[Photo: Rivian]Odds are you haven’t heard of Rivian before. That’s okay – they’ve been staying pretty quiet since buying a disused Mitsubishi plant in 2017. Now, the electric vehicle startup aims to debut their all-electric truck at the 2018 LA Auto Show. The company released a teaser video and a lone photo to mark the occasion.
Rivian has shown a “skateboard” design as the platform for its vehicles, including the Rivian R1T electric truck. [Photo: Rivian]Neither is particularly revealing, as you’d expect. However, the picture becomes a bit clearer from the company’s website. The company claims the R1T, as well as an impending SUV, are the “world’s first Electric Adventure Vehicles”. To that end, The Rivian R1T comes with some ambitious numbers.
What little we can see of the Rivian R1T from its promotional teaser video. [Photo: Rivian]
Over 400 miles on a charge?
First, there’s the range – the most important figure with an electric truck. Rivian claims over 400 miles of range, a 0-60 time under 3 seconds, and “superior capability” both on and off-road. As for powertrains, payload and towing capacity – important numbers we consistently seek in trucks – Rivian hasn’t shared anything yet. It’s worth noting, though, that the company employs a “skareboard” modular platform for all its vehicles, including the Rivian R1T. If the battery pack and chassis weigh less than a traditional powertrain, that ought to bode well for its payload. Thanks to the torque from an electric drivetrain, it may tow a fair amount as well.
If the Rivian R1T is heading to production, it may have to stare down Tesla’s own pickup truck soon. [Photo: Tesla]Sadly, we won’t know any of this information until the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. However, with this teaser Rivian has made it clear they are coming, and they’re looking to turn the truck market on its head. The big question that remains is whether they can capture the public’s imagination with the Rivian R1T and get it into production before Tesla builds their own pickup truck. Right now, the Rivian will reportedly go into production by 2020.
