Rivian RT1: The Super Fast, Super Capable Electric Pickup of the Future?
At this point it's hard to deny the impending electric car revolution both in the United States and around the world. There are more EVs for sale than ever, and even more coming from both new and familiar brands in the coming years. However, along with charging infrastructure, one of the things that has limited the appeal of EVs is the lack of body styles. At the moment nearly all EVs available are either compact cars, luxury sedans or luxury crossovers.
Yet here in the USA, it's long been the pickup truck that's dominated the sales charts, and it might not be until the introduction of full electric pickups that the EV finally goes mainstream on American roads. One company that's looking to kickstart the EV truck movement is Rivian, an American start up that has just unveiled its ambitious RT1 pickup ahead of the LA Auto Show.
Scheduled to go on sale in the fall of 2020, the RT1 will have a few different battery options to supply the four-motor powertrain. The top end model is said to have a range of 400 miles and, even more impressive, be capable of hitting 60 mph in just three seconds—an insane number for a pickup truck.
The truck has also been designed for some pretty serious off road use, with four-wheel traction that can be managed by altering power delivery to each motor, and a trick chassis setup with a low center of gravity and air suspension to adjust ride height on the fly.
Full pricing hasn't been announced yet, but the trucks are expected to run between about $60,000 and $90,000 when they go on sale, which certainly isn't cheap but also isn't too far off from what many higher-end gasoline and diesel trucks sell for these days.
In addition to the truck, Rivian will also be building an electric SUV on the same platform, both of which should help open the EV market up to a whole new segment of buyers in the U.S. We already know that Tesla is working on adding a pickup to its lineup, and you'd have to imagine brands like Ford and Chevy are also planning to introduce EV trucks at some point. If these trucks turn out to be anything like the the current crop of fast and efficient electric cars, it's going to be a very exciting market to watch in the coming years.
