Rivian R1S review: king of the mountain
A trip to Big Bear in Rivian’s electric SUV showcases why it’s one of the most compelling vehicles on sale. As a first effort from a new automaker, it’s even more impressive.
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A trip to Big Bear in Rivian’s electric SUV showcases why it’s one of the most compelling vehicles on sale. As a first effort from a new automaker, it’s even more impressive.
Rivian won’t limit its longest-ranged battery pack to the R1T pickup. Founder RJ Scaringe has announced that a configuration with the Max Pack battery and dual-motor all-wheel drive will be available sometime this fall. The company projects a 390-mile range. Crucially, you won’t lose the seven-person seating in the process. You can take the whole family on a road trip without as many charging stops as before.
The EV maker hasn’t mentioned pricing for the Max Pack trim. As Autoblognotes, the option adds $16,000 to the price of the R1T but extends the range to 400 miles. At present, R1S buyers have to be content with a $6,000 upgrade to the not-yet-EPA-rated Large Pack. You can expect a claimed 260 miles with the stock battery.
Excited to share a new Max Pack + Dual-Motor AWD configuration for the 7-seat R1S is coming this fall—projecting 390 miles of range! pic.twitter.com/KB3NxYHW7J
— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) February 28, 2023
The wait for the Max option doesn’t come at a great moment for Rivian. The automaker has conducted two rounds of layoffs as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy meant to help the brand survive rough economic conditions. It While Rivian is one of the few EV startups to achieve meaningful production levels, it made just 24,337 cars in 2022, or less than half its originally predicted amount — and roughly half of those (12,700) were just recalled over an airbag deployment issue. The R1S Max model may boost demand, but its late-year arrival may limit its potential to improve Rivian’s fortunes in 2023.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivians-electric-r1s-suv-will-get-an-extended-range-max-battery-this-fall-175420107.html?src=rss
Rivian impressed car reviewers (and us) with its R1T pickup, and its R1S electric SUV is no different. The slightly smaller vehicle continues the automotive startup’s trend of building no-compromise electric vehicles meant for outdoor adventure.
Living the life of an extreme camper, kayaker or cyclist doesn’t come cheap: The R1S has a bank-busting price tag starting at $78,000. It might not be the most efficient EV on the market, but it has a healthy range of up to 316 miles, which should be enough to satisfy those looking to go outdoors with a vehicle that’s solidly built. The R1S also now ships with a new Camp Mode feature that levels the cabin so overnight stays can be a bit more comfortable.
Designing a desirable EV is not something Rivian has struggled with to date, though: its real issue is mass-producing cars to keep up with orders. Watch the video below for the full story.
Rivian has discontinued the entry-level Explore trim for its R1T and R1S electric vehicles. “After weighing customer demand, Rivian decided to remove Explore Package as an option when configuring an R1T or R1S,” wrote in a support article. “We realize this news comes as a surprise and apologize to customers who have had their planning impacted.”
The company said it initially gave customers two package options to offer them “more variety.” While Rivian expected that many customers would opt for the Explore package, it claimed that only a small percentage of them have done so, with “the vast majority” selecting the Adventure trim. The company said that by narrowing its focus to the Adventure trim, it would be able to streamline its supply chain and deliver its EVs more rapidly.
The move means Rivian’s electric truck and SUV are getting more expensive for those looking for the cheapest option — it marks an increase of $5,500 across the board. The R1T truck now starts at $73,000, while the R1S costs at least $78,000 for new orders (the latter starts at $75,500 for those who pre-ordered on March 1st or earlier).
Those with a pre-order for an Explore trim will need to reconfigure their package to an Adventure model by September 1st. Otherwise, Rivian will move them out of the production queue. Customers with an Explore package pre-order will receive their deposit back if they cancel. Those with a binding Explore order agreement can cancel by September 16th for a full refund.
Meanwhile, the quad-motor option has increased in price for new orders in the US (by $2,000) and Canada (by $3,250 CAD). Rivian is currently testing dual-motor versions of the R1S and R1T.
Rivian announced price increases of between $12,000 and $20,000 for all models earlier this year. After a swift backlash, it altered those plans and limited the increases to new R1T and R1S orders, though shareholders brought a lawsuit against the company.
Rivian recently laid off six percent of staff in order to funnel more resources into increasing production. It’s struggling to build EVs quickly enough to meet demand and it had to slash its production forecast for the year in half to 25,000. The company’s pre-order backlog stood at around 98,000 as of the end of June, not counting the 100,000 electric delivery vehicles Rivian is making for Amazon.