We already know that the new Rivian R1T is very quick. We drag-raced it against a Ram TRX and it easily won. Can it survive a day’s work at a ranch? We take it to the ‘Happy Yak Ranch’ to see if it passes David’s inspection and a full load of firewood.
The R1T has four electric motors for precise four-wheel-drive capability, height-adjustable suspension, 34-inch all-terrain tires, and a driving range between 280-314 miles on a full charge. Its 4.5-foot bed is not very long, and its payload is just over 1,400 lbs. Here’s what we found.
The Rivian’s unique tailgate hinge design indeed extends the bed to a full seven feet in length. It can accommodate a 4×8 sheet of plywood. However, the tiedown cleats are mounted far enough above the bed floor that your load needs to be a bit taller than a single sheet of plywood to secure it. David’s property was affected by a wild fire nearly 10 years ago. There are many fallen trees that still need to be removed. We put 22 seven-foot logs in the bed to max out the payload.
The R1T handled the payload well. The suspension leveled out the ride, the all-wheel-drive system allowed Tommy to turn around on a tight and snowy mountain trail with the load in the back. The lockable gear tunnel provided a secure place to carry the chainsaws.
The R1T offers up to 1,500 watts of total power output to charge tool or power accessories. It was enough to run some tools and charge some tool batteries. However, it was not quiet enough to run a circular saw.
Joing Tommy and David in the video below for some fun at the ranch. Stay tuned until the very end of the video for a fun skit.
