The Rivian R1S just started shipping. Based on Reviews of the R1T electric adventure pickup truck, it will be a great SUV. It will have powerful quad motors, one for each wheel, and a 400-mile capable battery pack on the top end. Since it is a new SUV that is just coming to market, many people don’t know about it, so in today’s discussion, we’re going to be discussing ten amazing things that make this SUV so special.
Performance and Range
The Rivian R1S is easily one of the most powerful electric vehicles out now. It’s insanely powerful. The R1S does not disappoint when it comes to performance.
The Rivian R1S is available in three different battery capacities. There is a 105, which is capable of 260 miles, the 135 kilowatt-hours, capable of 316 miles, and the 180 kilowatt-hours, which can go up to 400 miles, all on a single charge. The car’s motors can push out up to 800 horsepower and 900-pound feet of torque.
For context, the tesla model 3 standard range, which is capable of 267 lies of range on the WLTP charge cycle, has a 54-kilowatt hour battery, and the tesla model 3 long range capable of has a 75-kilowatt hour usable battery is capable of 352 miles in the EPA charge cycle.
The R1 S has a stunning acceleration for an SUV of that size. It can produce acceleration to 60 in as quick as 3 seconds. The EPA-rated range for the launch model comes in at 316 miles with 69 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent, which corresponds to 260 to 400 miles of range depending on your choice of the battery pack.
Offroading capability and Ruggedness
Reviews of the R1T have shown us the offroad capability of the R1 platform. The R1S is based on the same platform, it will certainly perform similarly to the truck.
The R1S is also designed to be suitable in tricky offroading circumstances. These offroad and rugged SUVs are also available in both five and seven-seater configurations. However, the seven-seat configuration is not yet available in the top performance model. The R1S SUV has a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds.
Like the biggest sibling, the truck also has an 11.0 cubic foot front trunk giving the latter additional space for cargo. With all seats unfolded, the R1s have 7.1 cubic feet of cargo space. Taking off the spare tire can give you 6.4 cubic feet of extra capacity.
Design for comfort
The cabin of the R1S feels lush, luxurious, and expensive. It is made with naturally sourced and durable materials. It is made to have versatile seating with a five-seater and a seven-seater configuration with abundant storage. The panoramic roof adds to the stargazing experience and adds to the detail Rivian is putting into enhancing the driving experience.
The Rivian Elevation sound system, has been engineered by Meridian, and it features numerous speakers strategically placed throughout the cabin. In addition, a number of innovative and branded technologies have been made just for Rivian, resulting in a very immersive audio experience throughout the cabin.
The Platform
Rivian had to develop a stunning platform to power the vision of the R1 Vehicles. To make a vehicle like the R1S come alive, the platform must be capable enough to ensure comfort and safety. The vehicles have independent air suspension, which allows for 6.5 inches of vertical travel — as low as 7.9 inches or as high as 14.4 inches — to optimize a vehicle’s ride height for improved handling, comfort, aerodynamics, and stability with varying payloads. It is also enhanced with an automatic ride-height leveling feature which balances a vehicle for better handling when towing heavy loads.
For the maximum efficiency and range, select a lower ride height, and by default, Rivian has ensured a low center of gravity of the battery pack and supporting units.
Driving Modes
Depending on your mood, road type, and traffic conditions, the Rivian R1S provides you the choice of selecting one of eight driving modes.
The R1T has eight drive modes, four each for on-road and off-road driving—which controls the ride height, suspension stiffness, accelerator pedal, regenerative braking response, stability control, and behavior of the all-wheel-drive system.
Sport mode is Aimed at on-road performance,
Off-Road Drift is designed for sliding around in the dirt.
Off-Road Rally mode is essentially a less-extreme version of Drift mode. It reduces stability control intervention without shutting it off entirely. Other settings match Drift mode.
Off-Road Rock Crawl for slower and more technical off-road driving.
Off-Road Auto
All-Purpose mode is aimed at everyday driving.
The efficiency-focused Conserve mode makes the R1T front-wheel drive, drops the ride height to its lowest, and turns regenerative braking to its highest.
Finally, Towing mode uses the standard ride height, stiff suspension, highest level of regenerative braking, and switches back to all-wheel drive.
Adventure gear
Rivian’s theme is all about adventure, so creating custom adventure gear for the R1 vehicles is rather fitting. The best example is the camp kitchen which only goes into the R1T truck. For the SUV, Rivian has created specialized cargo crossbars designed to fit multiple ports on the roof. They are compatible with different types of mountain skiing, hiking, and surfing gear. These crossbars are also used to fit Rivian’s rooftop tent.
Price
The price of the R1 Vehicles has gone up this 2022. There are two trims available. The explore package and adventure package. There was also an R1S launch edition model, but it’s already sold out. The base model of the explorer’s edition with dual motors and a 260-mile battery pack starts at $72,000, while the adventure package with the same specs costs $78,500.
There have been many indications that the car will start shipping soon. Rivian has a Backlog of 83,000 reservations as of the end of 2021 for the R1 vehicles.
Its price is very compelling when compared to other electric SUVs in the market. For reference, the entry-level long-range Tesla Model X comes with a price tag of 89,000 dollars.
The technology
The Rivian R1S is chock full of amazing and futuristic technologies. The long horizontal LED strip joining both the headlights is a fun feature as it changes color while charging to indicate the amount of charge received.
The R1S’s exterior is jam-packed with cameras sensors and Lidar to address concerns relevant to security. The gear guard feature is designed to record and warn the owner to incase of any sinister movement around the car when it is packed.
Safety
When it comes to safety, there are a total of eight airbags in both the R1S and the R1T Rivian claim that every model will come fitted with hands-free driver assistance technology with the suite called Driver Plus. Key safety features include standard automated emergency braking and standard lane departure warning.
The hands-free driving mode is not about self-driving like Tesla’s full self-driving tech.
Display controls
EVs on generally electronically sound and rivians approach in this domain is exemplary. The interior of the R1S is fitted with two displays; a 12-inch digital gauge cluster replaces analog instruments, while a large 15.6-inch touchscreen on the dash controls media navigation and temperature adjustment. It also supports Alexa for voice controls.
The SUV doesn’t only entertain the first-row passenger, but the rear seat passengers also get to enjoy the luxury of a Touchscreen.
There you go, ten exciting features of the R1S. Let us know if you have or intend to buy a rivian soon.
