THE RIVIAN R1T WILL BE THE FIRST EV
truck to reach the market. Set for early
2021, the four-door features up to 750
hp, 829 lb-ft of torque, a quartet of in-hub
motors, and a battery pack upgrade for
180 kWh—the most power we know of in
this crop. The peak setup provides a pro-
jected 0-to-60 time of 3.0 seconds, 400
miles of range, and an 11,000-lb towing
capacity—enough to pull a 35-foot travel
trailer. The base 105 kWh, 230-mile range
R1T will cost $69,000, per Rivian, with
more pricing details to come.
In the field, adjustable power delivery
to individual wheels provides intense grip
for the R1T in slippery conditions, and an
adjustable air suspension system com-
bines sportscar-like roll stiffness with
dune buggy–esque impact absorption. The
R1T links its right-hand compression cir-
cuits with its left-hand rebound circuits,
same with the front and back, to minimize
impact, and compared to active hydraulic
suspension, it uses far less energy, mini-
mizing impact on battery range.
In addition to a “frunk” under the
hood, the R1T sports a pass-thru “gear
tunnel” between the bed and rear doors.
Rivian will produce adventure modules
like a camping kitchen, cooler, and tackle
kit for the tunnel. A cloud-connected
infotainment system up front incorpo-
rates on- and off-road maps, too.E
LECTRIC SUPREMACY IS
indisputable: More power,
immediate torque, supe-
rior ground clearance,
and in-hub motors com-
manding each wheel make
electric vehicles (EVs)
ideal for a demanding go-any where
adventure compared with diesel- or
gas-engine vehicles.
EVs' in-hub motors are optimal
for all-wheel-drive traction and han-
dling, and trucks’ high ride height
affords graceful incorporation of
a f loor-mounted battery pack. The
lack of other underbody components
like exhaust pipes or gas tanks grants
EVs better ground clearance than
gas-engine trucks, and thanks to
zero emissions from the tailpipe, your
adventures will be more eco-friendly.
For truck buyers weaned on V-8s,
these pickups defy the sparing out-
put of other EVs. “These are muscle
trucks—they’re monsters,” says
Ed Kim, vice president of industry
research firm AutoPacific.
In-hub motors are one of the keys
to EVs’ powerful potential. While
a gas-driven engine runs from the
front of the vehicle to the axles,
an in-hub motor resides individu-
ally in each wheel’s hub. This more
direct mode of power delivery offers
greater precision and efficiency, and
thanks to the motors’ simple design
and fewer parts, they’re cheaper to
maintain than a traditional engine.
Placing in-hub motors at the
truck’s corners also liberates design-
ers from the three-box layout of a
traditional pickup, but these early
models still skew old-school, turn-
ing the nose’s “engine” compartment
into extra storage. In the future,
e-trucks might not appear like clas-
sical trucks at all.Off-R
THE FUTURE OF
RIVIAN R1T
Leader of the EV pack
PRICE: $69,900+
RANGE: 230–400 miles
RELEASE: Early 2021