Rivian R1T Electric Pickup Truck Shocks World In LA Debut

Several years ago, Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe initiated a plan to bring a vehicle lineup to market that has never been executed before. After years of research, planning, and development, the R1T electric pickup truck will be unveiled as the first entrant in the realization of Scaringe's dream. Many have long-awaited Rivian's launch and assumed the vehicle would be easily comparable to today's trucks — aside from the fact that it's 100-percent electric — but that's not really the case. In fact, Rivian has gone so far as to create its own unofficial vehicle class  in which its R1T fits perfectly: Electric Adventure Vehicles.

I started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn't already have – to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation. Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle for active customers. This means having great driving dynamics on any surface on- or off-road, providing cargo solutions to easily storing any type of gear whether it's a surf board or a fishing rod and, very importantly, being capable of driving long distances on a single charge.

Not only does the R1T offer a sizable, integrated, watertight, covered bed for versatility, it also seats five adult passengers comfortably, has a large front trunk (frunk), and comes with an innovative gear tunnel. In addition, there's storage beneath the rear-seat floor, as well as beneath the bed floor. The lockable gear tunnel offers a significant amount of cargo capacity for longer items like skis, a snowboard, a tent, a stroller, or even golf clubs. Its door also doubles as a step for accessing the bed or loading items in the bed or on the roof, and it can also be used as a convenient seat for lacing up your boots. The R1T is clearly much more than your average pickup truck when it comes to high-level functionality and innovation.

While the R1T's massive amount of versatile storage space impressed us thoroughly, the truck's performance, capability, and range should work to make it a true winner. It can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3 seconds or to 100 in 7 seconds. The R1T can also tow a whopping 11,000 pounds. With its largest battery pack, it provides over 400 miles of range (200 of which can be added in 30 minutes via DC fast charging). To top it off, four independent 147kW motors control 3,500 Nm of grounded torque to each wheel and provide a combined output of 14,000 Nm of torque and some 800 horsepower. Mark Vinnels, Executive Director of Engineering and Programs shares:

The beauty and elegance of our quad-motor setup isn't just about brute power, this architecture provides instantaneous torque with extremely precise control at each wheel, which is completely game-changing from a dynamics perspective both on- and off-road.

The R1T features a rugged, premium interior that covers all bases. It's durable, comfortable, and highly functional, with surfaces that are nice to look at and easy to clean. VP of Vehicle Design Jeff Hammoud explains:

Although the exterior of the vehicle is what first attracts you, the interior is where you spend the most of your time, so we really focused on creating a transformational space inside our vehicles. The biggest challenge was creating an interior design that delivered a premium experience, while still being comfortable as a space that is heavily used. To do this, we looked outside the automotive industry and took inspiration from contemporary furniture, as well as hiking and outdoor gear, to drive the design.

In terms of the R1T's exterior design, the images speak for themselves. As you can see, Rivian designed a signature front end that will become immediately recognizable and will make its way into all the automaker's upcoming vehicles. It features unique, "stadium" style headlights and a daytime running light that wraps around the entire front end of the truck. Similarly, the tail light extends all the way across the rear of the vehicle and also doubles as a charging status indicator.

Other notable R1T features include a highly sophisticated suspension system consisting of a double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension. The truck will also have a ride-height adjustable air-suspension and be able to ford water up to one meter deep. Finally, the R1T will offer over-the-air software updates and come equipped with a full hardware suite that's capable of Level 3 autonomy.

Rivian just provided us with this pricing update:

Pricing starts at $61,500 after Federal Tax credit. Deliveries of the R1T begin in late 2020. Fully-equipped vehicles with the highest performance level and largest battery pack will enter production first. Our 180 kWh pack (400+ miles range) and 135 kWh pack will be available at launch, with the base variant (230+ miles range) to follow within 12 months of the start of production.

Rivian is now accepting preorders for a refundable deposit of $1,000. More information is available at www.rivian.com