Rivian R1S: release date, interior, features and more

Advertisements

The Rivian R1S SUV is only the beginning of what’s to come from Rivian.

image via rivian

It is the goal of the Rivian R1S to show that Rivian is more than a one-trick pony. Instead it appears keen to mimic the success of other EV-centric manufacturers, especially Tesla. While that’s a big objective, it looks Rivian could be one of the most promising new faces in the EV industry thus far.

As a result, what can we anticipate from Rivian R1T truck’s younger sibling? Due to the S designation, the R1S is an SUV designed to provide a more sporty driving experience than you’d expect from a pickup truck. Even so, it’ll have all the same features as the R1T, so there’s lots to look forwards to. Here’s all you need to know about the Rivian R1T.

Advertisements

Obtainability and cost of the Rivian R1S

To get the R1S off to a good start right now, the Explorer Package costs $72,500 and the Adventure Package costs $78,500. Both of these are available to pre-order today with a $1,000 deposit, but the completely Launch Edition (Originally $75,500) is sold out.

(Image credit: Rivian)

Rivian purchasers were notified in late-2021 that their vehicles would start arriving from March, while the bulk of the first wave of deliveries are planned in the summer and fall of 2022.

Rivian R1S: Performance and range

According to Rivian, the R1S can reach 60 mph in only 3.0 seconds, and the big battery pack (the only size available for the time being) is expected to provide an EPA-estimated 316-mile range. The R1T truck, with a 0-60 time and a range of 314 miles, offers a similar performance.

Advertisements

Both of these numbers are excellent, but Rivian wants to stress the R1S’s off-roading SUV characteristics. For example, it has a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds and a wading depth of more than three feet. This puts it on a level with the current Land Rover Defender in terms of performance and price point.

Rivian offers the R1S with all-terrain, road, or sport tyres, with a ground clearance of 14.9 inches.

The R1S can charge at up to 190kW, which is amazing but falls short of some of the quickest-charging vehicles on sale today, such the 270kW Porsche Taycan. According to Rivian, this will rise to 200 kW and potentially 300 kW in future versions.

Advertisements
(Image credit: Rivian)

A smart feature of Rivian automobiles is how they may be tow-charged. The automobile may be towed forwards by a towing vehicle, such as a semi truck, however this is only meant for emergencies. The gear selector has to be in reverse and a tiny amount of pressure has to be given to the accelerator pedal. That permits kinetic energy to be supplied into the battery.

Following in Tesla’s footsteps, Rivian is also creating its own high-speed charging network. So instead of depending exclusively on the uneven public networks, Rivian owners will have access to the company’s own chargers. For the time being, these chargers will only be available to residents of Rivian; but, in the near future, they will be made available to all vehicles.

By 2023, Rivian hopes to have a network of 200kW chargers spanning most of the United States and Canada, with the option to upgrade to 300kW stations.

Advertisements

Designed using the Rivian R1S

For the R1S, Rivian developed a four-motor driving system. Rivian’s method allows for exact control and adjustment of the power distribution to each wheel, in contrast to the one-, two-, and three-motor arrangements used by the majority of other electric vehicles.

In order to prevent the Rivian R1S from understeering or oversteering when driving on or off-road or in snow, torque vectoring will be used.

Comparing its powertrain to more typical off-roading systems, Rivian claims its quad-motor platform delivers “substantially greater torque management than locking differentials, and they’re instantaneously adaptable for any condition.”

Advertisements

A dual-motor AWD vehicle is on the way, with a smaller “normal” battery, although delivery isn’t slated to begin until sometime in 2024. There’s no word yet on the price.

(Image credit: Rivian)

The front axle has a 415-horsepower and 413-pound-foot torque drive unit, while the rear has a slightly more potent 420-horsepower and 495-pound-foot torque drive unit.

The Rivian platform also incorporates independent air suspension with six inches of vertical adjustability, lowering the vehicle for greater aerodynamics on the highway and rising to obtain more ground clearance while off-roading.

Advertisements

The mechanism may also adjust to assist level the R1S while towing. Further to this, the car detects the road and driver input every five milliseconds, then changes the suspension appropriately.

The inside of the Rivian R1S

The R1S features a seven-seat cabin divided over three rows. The dashboard boasts a huge, landscape-oriented touchscreen display, replete with LTE and Wi-Fi connection, wireless charging, up to eight USB ports, three 12V outlets and two 120V plugs. The Alexa speech assistant is also part of the Rivian operating system, and the optional Rivian Elevation audio system is offered by Meridian.

image via rivian

There’s also a wide panoramic glass roof, and Rivian claims an optional detachable roof for open-air exploration will be available in mid-2022. The seats are manufactured from vegan imitation leather, while consumers may also pick between two style packages that include wood or matte-finished surfaces.

Advertisements

The R1S comes in five- and seven-seat configurations, but the third and fourth rows of the back seats may be folded flat, just as in any other SUV. According to Rivian, doing this implies you may have up to 104 cubic feet of storage capacity. In addition to the usual trunk/cargo area and the front trunk, there are also storage bins beneath the seats and in the centre console.

Vehicle autonomy using the Rivian R1S

Just like Tesla with its Autopilot, Rivisian is creating Driver+. Driver+ is a hands-free advanced driver assistance technology that comes standard on all Rivian vehicles and provides level 2 autonomous driving capabilities, i.e. the car can manage steering and acceleration simultaneously. However Rivian is cautious not to call the innovation as “autonomous” since level 2 is still a long way from complete driver-free autonomy.

The Driver+ system employs 11 cameras, five radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors to obtain a 360-degree picture of the vehicle’s surrounds, combined with an inside camera to check driver attention.

Advertisements
image via rivian

On certain roads, the Highway assist function regulates the steering, braking, and acceleration, and the Lane change assist feature makes it easier to change lanes. If you’d prefer not to have your car’s steering controlled by adaptive cruise control, that’s an option as well.

Automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping to prevent you from accidentally drifting out of your lane, parking assistance, and warnings for cars in your blind zone are all included. Rivian claims additional functionalities will be introduced with future over-the-air software upgrades.

Rivian R1S: Extra features

Rivian adores the idea of its clients going off-road in their automobiles. A rooftop tent and surfboard rack are only two of the products offered by the firm to meet this need.

Advertisements

On top of that the company offers the $2,000 off-road upgrade kit, which instals a strengthened underbody protection to the front of the R1S, and a pair of front-mounted tow hooks, to assist pull drivers out of difficulties while off-roading.

Rivian R1S versus Rivian R1T: What’s the difference?

Rivian is releasing the R1T a little before the R1S, but the two vehicles are very identical in design and functionality. In reality, Rivian revealed in 2018 that the two automobiles share 91 percent of their components. In truth, the only notable difference is how the R1S is a standard SUV, while the R1T is a truck — replete with a cargo bed behind the passenger compartment.

This different design offers the R1T capacity for five people over two rows, while the R1S has seven seats across three rows. Meanwhile specifications, at least on the entry-level models, are not too different. Both cars go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, but the R1S has a two-mile longer range.

Advertisements

Priced from $67,500, the R1T went into production immediately at the end of 2021, while the R1S, which begins at $70,000, is coming later in 2022.

Summary of R1S Rivian

Rivian has already established itself to be a strong player in the electric car sector. Not only was it able to launch the first high-profile electric truck in the United States, it certainly doesn’t have any intention of stopping there.

By 2022 Amazon expects to get 10,000 electric delivery trucks from the firm, which will have already received thousands of pre-orders, quadrupled its workforce in the preceding year, and is on track to construct 10,000 such vehicles. In the grand scheme of things, the Rivian R1S is only the next logical step.

Advertisements
image via rivian

So far the Rivian R1S is checking a lot of the same boxes as the R1T, which makes sense because the changes are primarily surface deep. In light of the R1largely T’s good reaction so far, that’s not a terrible thing. If the R1S continues to impress, it may eventually be rated one of the greatest electric vehicles on the market.

The Rivian R1S is evidence that Rivian doesn’t want to be a one-trick pony, and is keen to attempt to repeat the success of fellow EV-centric carmaker Tesla. Among the plethora of automakers attempting to get on the electric bandwagon, Rivian seems to have the greatest potential.

So what can we anticipate from the follow-up to the Rivian R1T electric truck? The R1S is expected to deliver a sportier ride, with all the same hi-tech bells and whistles you’d find in its elder sister. There’s a lot to be thrilled about with the R1T, especially given how well received it has been. Here’s all you need to know about the Rivian R1S.

Advertisements

Leave a Comment