Zac Quinn 
The Rivian R1T has managed to be the first electric truck to reach the market, and it has gained a lot of attention for that reason. Even so, the rate at which Rivian is producing its inaugural product is at a trickle, and some packages are being punted into the next model year. Moreover, the debuts and production timelines for the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV could spell trouble for the well-funded American EV maker.
So, what can Rivian do to repel their troubles? By developing a multifunctional bed tailgate for the R1T, of course.
Rivian R1T Tailgate Step: Details
Chevrolet has the Multi-Flex Tailgate on the Silverado, Ford has plans to introduce its own design soon, and Ram has a split swing-door design. However, CarBuzz has recently uncovered that the newest competitor within the truck market wants in on the action with a patent filed with the USPTO. The vision is to make a central portion of the tailgate capable of separating and dropping down when the tailgate is open, which will provide a point for users to step into the rear of the Rivian R1T.
Steps to assist with climbing into the bed of the truck aren’t new, but it is interesting to see how manufacturers approach the implementation. For example, the Chevy MultiFlex system deploys a step from the upper portion of the tailgate when opened, while Ford deploys the step from within the tailgate itself. The Rivian R1T is quite an innovative truck with some pretty neat features, so it may not come as a surprise if the tailgate step comes integrated with automatic functions that allow users to deploy it with the touch of a button on the key fob.
The Rivian R1T also features a clever central Gear Tunnel that owners can use as additional storage. In addition, if customers purchase the custom kitchen Rivian offers, it can be used to access a fully functional slide-out kitchen complete with anything you could ever want when going on adventures.
Source: CarBuzz
