The Rivian R1T can hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, it can follow a Wrangler Rubicon just about anywhere, yet on the road it handles with the quiet composure of a large sedan. It just misses a perfect 10 because even with its air suspension, it’s a weighty, high-riding pickup truck that will never handle like a Porsche.
Yes, but the R1T can be had in two different drive systems, one with four Bosch motors, one with two Rivian-developed motors.
How fast is the Rivian R1T?
It ranges from quick to supercar quick.
The Quad-Motor model makes 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque, to get the truck from 0-60 mph in just 3.0 seconds. It’s breathtakingly quick. But it can only be had with the 135-kwh battery pack and an estimated range of 328 miles.
The Dual-Motor models can be had with three battery pack sizes that dramatically affect the range. The base model only has All-Terrain, All-Purpose, and Snow modes, but it’s the only R1T that can be had with a 105-kwh Standard pack with a 270-mile range. It’s the budget R1T, yet it makes 533 hp and 610 lb-ft, good for a 0-60 mph time in 4.5 seconds, and it handles hillsides and boulder ravines with ease. The available Large pack boosts range to 352 miles, while the new 149-kwh Max pack bumps it to 410 miles.
The Performance Dual-Motor hits the sweet spot. It can be had with the Large or Max pack, and a Sport mode tapping into 665 hp and 829 lb-ft helps launch it to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. It’s our recommended powertrain.
Rivian R1T ride and handling
Both versions have All-Purpose, Snow, All-Terrain, and Towing modes, but the units have different final gear ratios.
The big difference off-road between the two drive units comes from how torque gets routed to the wheels. The Dual relies on brake-based torque vectoring, whereas the Quad utilizes the four motors to apportion torque to each wheel. The Quad is a better experience in spirited on-road driving and more daring off-road scenarios, but the Dual is so capable that only in back-to-back testing does it feel a grade lower.
Consider the Quad-Motor to be optimized for off-roading, with its All-Terrain sub-modes that include Drift, Rally, Rock Crawl, Soft Sand, and Conserve mode. Conserve mode is only meant to be used to get to the last miles of a destination if the battery charge is low. Keep in mind that Conserve mode in the Quad-Motor lowers the air suspension to its lowest drive setting of 10.1 inches of ground clearance, and adjusts the camber in a way that may unduly cause front tire wear, especially with the All-Terrain package. The Dual-Motor units lack a Conserve mode, instead relying on its default All-Purpose mode that decouples the rear axle to run as a front-wheel-drive truck for greater efficiency in most scenarios. If you floor it, the rear axle unit powers on-demand, so the torque shifts from solely the front wheels to a near even split with the rear wheels so all four wheels are more planted on the ground.
The standard suspension setting is 11.3 inches off the ground, and even in Sport mode with the dampers and air springs, it leans into corners like other high-riding vehicles. The motors do an incredible job of offsetting the R1T’s prodigious weight of up to 7,148 pounds, but the weight and height become most obvious in turns, even with inspiration from McLaren on how to cut corners.
Off-road modes can raise the ground clearance to 14.4 inches. With no differential case hanging from the axle, the R1T can clear a great many more obstacles than other off-roaders.
Both the Quad- and Dual-Motor trucks can tow up to 11,000 pounds, but expect a 45% battery range drop when towing near that threshold. One last thing to note: Rivian’s on-board range telematics are the most accurate mileage estimates we’ve tested in an EV, continuously updated based on outside and interior conditions. It’s a welcome reassurance.
