Rivian R1S And R1T Test Mules Spotted In The Wild

Rivian prototypes are still accumulating test miles.

Rivian R1S And R1T Mules Caught In The Wild! (source: Brian Makse)

Mark Kane

By: Mark Kane

May 23, 2021 at 6:29pm ET

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Here a video that shows two of Rivian's test vehicles of the upcoming all-electric Rivian R1T pickup and Rivian R1S SUV seen in the wild on some side roads.

According to Brian Makse, the video was actually recorded a couple of weeks ago:

"A couple of weeks ago, I was out doing some driving and spotted the Rivian R1T and R1S camouflaged mules doing some testing. I threw a camera on the front of my car and captured these Rivians in action."

Market launch of the R1T will happen next month, while R1S will follow in August (see the timeline here).

The R1T is expected to deliver range of 300+ miles (483+ km) at launch and 400+ miles (644+ km) in January 2022. There will be also a more affordable 250+ mile (402+ km) version. The battery cells (cylindrical, 2170) for the Rivians are supplied by Samsung SDI.

The info about the R1S says that the 7-seat, launch edition will be 300+ miles (483+ km), and that there will be a more affordable 250+ mile (402+ km) version.

To handle long-distance travel, Rivian is working on a dedicated Rivian Adventure Network fast-charging infrastructure with over 3,500 DC fast chargers at more than 600 sites in the U.S. and Canada (by the end of 2023). The chargers to be 200 kW initially and over 300 kW in the future (most likely ready for 800V battery systems). 20 minutes of charging is expected to be enough to replenish 140 miles (225 km) of range. The AC charging will be possible using the 11.5 kW on-board charger.

Rivian R1S

In terms of performance, Rivian promises 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) time in about 3 seconds for both models:

"Drive through 3 feet of water. Rock crawl at a 100% grade. Traverse just about any terrain with 14 inches of ground clearance. With a 0-60 mph time in as quick as 3 seconds depending on your tire selection, it also delivers the on-road handling of a sports car.¹"

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Rivian EVs are equipped with a quad motor drive (four electric motors, one per wheel) for the ultimate torque vectoring capability, as well as independent air suspension and hydraulic roll control as standard.

R1T tow rating is up to 11,000 lbs (4,990 kg) in all variants, while in the case of R1S it's up to 7,700 lbs (3,493 kg).

Rivian R1T platform

Rivian R1S platform