WELCOME TO THE FUTURE, BITCHES. AND THE FUTURE doesn’t exactly know what it is.

You’ve probably got opinions on this electric truck before even reading this sentence. And like the political climate that it was conceived in, reading a piece of shitty journalism won’t sway you one way or the other, but that’s not our job. In truth, the best way to form an automotive opinion is to just drive the damn thing. Anyways, let’s kick the hornets nest a bit with this: how’d our dumbasses get hold a $90,000+, 800-or so hp electric luxury pickup truck?

Easy, remember that review on the GT350? The 8000+ rpm Voodoo fueled high, slapping you across the face like a bear eating salmon? The addictive build up of noise and power that becomes all consuming, begging for more and more rev– He got rid of it and leased this Rivian R1T. More interesting than the Veloster N he was also considering, and stupidly, even more powerful than the old Mustang. And he doesn’t have to worry about saving gas now, because electron magic or something.

How does he like it? Will he ever go back to petro- he wants to trade it for a GT3 Touring. But that’s less to do with the Truck not being particularly good, and more to do with everything else surrounding it.

Buckle in assholes.

Electrify My America?

I’ve driven one other EV before, which was a dual motor Tesla Model 3. The power delivery was about as wild as people claim, the car was stable and planted, but also felt kinda dead around the corners. And the steering especially, felt like it overdosed on anesthetics. This stupid fucking pickup truck, on the other hand, managed to stimulate my senses in a fun way, not just “tickled the engineer brain”.

The Rivian R1T doesn’t drive like a truck. Never mind the low cg and unibody construction for a second, this just doesn’t drive like a truck. Steering is almost immediate, turn in is quick, and you feel mid corner stability even though you’re sending it on a more “all terrain” tire. Hell, it doesn’t even feel that large once you’re behind the wheel. Not only does it drive “well for a truck”, it borderline “drives well for a sedan”. Honestly, I think the steering feel was less numb than some mid 20-teens sports cars that predates the idea of Rivian as a company.

It’s not greatest of all time. We’re not beating a Porsche or a good hydraulic rack with this. However, it’s on the better side of modern numb feeling steering. It weights up fairly expectedly, and you have a decent idea what’s going on up there. Also, due to how quick that initial turn in is, you don’t drive this truck like a truck. There’s no “one hand on the wheel, the other out the door, lean your seat back 20° driving with this. It’s sit up, 90° bend at your elbows, two hands at either side of the wheel, be precise and don’t be tense.

And the way it turns is just part of the fun. The battery back moves the center of gravity (CG) to somewhere below your ass. So even in its highest suspension mode, you feel stable. It doesn’t sway like a dingy in a typhoon, it just corners with what traction the tires have, and holds its line on tarmac until you can put your foot down. The throttle response is instant, on a somewhat dull pedal, and all four wheels jump at the opportunity to show you what they’re capable of…. Kinda.

So the party trick of most EVs is usually acceleration. And while this dual motor R1T is no exception, it’s also not that otherworldly. That initial jolt off the line will snap your head back as the tires initially struggle for traction.

However.

Above, say 40… 60 mph, after that initial jerk the acceleration doesn’t feel all that wild. It’s better than most trucks and SUV’s, but there isn’t that big of a feeling to it. And you tend to get used to it a bit. Your brain is aware that this truck still moves better than it should, but that performance starts to feel mundane. Maybe because it’s too easy? Maybe it’s due to this being a truck and not a sports car? Maybe the laws of physics don’t take kindest to disrespect? Don’t know honestly.

After that initial acceleration shock wears off, it’s the handling and steering that shines through, especially when your tires touch gravel…

The 7100 Pound WRX

The Rivian R1T has drive modes. Several for the road, and then a bunch more for when you go off it. And a drift mode for both. But what we’re here to look at is “Rally”. Select it, watch as the truck adjusts its ride height, then disable traction control. Suddenly, this heavy electric truck becomes even more scarily nimble. The quick on road handling and instant torque translates to a truck that drives like a Subaru WRX on gravel, but fatter. Replace the in-boost flat four with instant electric torque. You can play with the throttle and make this tub of lard dance through a corner. The computer works to figure out which corner deserves power to help keep the truck in a slide or pull you through, meanwhile traction control steps back just enough to let you taste your mistakes. You can lose control with the right amount of idiocy, and the R1T will let you know you’ve fuckered it. But before you’ve completed that full out of control 360° spin, TC kicks in and the mountain of a truck slides to a stop with you facing the wrong direction. Your ass saved from further chaos, your ego bruised and your pants browned.

While the steering’s urgency, torque vectoring, and low CG help mask its hefty chub, you do feel it as the truck slides. Like a warehouse worth of lead ballast is situated beneath you as the truck transitions from slide to slide. It’s not unmanageable, but it is a funky feeling. The truck is nimble and quick to turn, you play with the throttle to have it dance around like a wannabe WRC car, but it can’t fully escape its size and weight. Is that a bad thing though? Do you want a total false sense of confidence that you’re in an EV WRX vs having some awareness that it’s still a pick up truck? I’ll let you, dear reader, drive one and make up your own mind, however the opinion I’m shoving down your gob is the latter.

Also, just as a quickie. There are a few levels of brake regen, that go from mild to WE DRIVE WITH ONE PEDAL IN THIS HOUSE HOLD, NOW HOLD ON KIDS, DADDY’S GOTTA SLOW DOWN!

Tech Bro Camping Trip

So I think you’ve gotten a decent idea on how it drives, hopefully. So what’s the rest of it like?

The truck does a decent job at feeling expensive. And while it’s not, say, S-class levels of nice in here, I don’t exactly think needs to be. Almost. On one hand, there is a definite segment of customers (my friend included) who will get these things dirty. Mud will splash, drinks will spill, and tailgate time will happen. So ease of cleaning and not worrying too much is helpful.

On the other hand, it’s a pricy fucking rig, and while there are some nice feeling materials and comfy seats, the dash also has fake wood like a “luxury living” apartment complex does flooring in its dash. Also, the rear seats are a bit of an afterthought and there are some more “utilitarian” materials in the cabin. At $100,000 I should see aluminum, nice wood, and well lacquered composites adorning this cabin. This is an electric off roader worth the big bucks, I wanna feel like a billionaire exploring the moon. Not some well-to do software engineer at Amazon who thinks “doing his part to save the world” involves a 7-tonne truck.

And this stupid thing wants to keep reminding you of that “you’re saving the world” bit. Because a buncha people spending $100,000 for an EV truck is a better societal investment than a bus fleet and well planned route. But hush now, don’t think of the amount of resources this truck takes nor what “Bunker C Oil” is, instead, gaze upon these admittedly slick graphics and see your pastel colored science textbook image of a Rivian out in nature surrounded by lush greenery and wind turbines. You fucking troglodyte, wallowing within your self congratulatory caves.

And ya know what, fuck it I’m no better. I’m easily entertained by nice visuals and random data, sorry. The smooth part of my brain is gently massaged while the engineer in me gets to look at numbers and go “mmmhmmm you see, 67% of the power is being distributed to the front left, meanwhile you’re temperatures at all four corners have barely changed, and we’ve only lost 2% of charge”. It’s the truck equivalent of “so if you look at this graph”. It’s for people who use Seaborn vs MatPlotLib for data visualization (that is a cry for help). This truck was built by fucking nerds… for (mostly) nerds… of which I am one.

The cybertruck might be a technological tour-de-force of what can be done with an EV, but it’s mired under layers of bullshit Musk hype and the kinda insufferable people who turn petrol heads and normal people alike away from this technology. This Rivian is like, 85% of a Cybertruck with only 20% of the pretentiousness. Like I’d imagine a Rivian owner touches grass and also doesn’t have to brag about getting laid (nor lie about it). And on top of that, I’d imagine that more of these R1Ts get used as trucks and not just billboards. You get the feeling that this truck caters to an audience comprised of software engineers and business majors who’ve only ever been on Reddit for homework help, and harbor some affinity towards “the great outdoors”

The Rivian R1T is a very nice thing. It’s not really a work truck, although it technically could fit that role to some extent. But it is a fine truck for a weekend in the woods or track. It drives better than probably any truck out there, it goes like hell, and you can controllably slide around like a teenager in a Subaru. All the while nestled in a comfy cocoon that feels 90% as expensive as it is. It honestly felt good to drive, kept us giggling like idiots for hours, and can make you feel special. It almost does it all.

The truck is littered with little things that were once marketed as “utilitarian”, but ultimately just make this thing a better camping truck than anything. The storage in between the bed and cab, under the bedliner, and waterproof frunk could technically be used at a job site, but really you’ll be loading them full of chairs, drinks, and coolers. You’re most likely not plugging power tools into those outlets, but stoves or speakers or lights or… whatever the guys at the race side camp site need. Hell, this stupid truck comes with a speaker:

And a high powered flashlight hidden in the door like a rolls Royce umbrella:

Oh yeah baby. We’re rolling in the bullshit now. And unfortunately, I’ve also eaten the bullshit up.

Become One With the Bullshit!

You could argue, this truck, ran out of substance after your tenth 0-60 pull. Then to compensate, like some early 2000’s Pontiac SUV, Rivian decided to shower the consumer with a bunch of random, kinda gimmicky bullshit in the hopes that they’ll be pacified. The random ass storage space gets a pass though, it’s an unibody EV truck, why not take advantage of the platform. However all the bitching I’ve done, these things do kinda add to both the experience and to what you’d expect of a truck that’s catering towards that aforementioned demographic. The kinda guy who’d have a tactical shovel and own a cross bow. Someone who continuously updates their Swiss Army knife.

Anyways.

We took this R1T into the Everglades a few times, sliding around in the dark as mosquitos wizzed by like stars to a spaceship in warp. We all sat together, with the official Rivan flashlight in hand spotting gators to pull up next to. AWD pulling this heavy beast up embankments and levees. And while it might not be modified Jeep levels of off road ready, we never lacked grip (at least unintentionally), worried about the batteries being pierced, nor did we fear running out of charge.

Then, during the HSR Classic 24 Hours of Daytona, this truck lived up to its goal, when it became the heart of our campsite. It brought all our crap, kept the ice frozen, powered all the lights, air-fryers, and slow cookers, and the charge was no worse for wear after 12 hours of use. Could you have done the same in a Silverado? Yea, most definitely. Was it a little more convenient with the Rivian? Yeah, it was. Was it a little annoying that the bed was too short to effectively transport a small couch without risking either the couch or the bodywork? Yes, very, and believe me the cost of damaging this thing weighs on its owner’s mind.

The Cost of Living and the Toll of Owning

No matter how far away you drive to engage in some mild off-roading, you can’t escape the money. This wasn’t a cheap purchase, and trying to be on “the bleeding edge of automobile technology” comes at a cost. Roughly $40,000 for damaging a sensor ridden and structural aluminum quarter panel during a dumb off-road excursion, as it turns out. And about that initial purchase cost. While the truck itself delivers its promise as a luxury high tech off roader truck… thing… the customer experience from the dealer would make Hyundai look like Bentley.

When my buddy picked up his R1T, late, it was delivered with missing options, most notably the wheels. So, a loaner vehicle, the truck which was eventually damaged, was given. And then months rolled by, as the dealer continually requested the vehicle back without releasing the customer truck. And when the truck was finally given to him, it still didn’t have the optioned floor mats. And to add some more fuel to the fire, my buddy has been waiting months for the adaptor from Rivian that lets him use the Tesla charging network. Instead relying on Electrify America! Whose chargers might be more numerous, but god do they suck. His trip up from Miami to Daytona Beach nearly left him stranded after almost every charger was either broken or occupied.

These kinds of stories aren’t unique to Rivian. Stories from Lucid’s customer support sing a similar song of either a lack of care, organization, or both about the product once it’s left the factory. And at this price point, you really can’t afford to deal with that.

This is the main reason why my friend wants out of his R1T. He’s tired of relying on mismanaged and seemingly uncaring dealers and their oblivious corporate overlords. Waiting months for crap to arrive only for it to be fucked up somehow. Dealing with unreliable charging infrastructure, with only the promise of a solution. Also, it’s not a sports car. It’s a fun truck, it can almost drive like a sports… “car”… in certain conditions, but make no mistake this is still a 7000 lb truck.

Let’s End This Damn Thing Already!

However, step back from the physical product, and you are left with a bit of a shitshow from a company trying to both stay afloat, attract new investment, and figure out this whole “running a car brand” thing. Given time, those kinks can probably get ironed out, however it’s up to their customers to be both Guinea pigs and vocal critics of the brand.

If that’s alright with you, and a truck or SUV of this nature fits your lifestyle, then go for it. I liked it. I wouldn’t live with it though. Bit too big, etc etc. I’d rather a model 3 or that alleged Alpine A110 ev, those are more my thing, and the latter would probably be worth the hassle.

Hope that helps!