While it's hard to doubt that the LINKSk is the most significant electric truck of the moment -- outside of Tesla's hyperbolic (and still nonexistent) Cybertruck -- it's the Rivian R1T that seems to have captured the hearts and minds of most would-be EV truckers. Fast and capable with tons of range, the R1T is the perfect solution for a lot of the EV-curious out there, even though its recent price hike made it even less attainable than before. However, the R1T was always intended to be just the first wave, the tip of the consumer spear for this California-based startup automaker. The followup is the R1S, which takes the same basic formula and packages it in a likable SUV shape.
On the surface there's little that differentiates the two Rivians. From head-on they look all but identical, and that familiarity continues from the driver's seat, too, where the dash, interior design and seating position again are the same. The specs are largely identical, as well. Both tip the scales at around 7,000 pounds and rely on 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque to move that mass around, resulting in a claimed 3-second 0-to-60-mph sprint. Power comes from four electric motors, one per corner, though a less powerful (and $6,000 less costly) dual-motor variant is coming.
Both Rivians will also go over 300 miles on a charge with the larger battery pack, the R1S having a slight advantage of 316 miles versus 314 for the R1T. A smaller pack will soon be available, dropping the range to around 260 miles (and again saving $6,000).
However, despite the extreme similarities, there are some substantial differences, most notable being length. The R1S SUV is more than 16 inches shorter than the truck, rolling on a 14-inch shorter wheelbase. It loses an inch in height, too. Despite that abbreviated posture, the R1S still makes room for a third row of seats. And while entry and exit is decidedly awkward and legroom in the way-back is at a premium, it's actually reasonably comfortable back there. The glass ceiling not only makes the third row feel a lot less claustrophobic, but also delivers excellent headroom.
The R1S' total cargo capacity is 104.7 cubic feet, with a generous 11-cubic-foot frunk at your disposal. However, you do lose the ingenious gear tunnel that bisects the R1T. That's a bummer, but you gotta put those passengers and their feet somewhere.
Best for folks with small feet, but the third row is actually reasonably comfortable.
On the road, the R1S still has a truck-like feel. You're sitting way up tall, no surprise there, but the ride and resistance of the steering definitely have a lot more in common with a typical half-ton machine than your average car-based crossover. That's not a bad thing, mind, and if anything it ties into the seemingly infinitely capable nature of the R1S.
Want to drop the R1S for maximum aerodynamics on the highway and disable the rear motors for maximum range? No problem. Want to jack it up for a ridiculous 15 inches of ground clearance and a 3-foot wading depth? Easy peasy. Just a few taps on the generous central touchscreen and the car repositions itself appropriately, rising or dropping with enough rapidity to seriously disorient your passengers if done without warning.
In fact, there's plenty of opportunity for inducing nausea in the R1S, a warning that adventure-seeking parents should heed. Between the outrageous acceleration and aggressive regeneration, with a ride that's either bumpy on stiff or floaty on soft, it'll take a smooth driver to ensure that kids in the way-back can happily stay glued to their iPads. Don't forget the ginger ale and Dramamine on your first road trip.