All You Need to Know about R1T
The Rivian R1T is an Incredibly Fun Electric Pickup, because Last week, Rivian let us borrow an R1T for four days so we could take it for a spin. We drove it from the Brooklyn distribution hub into the heart of the city, upstate to the Adirondacks, and back through the rain, snow, and gridlock that is New York City.
We’ve already been raving about the R1T since our first drive of it; in fact, we named it Electrek’s car of the year 2021. However, after spending more time in it and seeing some of the software improvements that have made it into production vehicles, we have an even deeper admiration for it.
The Rivian R1T has been shown to be an outstanding automobile in almost every conceivable respect. It’s roomy, fast, competent, efficient, fun to drive, and on the verge of luxury, all while being remarkably tough and long-lasting. It’s difficult to find fault with the R1T other than its expensive price and the fact that certain folks may need a bigger vehicle.
You may have heard of Jon Rettinger by now, but if not, don’t feel bad. The quality of his videos, which we’ve previously highlighted, seems to have increased. His films are comprehensive, funny, personable, and simple to follow; he must have a great crew behind him. In addition, Jon just purchased another brand-new EV to show off to the world; this one is undoubtedly superior to other competitors in most respects, but it wasn’t the Rivian R1T.
Rettinger surrendered his stake in the technology review website TechnoBuffalo, where he had served as president, in order to devote more time to his YouTube channel. Jon gets to make the occasional vehicle video since he covers everything electrical. He’s driven and written about Teslas, and he’s now spending time with the R1T, an electric pickup truck made by the up-and-coming company Rivian.
Jon wants to know whether the R1T is as good as it sounds. Do you think it’s a good use of your time? Keep in mind that anybody could pose and try to accurately answer the question, but Jon does so from a somewhat unusual vantage point. He’s spent much of his time recently behind the wheel of a Lucid Air, and he has a long history with Tesla vehicles, so he can draw lots of relevant comparisons.
According to Rettinger, his team used the R1T for a whole week. They drove it around on regular streets and dirt roads, putting it through its paces. Jon says he had no preconceived notions going into the Rivian test drive, thus the experience blew his mind.
Jon says the R1T is odd, eccentric, and flawed, but he can’t deny that it made him happy. Although he says the R1T isn’t for everyone, Jon has already bought and received his own. He hadn’t even considered buying an electric vehicle before now. He says he’ll write up a comprehensive report on the property’s ownership soon.
I didn’t get much of a chance to put this pickup truck‘s 0-60 time of three seconds to use in the city during my time behind the wheel in Colorado. Even though I despise driving in the city, I have to admit that the Rivian made the experience about as pleasant as it could have been. All-purpose mode absorbed the shock of the potholes, while the huge tires handled the curbs with ease. Being a smaller vehicle than a regular truck, I had a much better view of the road and could avoid hitting any bicycles or pedestrians.
One of the biggest benefits of EVs is the ability to drive with just one foot on the pedal, which is especially useful in the city.
