Both the Rivian R1T and R1S have the potential to shake up the electric vehicle industry and quickly enter the mainstream. Unlike so many other EVs to be announced in recent years, they’re not vaporware and will start to reach the hands of customers in June.
As the company puts the final touches to its rigorous testing regime for the two vehicles, chief executive RJ Scaringe has shared a video online of him testing an R1T through the snow in Minnesota. Scaringe says the automaker was using these latest tests to develop the traction control systems of some of its fun driving modes, including a drift mode. The clip also provides us with an excellent look at the large infotainment screen, navigation system, and digital gauge cluster.
Winter Testing 🙂 pic.twitter.com/QCGqszLy7q
— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) February 22, 2021
The first model from Rivian to reach the hands of customers will be the R1T Launch Edition with prices starting at $75,000 before the $7,500 federal tax credit. The R1T Launch Edition will be followed up by the R1S Launch Edition in August and priced from $77,500. Deliveries of other R1T and R1S models will commence in early 2022.
Watch Also: See Rivian’s Electric R1T Pickup Truck Tackle Some Steep Terrain
The Rivian R1T and R1S are based around the same skateboard architecture and will offer very similar performance. Entry-level models will produce 402 hp and 412 lb-ft (560 Nm) of torque while a long-range variant will be good for 700 hp and 825 lb-ft (1,120 Nm) of torque. A flagship variant with 753 hp and 825 lb-ft is also being developed.
It’s -19° today in Baudette, Minnesota. We love it here this time of year.
📸: Elliot Ross. Pre-production vehicle shown. pic.twitter.com/OGSUEAWus5
— Rivian (@Rivian) February 10, 2021
