Rivian Electric Adventure Vehicles revealed: Los Angeles 2018

RIVIAN Automotive has unveiled its two ‘Electric Adventure Vehicles’ ahead of the LA Auto Show, the R1T pick-up and the R1S seven-seat SUV.

The electric start-up company, based in Detroit, USA, debuted the vehicles at a press conference held at the Griffith Observatory in LA.

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“We’re launching Rivian with two vehicles that reimagine the pickup and SUV segments,” said Rivian Founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe. “I started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn't already have – to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation. Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle for active customers.

“This means having great driving dynamics on any surface on- or off-road, providing cargo solutions to easily store any type of gear, whether it's a surf board or a fishing rod and, very importantly, being capable of driving long distances on a single charge.

“From the inside out, Rivian has developed its vehicles with adventurers at the core of every design and engineering decision. The R1T and R1S are the result of all this work and we are excited to finally introduce these products to the world.”

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The R1T and R1S will share what Rivian has called a ‘Skateboard Platform’, which essentially packages the vehicle’s vital components – battery pack, drive units, suspension, braking and thermal systems – below the height of the wheel. This not only frees up plenty of space up top for storage (including 330 litres of storage beneath the hood, as well as the R1T’s lockable Gear Tunnel for another 350 litres), but it lowers the rigs’ centre of gravity.

The suspension system entails unequal-length double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear, along with dynamic roll control and adaptive dampers, and ride-height adjustable air suspension.

Both vehicles feature a quad-motor system that delivers 147kW to each individual wheel, and there are three battery sizes planned: 105kWh (400+km range), 135kWh (480+km range) and 180kWh (640+km range). The batteries can be charged at rates up to 160kW, enabling approximately 320km of range to be added in 30 minutes.

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“The beauty and elegance of our quad-motor setup isn't just about brute power; this architecture provides instantaneous torque with extremely precise control at each wheel, which is completely game-changing from a dynamics perspective, both on- and off-road,” said Executive Director of Engineering and Programs Mark Vinnels.

The R1T has an official payload capacity of 800kg, a listed tow rating of 11,000 pounds (approx. 5000kg), 34-degree approach angle, 30-degree departure angle, 26-degree rampover angle, and a wading depth of one metre.

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The R1S gets 20kg extra payload capacity to claim 820kg, a listed tow rating of 3500kg, 34-degree approach angle, 30-degree departure angle, 29-degree rampover angle, and a wading depth of one metre.

The full specs list for both cars can be found below.

US pricing for the R1T pick-up begins at $61,500, while the R1S SUV starts at $65,000 (after federal tax credit). American deliveries will begin in late 2020.