Rivian R1T review

American firm's pioneering electric pick-up truck enters a second era to take the fight to the Tesla Cybertruck

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Large pick-up trucks dominate the American car sales charts, so it’s little surprise that plenty of firms are pushing to develop electric versions, despite the considerable challenges that come with powering already big, heavy machines with big, heavy batteries.

Perhaps more surprising was that the first firm to launch a full-size pick-up in the US market was EV start-up Rivian. It launched the R1T in 2021, several months ahead of industry giant Ford’s F-150 Lightning and when the Tesla Cybertruck seemed more the stuff of Elon Musk’s dystopian fever dreams than an actual production vehicle. 

Given that it’s an American EV start-up, Rivian is often compared with Tesla. But you only need a cursory glimpse at their respective pick-ups to understand the vast differences between the two firms. While the Cybertruck is unapologetically brash and wilfully confrontational, the R1T is far more conventional and infused with genuine warmth and charm. 

That reflects their approach: while Musk’s firm delights in disrupting the car industry, Rivian had won plaudits from it. In fact, the Volkswagen Group recently made a major investment in the firm, worth up to £4.6 billion. Key to that deal was the formation of a new joint venture that will develop a new software architecture, based heavily on that used in this R1T, to underpin future Volkswagen Group and Rivian EVs – including the next Volkswagen Golf and the Rivian R2 and R3 crossovers.

So what is it about Rivian’s software architecture that has prompted that massive investment from Volkswagen? And, more importantly, is the R1T any good? 

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DESIGN & STYLING

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Unlike the Cybertruck, the R1T follows classic pick-up design conventions, with a bluff front end, a long bonnet, a squared-off double-cab body and a long, practical loadbed. But Rivian has used the benefits of its electric architecture to give it a slightly futuristic style of its own.

The oval headlights have quickly become a distinctive design detail, while the lack of a chunky grille – a classic big pick-up trope – is notable. Instead there’s a clean front with a full-width light bar that tucks behind the headlights at either end. Tow hooks poking out of the lower bumper panel hint at the practicality promised.

The R1T has relatively clean and simple lines but enough shape to give it presence. The front windscreen is quite steeply raked for a pick-up, helping the aerodynamics, and chunky wheel arches add to the off-road vibes. The squared-off read features a full-width brake light bar, with a clear focus on practicality.

While the styling of the R1T tested here is now familiar, as the truck has been on US roads for more than three years, that’s actually a bit deceptive: this is essentially a second-generation R1T after an extensive upgrade of the under-the-skin components late last year.

As part of that upgrade, the R1T received new motors that are built in-house by Rivian and offer more power, reworked air suspension and new batteries (with the standard battery switching from regular lithium ion to lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry). There’s also a new electrical architecture, with the number of computer modules trimmed from 17 to seven and the amount of wiring substantially reduced, running an upgraded infotainment system.

The R1T can be classed as a full-size US pick-up: it’s 5514mm long, 1986mm high and 2082mm wide (with the mirrors folded in). It has a 3449mm wheelbase and, for off-road types, a departure angle of 29.9deg.

While that would be massive by UK standards, in the American pick-up world it’s actually relatively demure: for comparison, the F-150 Lightning is 5910mm long, while the Cybertruck measures 5682mm.

The R1T’s flatbed is around 1.4m long and 1.3m wide at its narrowest point, which gives loads of room to carry stuff around but again is slightly smaller than some pick-up rivals'. It features an automatic closing lockable cover that can be controlled via buttons on the truck or even through a phone app.

There’s also a massive frunk with around 275 litres of storage. But the party trick of the R1T’s storage areas is the Gear Tunnel, which is located behind the rear seats and just ahead of the back axle. Accessible via both sides of the car, the 1650mm long tunnel offers 331 litres of storage space and even features LED lights and power outlets.

Even more smartly, the fold-down doors for the Gear Tunnel contain small cubby areas, and with the ability to hold up to 133kg, they can be used as seats or as steps to clamber on to reach the roof or flatbed.

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INTERIOR

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Getting into the R1T provides a reminder of how digital this car is: you can use the phone app to lock and unlock the doors and control a lot of other key functions.

At one level, the interior has a Tesla-esque feel: there are minimal physical controls, with almost everything run through a big (15.6in) touchscreen, but it certainly doesn’t have the stark minimalism that Teslas are known for.

The infotainment may not have Apple CarPlay compatibility, but it does have Apple Music built in.
James Attwood
Associate editor

It’s actually a light and bright interior, helped by soft, natural-looking materials that give it a feeling of warmth. The ash wood-effect dash and door trim helps soften it, while there’s also deep plaid carpeting that, depending on your view, echoes either a Volkswagen Golf GTI or a 1970s chain hotel. 

It’s plenty spacious inside and the upright driving position gives you a commanding view from the bolstered and comfy seats.

There’s a large central storage compartment up front, which is furnished with slide-out cupholders and the like.

The rear seats are a bit upright, but there’s good leg room, and rear passengers even get their own touchscreen to control some of the heating and other features.

Up front, the experience is dominated by that touchscreen, which is used for everything from controlling the infotainment, drive modes and security features to selecting the steering wheel and mirror adjusters.

Thankfully, there are multifunction physical toggles on the steering wheel – another similarity to Tesla – that are used for certain functions. For example, you use them to position the mirrors and wheel.

The infotainment system is genuinely among the slickest you will find, both in terms of functionality and visual splendour thanks to stylised comic book-style graphics. There’s a helpful row of shortcut buttons at the bottom to give access to key functions which are only ever a press or two away, and it’s a generally intuitive interface.

It also looks stunning, thanks to those graphics: you will find yourself cycling through the drive modes just to see all the arty pictures of the R1T in action on snow, mud, a race track and so on. And while they offer surface sheen, there’s plenty of depth: swipe across in off-road mode and you will be met with a wealth of information and dials on elevation, wheel angles, pitch, motor temperatures and more.

The system is fun too: the Gear Guard security mode (which, when activated, uses five external cameras to monitor and record events around your machine) introduced a friendly bear to watch over your belongings. He now appears on several other pages too.

Of course, your view will be shaped by your personal tolerance for touchscreens and, as ever, we would still prefer at least a few physical buttons to make things really easy and simple. And it’s worth noting that there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, although frankly the system is so good that you won’t really miss it that much. 

It’s worth noting that upgraded infotainment will be offered to existing R1Ts via one of the firm’s regular over-the-air software updates, which perhaps hints while the styling changes are so subtle.

As two of the few true software-defined vehicles on the road, Rivians' vehicles are capable of being regularly updated with new features and other improvements, so the firm is still essentially working to make those cars better. 

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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The R1T is offered with two, three or four motors, each option bringing four-wheel drive.

Dual-motor models offer 526bhp, while the quad-motor models produce a frankly bonkers 1011bhp. That’s enough to give a three-tonne pick-up a Porsche 911 GT3-beating claimed 0-60mph time of less than 2.5sec. 

The tri-motor version tested here features two motors on the rear axle and one up front, which combine to offer 838bhp and a healthy 1103lb ft of torque. For the record, that’s nearly identical to the tri-motor Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast.

Entry-level R1Ts feature a 92.5kWh battery that gives the Dual Standard model a range of around 270 miles. A 109.4kWh battery is also available for the Dual model, while the Tri and Quad variants feature a 141.5kWh battery. That gives the Tri tested here an official range of 371 miles on the American EPA test cycle.

It’s predictably quick: even the R1T’s three-tonne kerb weight is no match for three potent electric motors. But there’s a pleasing linearity to the delivery even if you stab the throttle, and everything is very smooth. And it’s brilliantly responsive, thanks to all that instant torque. If you’re happily cruising along at motorway speeds and need to pick up the pace, you won’t have any problems.

If you really want to experience the potent power of the R1T, there’s even a launch control mode, activated through the screen with the help of the Gear Guard Bear (clearly a bad influence). While the novelty of a fast-accelerating EV has long worn out, there’s still amusement in experiencing such astounding pick-up in a pick-up.

Launch control is something of a distracting party piece, though. The R1T’s core skills are the genuine multi-terrain and towing capability it offers. It can carry a payload of up to 800kg and can tow up to 4990kg, using a trailer hitch hidden behind a removable cover. 

RIDE & HANDLING

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On urban roads and interstates, the R1T is pleasingly amiable, especially for its hefty size. As with many pick-ups, the high ride height, chunky tyres and raised suspension – not to mention our test car’s 22in tyres – mean it’s not the most planted of vehicles, but the standard air suspension and hydraulic anti-roll control soak up bumps, and it’s really very comfortable. 

That suspension copes well with bumps too, soaking up imperfections in the road and making it a relaxing way to eat up the miles. And it’s also decently composed on more twisty and winding roads, even if you’re using its considerable power to accelerate your way out of bends.

The steering is direct and accurate, even if it’s not the last word in outright driver engagement. It makes a big machine easy to place, and you can react quickly if needed. You won’t find many full-size pick-ups that handle as well as the R1T.

You can also hope it might get better still: one of the many free over-the-air software updates that Rivian has offered to existing R1T owners involved reprogramming that air suspension to significantly change its ride and handling dynamics. That shows the benefits of a software-defined vehicle: physical improvements don’t need to wait for a trip to a dealership or a mid-life facelift.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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The R1T Tri has an official range of 371 miles on the American EPA test cycle, which is impressive, especially given that the EPA test is considered tougher than the WLTP test used in Europe. 

On a cold sub-zero day in Nevada, with a bracing wind making it truly bitter in the mountains, our R1T initially wasn’t that impressive in terms of economy, and we worked through half of the battery charge significantly quicker than estimated. But after some experimentation with the regenerative braking and drive modes and learning how best to use the machine’s weight, we fared much better on our return drive.

Overall, we averaged around 2mpkWh, which isn’t impressive in isolation but is a reasonably decent result for a large pick-up on a cold day. 

If you do exhaust the battery, the R1T can be charged at speeds of up to 220kW. In the US, it features an NACS charger, so it can use Tesla Superchargers, while Rivian is also building up its own adventure network of chargers.

The R1T is priced from $69,900 (about £53,900) in entry-level Dual Standard form, while our Tri test truck started at $99,900 (about £77,000).

That comes with a good level of kit, including the Sound and Vision package (containing the panoramic roof and a premium audio system) and Rivian’s Autonomy+ driver assistance package, which is set to be rolled out later this year.

VERDICT

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It’s easy to see why the Volkswagen Group and other car firms are so interesting in Rivian: the R1T is a hugely impressive thing. 

It certainly doesn’t feel like the first product from a start-up: it’s well-conceived, well-designed and well-built, with a real maturity to the drive and powertrain that escapes many automotive newcomers.

The drive and ride is impressive, the interior is spacious and many of the storage solutions and features are cleverly designed and hugely practical. 

The R1T is also genuinely endearing. It’s a lovely thing to spend time in, and while more of the controls than we would like are run through the infotainment, it’s such a slick and welcoming system that you won’t mind. 

We found ourselves liking the Tesla Cybertruck in spite of the thing. By contrast, the R1T is so warm that you find yourself really wanting to like it, which I did. Just as well: I fear I would have upset the cutesy Gear Guard bear if I hadn’t.

While the R1T and its R1S SUV sibling are unlikely to ever come to the UK, Rivian does have ambitions here: it has already shown the smaller R2 and R3 crossovers, and those EVs are very much designed for a global expansion, including into Europe.

On the strength of the R1T, that’s something to look forward to - and something that established car firms should perhaps be nervous about.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.