Name: 2021 Rivian R1T
Brand: Rivian

Rivian R1T

EPA Range: 314 miles

Rivian R1T First Drive

Summary

Introduction

All-Electric Rivian Pickup Take Charge

Startup company to launch upscale, off-road-ready R1T truck

Overview

Ford Motor Company has become the latest major company to invest in electric-vehicle startup Rivian. The $500 million investment, follows a $700 million round of investment led by Amazon. Rivian has shown two vehicles meant to open up a new market for upscale, completely electric vehicles: a first-of-its-kind all-electric pickup, the R1T, and a companion SUV, the R1S.

Starting at $67,500 (before the federal tax credit), the R1T won’t be for everyone. And to get the advertised 400-mile range, you’ll have to pay thousands more for the higher-kilowatt battery pack. But the base model, with a 300-mile range, is priced like a top-of-the-line Ford F-150 or a GMC Sierra. But unlike those models, the R1T won’t consume any gas. The highest 180 kWh battery pack can get over 400 miles on a full charge.

By the time Rivian is available, it will have competition from Ford's F-150 Lightning.

"I started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn’t already have, to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation,” says Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. “Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle."

Impressions

Rivian’s vehicles have a sleek, high-tech look on the outside. They have clean lines and unique lighting—two vertical headlights embedded in a long, horizontal white light bar where the grille would be. The trucks sit high off the ground, and with sealed battery compartments, they’re capable of driving through 3 feet of water.

The R1T incorporates other electric-motor advantages, like accelerating 0-60 mph in a claimed sports-car-like 3 seconds. An electric motor on each wheel delivers power and traction that adjusts to the road conditions, useful for snow or off-road excursions. Multiple drive shafts, multilink rear suspension, and height-adjustable air springs add to off-road capabilities. The vehicle can lower itself for better aerodynamics and easier passenger access.

In another twist over the conventional pickup, Rivian has used its "skateboard" architecture (the batteries lay flat along the floor) to open up storage areas.

Ford plans to use the skateboard to create a new vehicle.

The R1T’s storage bed is shorter than that of some midsized pickups, but there are two unique added compartments—a front trunk under the hood and a long "cargo tunnel" behind the rear seats, accessed from outside the vehicle, that’s big enough to accommodate skis or a surfboard.

Advanced safety and driver assist systems will be standard.