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New Rivian video showcases its electric trucks’ camping credentials

Cooking in the Wild

Rivian is far from the only startup developing high-end electric vehicles. But instead of a sports car or luxury sedan, Rivian decided to build a pickup truck and SUV with genuine off-road capability. What do you do with that kind of vehicle? You take it camping, of course.

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A video released by Rivian shows the company’s R1T pickup truck being used for exactly that. It shows that the R1T has plenty of room for camping gear, including a bed-mounted tent. Rivian has also developed a portable camp kitchen that fits into the storage cubby built into the side of R1T’s bed. Sporting drawers for pots and pans, aswell as an electric range to cook on, the camp kitchen slides out of the side of the vehicle. It’s unclear if this accessory will be available when the R1T launches, however.

The R1T’s ample cargo space is due in part to its design. Rivian used a “skateboard” chassis that houses the battery pack, electric motors, and suspension, meaning none of those components intrude into the body. The R1T has a front trunk — like a Tesla — as well as a storage compartment where the transmission tunnel would normally be. Rivian also plans to sell the R1S, which will use the same chassis as the R1T, but with a seven-seat SUV body.

Rivian will offer the R1T with three battery-pack sizes: 180 kilowatt-hours, 135 kWh, and 105 kWh. The 180-kWh pack will offer the most range (400 miles, according to Rivian), but the 135-kWh pack will offer the quickest acceleration (0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds). All versions will have an electronically limited top speed of 125 mph. Rivian also claims a maximum towing capacity of 11,000 pounds, which is substantially more than the midsize trucks the R1T most closely resembles in size.

All of that capability won’t come cheap. The R1T has a base price of $69,000, and Rivian is taking $1,000 refundable deposits for the truck. The company plans to begin deliveries in late 2020, starting with the 180-kWh and 135 kWh- models. Rivian previously said the 105-kWh R1T will follow within 12 months of the start of production.

Electric-vehicle startup failures are numerous, but Rivian does have a few things going for it. The company has already secured a former Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois, to build the R1T and R1S. It has also attracted the attention of some big players. Amazon will invest $700 million in Rivian, while Ford has confirmed a $500 million invest. Ford will also use Rivian’s “skateboard” chassis for one of its own electric vehicles.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Rivian adds Snow Mode through software update just in time for winter
Rivian Snow Mode information screen.

Making up for slow truck shipments, the Rivian software team has been busy working on improvements and new features to keep existing customers happy. Although it’s a small group, happy customers make for great brand ambassadors.
The biggest and most advertised feature of the new update is “Snow Mode,”  - rolled out today for the R1T truck and the R1S SUV - which helps maximize control with an emphasis on comfort when you’re in icy, slushy, or snowy conditions. I’ve found Rivian vehicles to have an overly aggressive regenerative braking system (the only options are Normal and High), and the new Snow Mode helps reduce the sensitivity of the braking system to allow for better control on slippery surfaces. Imagine having to deal with a sliding car every time the brakes come on due to regen mode – not fun for any driver.

You also have to wonder why there wasn’t a “Snow Mode” to begin with, considering these are otherwise incredibly capable off-road trucks, but thankfully Rivian has been listening to its customers and acting quickly to appeal to the masses.
Other important updates include the ability to heat the front and second-row seats, heat the steering wheel, and turn on the defrost system all through the mobile app (software update version 1.9). Another important update is the ability to share an address from Google Maps or Apple Maps directly to the truck’s navigation system – a nice touch.
And for those with range anxiety, this software update purportedly helps with battery efficiency – though the exact numbers have not been released.
You might be wondering why these updates are coming after the vehicles have already been delivered. After all, a lot of vehicles come with these features from day one. While no official Rivian spokesperson has commented, unofficially the response has been that they want to make sure the experience is perfect for their customers and that means extensive testing and cautious rollouts over time.
I happen to think that they are rushing to get vehicles out the door to make investors and early pre-order customers happy. Worth noting is the fact that some Rivian vehicles have wood trim on the back of the first-row headrests, and others do not. Chalk it up to cost-cutting or assembly line improvements?
Here is a shortened list of other new features and bugs that the latest Rivian software update addresses:

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Rivian beat the likes of Ford, General Motors, and Tesla to market with an electric pickup truck, but now it’s time for act two.

The 2022 Rivian R1S shares most of its DNA with the Rivian R1T pickup released late last year, but in place of a bed, it has a three-row cabin with seating for seven. It retains the R1T’s distinctive styling, impressive off-road capability, and improbable acceleration, but in a package for drivers who need to carry people instead of stuff.

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