A pickup truck able to tow 11,000lbs, with a wading depth of three feet, and 0-60mph in 3.0 seconds? Sounds good to us.
One more thing: it’s an all-electric truck.
Unlike a lot of other companies bent on producing the Next Best Thing in electrification technology, Rivian chose to stay out of the spotlight while developing the R1T. This is in stark contrast to Tesla, Faraday Future, and just about every other startup company.
It’s a quad-motor truck, meaning the pickup has power going to all four wheels. There will be a three different versions, all with a top speed of 125 miles per hour. In its most powerful guise, Rivian says the R1T will hit 60 miles per hour in three seconds flat, thanks to a total power output of about 750 horsepower. It’ll be good for about 300 miles of range.
A 400-mile battery version of the truck slightly less powerful at about 700 horsepower, smoking the 60 mph mark in 3.2 seconds. The cheaper short-range version will apparently hit sixty in 4.9 seconds, with about 400 horsepower on offer and 230ish miles of range.
Torque checks in at an astounding 826 lb-ft for the two strongest R1Ts and 413 lb-ft on the base truck.
The unit is packed with clever storage solutions, such as the Gear Tunnel that allows for the loading of items stretching right across the entire truck. Skis, fishing rods, hunting gear, even smaller cuts of lumber should all fit in the 12.4 cubit foot space quite nicely. Think of those underslung storage spaces beneath a Greyhound bus and you’ve got the idea. A front trunk (your author will never tire of using the word “frunk”) is good for 11.7 cubic feet of lockable storage as well. Out back, owners will find a trio of 110 volt power outlets in the bed, plus a built in air compressor.
The R1T has some pretty impressive off-road creds as well. Rivian claims a ground clearance measure of 14.3 inches. That’s more than a Wrangler Rubicon. Approach and departure angles are 34 and 30 degrees respectively, with a breakover of 26 degrees.
How big is it? Not quite as wide as the Silverado, measuring 79.3 inches compared to the 80.0-inch Chevy. The Rivian R1T is listed as 215.5 inches in length, while a Silverado Double Cab and standard box measures 230 inches from stem to stern.
Its listed starting price is said to be a reasonable $61,500 after federal tax rebates. It’ll appear in the metal at the L.A. Auto Show this week.
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