Rivian, an Upcoming Competitor in the Car Industry
Courtesy of Car and Drive
October 28, 2022
Rivian is a new car company that has recently started to release electric car models. There are two models currently, the R1S and the R1T. The R1S is an SUV with a lot of space and a futuristic design. The R1T is a pickup truck with quick acceleration and good mileage. These two models combine strong software and great structure to make good and reliable cars to buy. They have many interesting and new features that make them one of the most desirable cars in the competitive electric car market. The
The R1S is a sleek SUV that delivers great storage space and mileage. Using a 128.9-kWh battery pack and dual motors the R1S has 316 miles of range. The amount of electricity stored in the battery pack is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). This is a plentiful amount and allows for a lot of power. However, with the quad-motors, it will deliver less because of the increased power usage. The company will offer an alternative “max” battery pack which delivers a minimum of 400 miles per charge. The R1S is agile and quick with a 0 to 60 of 3.2 seconds. This is surprising due to its size and weight. From the acceleration, the R1S can have a ground clearance of 8-15 in. This is the distance between the bottom-most part of the vehicle and the ground. At acceleration, this will increase the distance between the car and the ground. The car features adjustable air suspension which will be helpful since you can get a smoother ride over rough surfaces.
It is quick for its size but it is also strong and can transport a lot of cargo. The maximum towing capacity for the R1S is 7700 pounds making it good for long drives where you have an extra gear. The maximum payload capacity is 1800 pounds which is also extremely good as the car is balanced between quickness and strength. Payload means how much the car can store in cargo compartments. In the interior the R1S has two large displays, one is the driver’s
gauge display and the other is for infotainment. The R1S combines the quickness of a sleek and small sports car and the strength and space of a large and well-built SUV making it a versatile car that has the ability to dominate the electric car market in coming years. These features are great but the 90-100k price point can sway people out of buying this car. Rio Norte’s Librarian, Mr. Gonsalves says “for those types of cars to really make an impact on the market, the price point needs to be lowered.” This shows that the high price point is really going to affect the output of the R1S.
The R1T is a lightning-quick and multi-faceted pickup truck that has the ability to take us into the future of cars. The R1T has four electric motors giving it an estimated 314 miles of range. The R1T has a size in between a large pickup and a mid-size one with it being 215.6 inches longer. This also makes it significantly longer than the R1T when compared. Similar to the R1S in the first year of production the R1T will only have a “large” battery pack and quad-motor option but next year they will provide more options. These options include a dual-motor, a “standard” battery pack, and a “max” battery pack. The dual-motor will get you around 600 horsepower which is a great option and for a lesser price. With the quad-motors you will get 835 horsepower but for $8,000 more which is not a W for me. The tank turn is a feature only available with the quad-motor option. To do this, the R1T will swivel the left wheels in the opposite direction of the right ones which will allow it to make a 360 turn on an axis. This will allow for a lot of customization making it detailed to your liking.
A launch edition was launched in the beginning but it quickly sold out. This left the Explore and Adventure models left but the more desirable of the two is the Adventure as it has a lot more features. These features include heated and ventilated front seats, an advanced stereo system, and an interior trim with wood. Upon acceleration, there is a ground clearance of 8-14 inches. You can adjust this to your liking. The R1T has a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 1760 pounds. However, towing extremely bulky and heavy gear will cause the mileage to significantly drop if you go at a reasonable speed. Overall the R1T boasts great quickness and great off-road and on-road capability which make it a formidable competitor in the electric car market.
In conclusion, Rivian is making futuristic and advanced models and adding features that make their cars very desirable. Their first models the R1S and the R1T are already showing that Rivian can make it to the very top of the electric car market. Other cars like the Hyundai Ioniq and the Mustang Mach-E are also getting a lot of buyers and attention. This could make it hard for Rivian to get a hold of large market shares but with their fast production and good service, they have a good chance of doing it. Mr. Gonsalves also explains “Since it’s a particular car with particular parts needed it may not be able to be serviced in all automotive shops.” Repairs are important to prolong the car’s life but with this being a struggle for Rivian making parts available will be crucial to getting buyers. This will no doubt provide an interesting perspective on electric cars for the future.
