no favors, and with typical temperature levels throughout my screening at around the 35 Fahrenheit mark, this R1T dual-motor evaluation truck with the Large battery and All-Terrain upgrade had its work cut out for it. A two-hour highway jaunt at around 70 miles per hour saw the truck clock in at 2.0 miles per kWh. Rivian does not reveal just how much of its battery capability is functional, however even if the entire of the Large pack was available, that would exercise to around 270 miles of overall variety. Consider city driving, and power intake unsurprisingly enhances. Chris Davies/SlashGear There was likewise a reasonable quantity of roadway sound from the off-road tires, though Rivian’s soft suspension setting did do an excellent task of separating substandard Michigan asphalt. The company setting is certainly best conserved for smoother surface areas. Rivian’s Highway Assist– part of the basic Driver+ suite that consists of adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping help and departure cautions, blind area and rear cross-traffic notifies, 360-degree parking accident informs, automated emergency situation braking and vibrant brake assistance, and forward crash cautions– develops on the routine adaptive cruise with lane-keeping. It’s a hands-on-wheel system and presently does not have the automated lane-change maneuvers used by competing systems like GM’s Super Cruise. Public charging is still made complex Chris Davies/SlashGear With a Level 2 home battery charger, anticipate 16-25 miles of variety per hour depending upon amperage. The R1T likewise supports approximately 220 kW DC quick charging, however cold conditions showed temperature level’s significant influence on speed. In theory, a quick battery charger– presently utilizing the CCS port, though Tesla Supercharger gain access to is coming — might include 140 miles of variety in about 20 minutes. In practice, after a sluggish start, I saw a 188 kW peak at a 350 kW Electrify America station. After 24 minutes, 54 kWh had actually been provided, taking the R1T to 75% charge. A 2nd session, which struck a 150 kW peak, took 32 minutes to provide 47 kWh and take the R1T to 80%. That’s approximately 1.8 kWh per minute or about half the R1T’s theoretical optimum. Chris Davies/SlashGear Battery warming starts when a quick battery charger is picked in the navigation system (you can’t by hand start that procedure, presently, if you’re headed for a battery charger not in Rivian’s database), the concept being that, by the time you plug in, it’ll remain in its 68-77 Fahrenheit peak effectiveness variety. Had actually preconditioning been running two times as long as the 15 minutes it required to drive to the Electrify America station, there’s a much more powerful possibility that I ‘d have seen much faster speeds on very first plugging in. There’s likewise the charging curve to think about: EV batteries charge much faster up until they get to around 80%, at which point the rates sluggish drastically so regarding avoid possible damage. It would not be unjust to blame prevalent facilities concerns too. The R1T will flash up a message if the station it’s plugged into is the reason for sluggish speeds, however more openness about possible factors for a slow charge would be welcome peace of mind. 2024 Rivian R1T Dual-Motor Verdict Chris Davies/SlashGear An electrical automobile is still not the best option for everybody, which is true for electrical trucks. The R1T can out-tow numerous internal combustion competitors, and out-accelerate them, and all with a cabin that fits its high-end automobile rates. At the exact same time, variety stress and anxiety and charging facilities are still genuine issues, and– though Supercharger gain access to will assist, and Rivian is constructing out its own Level 2 and Level 3 network– numerous pickup purchasers just aren’t set up to make that EV shift. That’s a problem that affects more than simply Rivian, naturally, and similarly real is that it’s ignorant to cross out the entire electrical truck sector just since they’re not for every chauffeur. Where the R1T dual-motor prospers remains in its application of creativity: not simply accepting a brand-new energy source, however then profiting from the prospective advantages a battery-electric platform uses with use, freight, and efficiency benefits ICE trucks just can’t match. Would it be good if all that came less expensive? Sure. Exist times when Rivian leans a little too hard into the tech? Perhaps, yes. Simply like the Lucid Air Pure feels like an imperfect however still aspirational vision of electrical high-end, the R1T dual-motor embodies electrical usefulness in a method that’s hard to withstand. We’re still some method from the age of mass-market EV trucks, however if they provide half as much as the Rivian R1T then that’s something to eagerly anticipate.
2024 Rivian R1T Dual-Motor Review: Better Range, Better Value
