With a large 135-kwh battery pack powering 4 impartial motors for every wheel, an impartial air suspension with 6.5 inches of journey, and 5 drive modes with practically 50 completely different drive settings, the Rivian R1T is probably the most versatile automobile we’ve ever pushed. It twists by hairpin turns with agility and composure, clambers up deeply rutted rock trails, accelerates faster than most sports activities automobiles, and does all of it in close to silence. It’s a 9 for its wonderful powertrain, composed dealing with, and excellent off-road functionality and towing capability. 

How briskly is the R1T?

Rivian claims a 0-60 mph time in 3.0 seconds and we now have each cause to consider it. But, it doesn’t really feel prefer it’s cornering on rails or slamming you into the seat again. The rationale, extra so than the multitude of suspension and experience high quality settings, is that its huge battery pack of seven,776 small 2170-format Samsung SDI cells contributes to a whopping curb weight of practically 7,000 lb, which is as a lot as most heavy obligation pickup vans. However no pickup, from the Ford F-150 Raptor to the Ram TRX to something by Hennessey, has this sort of choose up.  

Is the R1T 4WD?

Sure, the R1T’s quad-motor drive system has two drive items on every axle, with two motors per drive unit controlling both half shaft. The motors work independently to make 415 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque to the entrance axle, and 420 hp and 495 lb-ft to the rear axle; collectively, the output exceeds 800 hp and 900 lb-ft. The quad motor arrange allows torque vectoring at every nook of the truck to each maximize grip on pavement and climb over obstacles off-road at low speeds. 

5 drive settings with 5 completely different suspension heights give the R1T a variability unmatched by different autos. The air suspension can drop to 7.9 inches when parked and tops out at 14.4 inches in Offroad mode. Above 50 mph, the suspension routinely lowers to 10.1 inches for higher aero and effectivity, and that’s additionally the usual experience top for Sport mode. Relying on the mode, the system units the adaptive damping, regenerative braking, and traction management between three settings every that may be overridden by the motive force. For example, Sport mode makes use of extra entrance axle torque and switches the dampers from Tender to Stiffer that, together with the lowered experience top, lets it hug the street extra. 

One of many few drive techniques to stay mounted is the electronically assisted steering. The suspension adjustments would possibly make it appear to be it provides steering heft, however the ratio stays the identical. On-center really feel is nice, and the steering response isn’t too free nor too agency, although drivers used to efficiency automobiles would possibly need extra resistance and street really feel.  

With a automobile this weight and top, Rivian employed a hydraulic roll management system as a substitute of anti-roll bars to maintain the massive SUV from leaning into turns. 

Off-road

In case you plan to go off-roading in any terrain, from previous fireplace and mining roads to slickrock in Moab, get the Off-Street bundle. As a substitute of 21- or 22-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli tires, it comes with 20-inch wheels wrapped in 34-inch Pirelli Scorpion 275/65/R20 all-terrain tires. The underbody protect that protects the battery pack will get strengthened with a layer of metal, carbon fiber, and a layer of aluminum honeycomb for vitality absorption. 

The geometry helps, with an method angle of 34.0 levels, a departure angle of 29.3 levels, and a breakover of 25.7 levels. These break up the distinction between Rivian’s off-road benchmarks, with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4-door having 44/37/22.6-degree method/departure/breakover angles and the Ford F-150 Raptor’s 33.1/24.9/24.4 levels with 37-inch tires. Neither of the benchmarks can match the bottom clearance supplied by the R1T’s air suspension, however that’s not the one aggressive benefit. 

There’s no pumpkin, no big rear differential to scrape, no gasoline traces or transmission circumstances to cowl, so as a substitute of aiming a wheel for a rock to crawl over, you may straddle obstacles and simply clear them with the 14.9-inch clearance (it’s greater as a result of bigger tires with the off-road bundle). Cameras on the aspect mirrors projecting backwards and forwards, in addition to entrance and rear cameras, give additional eyes the place wanted. Probably the most exceptional factor is how quiet it’s, with the normal grinding and cranking of lockers and revving of the engine changed by the crush of rock and the burbling of a creek. 

Descending down a slope or pausing whereas climbing in Rock Crawl is completely different than in conventional off-roaders. There’s no “Maintain” so two-foot driving is vital to carry the brake on a slope and gently speed up so that you don’t roll again into the R1T behind you, say. For now, there’s no hill descent management, however the Max regen braking setting fills that void, besides when the wheels slip and shuttle you forward. 

The distinction between Max, Excessive, and Normal regen shouldn’t be that pronounced, and studying how one can modulate the accelerator for one-pedal driving for clean stops into stoplights comes comparatively simple. 

Towing capability maxes out at 11,000 lb, however we didn’t check Tow mode. The air suspension routinely ranges the experience top when towing, and the assorted drive settings routinely modify to go well with the load.

Evaluate continues beneath