The write-up is a bit breathless for my taste, but it's hard not to get excited about these suckers. Quite remarkable for a first product from a start-up. A lot of bodys have been abandoned along that road. O-60? Yep. Want some more clearance under your smooth undercarriage? 14.4 inches is a click away.
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-rivian-r1t-electric-pickup-truck-first-drive-review/
It'll be interesting to see some "regular" reviews of this truck as it seems that most of the reviews etc so far are exclusive to Motortrend. Just saw an independent car journalist complain that they can't even get responses from Rivian's PR department, let alone access to the truck.
It looks kinda ugly until I remember what the Cybertruck looks like, and then it looks really good.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
The picture that I posted is obviously a very loud color, but once you take that out of the picture, I find the design refreshingly clean relative to both the overstyled snouts of ICE trucks and the gimmicky tesla thing.
The only thing that puts me off, other than the fact that I can't afford one right now, is the switchgear or lack thereof. Big flat-screens aren't my cup of tea.
I don't find the design ugly but I think its dated ... they been teasing us with this thing for so long now that they should update it.
I look forward to seeing what the pop-up camper manufacturers come up with for them. As having the electric range top already on board makes for pretty sweet weekending potential.
C&D just posted a review and for the most part they seem to really like it.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a37764475/2022-rivian-r1t-drive/
Personally I like the styling. It looks distinctive without trying to be a meme like the Cybertruck.
The gear tunnel is a cool feature with many real-world applications.
Ars Technica posted a review a few days ago.
I hope their launch goes well. There's a lot of attention on their first vehicle, no pressure :) Pickups are a big, high profile, lucrative and difficult market.
An off-road instructor friend of mine has been hanging around with some prototypes lately and seems pretty impressed.
They seemed to do just fine during Long Way Up. I'm excited about the electric pickups that are starting to show up now.
Edit: I didn't realize Rivian beat Ford to market with the first electric truck. Good for them.
The styling problem is entirely in the headlights. The rest of it seems pretty well done. It'll be interesting to see the type, number, and severity of teething problems they inevitably encounter.
I love the look. Find a picture of a blue one... whole different deal.
I look at them as having beat toyota waaaaaay to the punch with an electric tacoma. I want one.
They look better in person, and they're bigger than they look in pictures.
Length of the bed looks pretty tiny - shortened more by the gear tunnel
I have a family member who begins working for Rivian in a couple of weeks. Sometime after that I expect he'll be able to bring one of the trucks home overnight. I'll get a firsthand view and opinion of it when that happens.
One of my best friends works at the factory. He'll be getting one of the first 20 off the line - his is actually off the line already.
He's drinking the Kool Aid, hard, but it really sounds like it is everything it sounds like.
Bed is 4.5 feet without the extender. But don't forget about the Frunk.
poopshovel again said:
That is good. I have to say that I'm pretty geeked on this truck. If I were to drop 75 large on a vehicle, this would have to be a finalist for sure.
Yeah the lights are goofy, but how long will it be before there's some sort of solution for that?
OTOH, Part of my dislike for the massive screen approach to instrumentation is that it reinforces the fact that there is very little that I as a DIY guy can do on this vehicle. This is extra disconcerting when you figure that a Rivian is a good way to get to places that are pretty inaccessible to service techs.
Rivian is poised for success, tapping into a great market and having Amazon onboard as an investor and supplying their new electric delivery vehicles.
A friend of mine just left a prominent race car shop in DFW to go work for them in California.
I am excited to see them grow.
how does the size compare? I assumed these were current half ton sized, but maybe they are more like tacomas/colorados/rangers?
Lots of first drive reviews are hitting Youtube this week; I think there was an embargo on posting reviews and info until a certain date. I watched the one below last night. They have been taking reviewers around Colorado/Moab in these things for weeks (I've seen the fleets driving around) and overall response is quite positive!
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:how does the size compare? I assumed these were current half ton sized, but maybe they are more like tacomas/colorados/rangers?
Kinda split the difference, but closer to the Tacoma. I think the closest size comparison would be the Gladiator.
Gladiator:
Taco:
Tundra:
F-150:
Right now, I believe that their plans after the RT1 and RS1 are for the delivery van, then a sports car of some sort, and a minivan type people hauler. I am hopeful that the people hauler will have sliding doors, and they did just file a patent for sliding doors.
They have said outright that they're not going to be making any other configurations or a HD truck, and are saying it isn't their target market so they're not going to waste their time. From what I can see, the average new truck sold is a half ton, quad cab short bed, so I think that strategy makes sense. But, I personally think that if the market responds favorably, they won't give up that market share if they think they can capitalize... But by stating they're not going after it, they don't have to worry about people clamoring over it for years and years.
This guy is about 5'10".
Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:poopshovel again said:That is good. I have to say that I'm pretty geeked on this truck. If I were to drop 75 large on a vehicle, this would have to be a finalist for sure.
Yeah the lights are goofy, but how long will it be before there's some sort of solution for that?
OTOH, Part of my dislike for the massive screen approach to instrumentation is that it reinforces the fact that there is very little that I as a DIY guy can do on this vehicle. This is extra disconcerting when you figure that a Rivian is a good way to get to places that are pretty inaccessible to service techs.
The problem is that your current DIY skills don't match this truck. There will be a lot of interesting DIY things to do, and of course most off-road modifications tend to center around suspension and protection.
There is rarely anything that needs to be done with instrumentation in the sticks :) Other than the time that the feed line for my oil pressure gauge broke off, but that's a problem caused directly BY the instrumentation.
ok, the size is cool. Current half tons feel HUGE, so I'm glad to see this is down in size a bit.
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