8 Reasons to Buy a Rivian R1T Right Now

Key Points

• The Rivian R1T is the first all-electric pickup truck on the market, beating out competitors like Tesla and Ford.
• The R1T offers a range of up to 400 miles on a full charge, making it ideal for long trips and day-to-day usage.
• The R1T comes equipped with high-tech features, including advanced driver-assistance systems and active safety systems.
• Compared to internal combustion engine trucks, the R1T is cheaper to maintain, with a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty and low maintenance costs.
• The R1T has versatile on-road drive modes, allowing it to adapt to different terrains and driving conditions.

Rivian, though a Johnny-come-lately in the automaking industry, was the first to make an all-electric pickup, beating Tesla, Ford, and other EV-focused brands at it. The flagship model was the R1T, and Rivian launched it in 2021. It is arguably a remarkable truck in almost every way. 

Besides being the first fully electric truck on the market, the R1T has caused a positive buzz in the world of EVs. It is an extremely capable pickup truck for adventure and camping. It packs cool features you won’t find in the available electrified pickups, like the Hummer EV and the Ford F-150 Lightning. If you’ve been watching videos about this silent rock crawler, you can’t question its worth. 

However, if you’re a cautious buyer, you won’t be so fast to buy an electric truck from a brand that has made cars for barely two years. You’d first want to know if it has the perfect combination of performance, power, and range, among other factors. Having reviewed the R1T EV pickup truck, we bring you eight reasons you should buy it right now.

It Is Practical and Luxurious

The first factor to consider when purchasing a vehicle is how you will feel in it; comfort is key. Rivian R1T looks good in its sleek design; however, looks can be deceiving, which is why we put the vehicle’s ergonomics first, primarily the interior.

The R1T is a minimalist truck with luxurious leather upholstered comfortable seats as standard. Unlike most trucks, it is equipped with noise-cancellation technology, making it impressively quiet while on the road. Also, it is quite easy to drive and has responsive steering and excellent suspensions.

Due to the large motors, it has a very low center of gravity, which makes handling easy as the weight keeps the truck planted on the road. It also comes with a feature-filled package of an advanced driver assistance system.

Even though Rivian has not cracked the autonomous driving puzzle, the R1T has several driver-assist features. Therefore, it automatically helps with certain decisions, such as emergency braking.

It Can Deliver 400 Mile of Range

Mileage per charge is the holy grail of EVs. Every manufacturer seeks to deliver the longest possible range, and customers are becoming more aware of the possibilities. Therefore, if you need an EV truck that will get the work done and still have spare juice for a return journey, then the Rivian R1T offers a better option.

However, factors like the battery type, driving conditions, driving habits, and other usages, such as towing, tend to affect the range of a car. But with Rivian, you can determine the range you need, 260 miles, 314 miles, or 400 miles, by opting for a battery capable of delivering your desired driving range.

With this pickup, you can drive between 390- 400 miles on a full charge. This is ideal for day-to-day usage and long trips, which is essential given that jobs that involve driving a truck might be too far from home or a public charging point.

On charging, there is nothing unique about the Rivian R1T, but it is by no means less effective. If you charge with a 240V home power outlet, the R1T adds about 16 miles every hour, which means a 0-100% charging time of 25 hours for a 400-mile truck. When using a 48-amp charger, it takes about 16 hours. When charging using Level 3 DC fast charge, the R1T will gain 140 miles in 20 minutes.

It Is Equipped With High-Tech Features

First, Rivian’s R1T does not come in several confusing trim options. It is only available in the Adventure trim, which comes with two battery pack options, Large and Max. The Large is a 135kWh battery, while the Max is a 180kWh battery. Besides these, the Rivian R1T comes with several standard features. They include 21-inch wheels, adjustable air suspension, a Panoramic glass roof, and a manual cargo bed cover.

In addition to the already mentioned driver-aid features, the truck is fitted with active safety systems to help prevent accidents. They include forward collision warnings, a blind-spot monitoring system, automatic emergency braking, and cross-traffic alert. These make the R1T one of the safest EV trucks you can buy today. It also features optional thicker skid plates and 20-inch and 22-inch wheels.

It Is Cheap to Maintain

Compared to internal combustion engine trucks, the Rivian EV is cheaper to run. First, you do not need to change fluids, and second, the powertrain does not have rotating parts that wear and tear often, as with engines. It is, nonetheless, true that replacing a worn-out battery of an EV will cost more than replacing an ICE engine.

Even then, the R1T is a low-maintenance truck, especially during the warranty period. Rivian offers a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty of 5 years/60,000 miles, which is what you get with most EVs. Also, the drivetrain and battery pack warranties cover 8 years or 175,000 miles.

To reduce your maintenance costs further, Rivian offers a 3-way approach to maintenance and repairs:

• The first involves over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics and updates for software-related issues.
• The second method is scheduling or requesting service through the Rivian app.
• The third is getting a technician to service your truck at your premises or location. Rivian has a sufficient number of factory-trained technicians who offer mobile maintenance and repair services to all its customers.

It Has Versatile On-Road Drive Modes

If you are looking for a pickup built with the ability to shift its comfort and suspension to suit almost every terrain and driving condition, then the Rivian R1T is the pickup to consider. It comes with four on-road drive modes that are adjustable depending on your needs.

They are All-Purpose, Sport, Tow Mode, and Conserve mode. In All-Purpose mode, the R1T offers the same feel as a combustion engine pickup. This mode is for everyday driving and aims to offer a smooth riding experience. It sets the truck to standard default height (11.9 inches), and focuses on offering soft suspension. On hitting the highway, the truck’s ride height will lower to 10.5 inches.

The Sport mode increases the instantaneous acceleration. Also, the truck is set at a low ride height, and the suspensions stiffen to reduce body roll. In the Tow Mode, the R1T outputs maximum torque on all four wheels, which allows it to tow up to 11,000 pounds. This towing capacity is much higher than what compact trucks offer and rivals only the most capable light-duty full-sized trucks.

Conserve mode operates on the opposite end of the Tow Mode. The aim is to save energy, though it strains the front motors. The vehicle operates in front-wheel drive mode, letting it sit closer to the ground but with better aerodynamics. It offers a combined fuel economy of 70mpge as per EPA ratings.

It Has an Excellent Off-Road Capability

The Rivian R1T comes with four additional drive modes for off-road conditions in addition to the on-road modes. As a result, it delivers just as excellent offroad versatility as it does on the road. In fact, the R1T is better suited for off-road driving than on-road. These off-road modes are Auto, Rock Crawl, Rally, and Drift.

Offroad Auto mode is suitable for light trail drives. The ride height is high, with about 13.5 inches of ground clearance. The brake regeneration is set to Standard, the suspension is soft and stability control is on. The four motors operate independently on the Rock Crawl mode, and the suspensions stiffen completely. It is suitable when descending on a steep trail.

Off-road Rally drive mode turns the R1T into a high-speed performance truck on rough terrain. In this mode, the ride height is standard and the computer system controls the power on the four wheels. There is reduced stability control and the truck is set to high-level regenerative braking.

When you need to take part in a closed off-road course drift competition, just turn on the Off-road Drift mode. It completely turns off stability control to allow for wheel slip and maximum brake regeneration.

It Is a Cool Truck for Overlanding and Camping

Rivian R1T is among the best trucks for camping and overlanding. It meets the basic requirement for a good overlander and can take you to hard-to-reach areas, thanks to its versatile drive modes. It also comes with sufficient storage space for camping gear, clothes, and many more. The final requirement for an Overlander truck is range, and R1T ticks this box with its 314 miles – 400 miles range and effective regenerative braking system.

The R1T comes with clever add-ons such as a bed, removable racks, and power outlets to keep passengers comfortable during a night in the woods. In the list of options is a futuristic slide-out kitchen that can be used to prepare meals for 10 to 12 people. It is safely tucked into the gear tunnel and comes with all the items you need for a kitchen, from cooking pans to a sink with a water supply system, a chopping board, and a kettle, among others.

For camping purposes, the R1T’s Camping Mode lets you decide how to use the truck’s power. You can choose to keep the power outlets on, switch on floodlights and turn off climate control. It also has a Camping Courtesy feature that allows you to access the car without turning on the lights. You can also set off alarms that can disturb other campers.

It Has an Enormous Drag Racing Power

Finally, you should purchase the Rivian R1T for its straight-line acceleration. The quad motor version of the R1T offers a punchy 835hp, which is almost equal to that of the fastest luxury sports cars on the market. Drive it in Sports Mode, and it will get from 0 to 60mph in a blistering 3.3 seconds. The R1T has made us see the day when a truck can shamelessly out-drift the fastest sports cars while hauling camping gear.

Wrapping Up

R1T is a truck that is suitable for every driving need. Whether you want to use it for work, off-road adventures, camping, or drag racing, it will deliver. It is almost an all-in-one pickup. Furthermore, it is an EV, so you do not need to worry about pollution and emissions.

Summary Table

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Michael Vi/Shutterstock.com.