Out of all the EV pickup truck startups, we believe Rivian is one of the better companies that’s actually poised to deliver a product, and one people will actually buy. We’ve already seen it’s modern good looks, impressive performance and range, and clever use of electric architecture, but now the Rivian R1T is showing off that performance in real life. Below is a video of the R1T truck prototype undergoing extreme off road testing in Arizona, and it looks like it’ll have very impressive capabilities. We’re sure the Hummer EV team is taking note.
We first see the truck doing some dirt track drifts, and a rad four wheel burnout allowed through the quad motor setup. Next, it climbs and descends a rocky hill, where again the quad motors help with individual torque vectoring. If there are any issues, it’s here, as the truck doesn’t look like it has the best wheel articulation we’ve ever seen. But that’s being picky. It finishes out with some track driving, where it even manages to do a little drift. We doubt a single Rivian R1T owner will ever take their truck on the racetrack, but it’s great to see they are putting it through any and every imaginable test.
If you didn’t notice in the first watch, be sure to look closely at the Rivian’s camo. The truck is covered in little graphics depicting outdoor activities like kayaking, camping and hiking. It’s one of the more clever uses of camo we have seen.
Just as much as the upcoming electric truck will rival the Hummer EV in many ways, this video positions the Rivian R1T as a bit of an all-electric Ram Rebel TRX competitor. The pair will offer similar performance, with the Ram’s 707 hp Hellcat V8 and the Rivian’s 750 hp electric motor setup. Both will have tremendous off-road capability too. Still, the Ram will probably be better suited to desert running and jumps, while the Rivian looks set to be a competent all rounder. And obviously, the Ram will sound much, much better.
In other Rivian news, the company is strongly considering a move to California. Currently, the company is based in Plymouth, Michigan, but says a move to Irvine would allow their operations to be more centralized. Rivian has facilities in Michigan, Illinois, and three California locations already.