Rivian has grand plans to introduce reasonably priced electrical fashions subsequent, together with the R2 crossover and the R3 and R3X hatchbacks. However neither will arrive anytime quickly; the R2 will not be slated for launch till 2026, with the R3 fashions anticipated to launch even later. Within the meantime, Rivian will depend on up to date variations of its unique EVs, the R1T and R1S, as it really works on making its future fashions a actuality. And the massive information is what’s beneath the pores and skin.
The second-gen Rivian R1 EVs look the identical and nonetheless have the funky retro-modern vibe. However beneath there is a new electrical structure and software program platform, in-house-built drive items, and an LFP battery pack for the bottom model. The adjustments are meant to ease manufacturing challenges and scale back losses per car.
And if electrical architectures and “compute energy” do not curiosity you, perhaps the four-motor variant getting about 200 extra horsepower will as an alternative.
Rivian R1 EVs enter a brand new technology.
Two years after Rivian’s electrical truck and SUV entered the market, the automaker has given them a radical improve. Rivian misplaced simply over $38,000 behind each EV in Q1 2024, down from $68,000 a 12 months in the past. Now, it hopes to slim the losses additional with the upgraded EVs that use less complicated electrical architectures and are simpler to fabricate and restore.
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Extra Oomph
Rivian began transferring away from the Bosch quad-motors final 12 months to deal with its in-house Enduro drive items to enhance manufacturing pace and effectivity. The second-generation R1T and R1S fashions will full that transition.
The bottom variations will proceed with the twin motor set-up, however Rivian additionally gives an all-new tri-motor model now. Beforehand, the R1 collection fashions solely got here with two or 4 motors.
The tri-motor model will get two motors on the rear and one within the entrance, with a mixed output of 850 horsepower, sufficient to propel the R1T from a standstill to 60 mph in a blistering 2.9 seconds.
| Second-Gen R1 | Horsepower (hp) | Torque (lb-ft) | 0-60 mph (seconds) |
| Twin Motor | 533 | 610 | 4.5 |
| Efficiency DM | 665 | 829 | 3.4 |
| Tri-Motor | 850 | 1,103 | 2.9 |
| Quad Motor | 1,025 | 1,198 | <2.5 |
The manufacturer-estimated vary is about 380 miles on the tri-motor R1T utilizing the 149 kWh Max battery pack. That may stretch as much as 410 miles in Preserve mode.
To not be outdone, the highest quad motor R1 fashions get a efficiency increase, with output growing from 835 hp and 908 pound-feet of torque to 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft. That’s sufficient for the R1T to slingshot from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds in Launch mode, a tenth faster than the braggadocious Tesla Cybertruck.
Rivian claims the entrance two motors within the quad-motor model are compact, efficiency-focused items whereas the rear motors are engineered for efficiency.
New LFP Battery Pack
The entry-level fashions now use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery packs, good for 270 miles of vary, the identical as earlier than. Rivian hasn’t launched the precise battery capability, however leaked certification paperwork shared on Rivian Boards recommend the scale of the Commonplace pack has decreased from 105.9 kWh to 92.5 kWh.
If the battery dimension has decreased however the vary is identical because the outgoing NMC items, then that’s saying one thing about how far LFP batteries have come. Usually, they aren’t as energy-dense as NMC items, however are cheaper and have an extended lifespan. That makes them appropriate for entry-level fashions—the standard-range Tesla Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y additionally use LFP batteries globally.
| Vans | Max Vary (Miles) | Battery Measurement (kWh) |
| Chevy Silverado EV | 440 (GM estimate) | 200+ |
| 2025 Rivian R1T | 420 (Rivian estimate) | 149 |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 340 (Tesla estimate) | 122.4 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 320 (EPA) | 131 |
| Hummer EV Pickup | 381 (GM estimate) | 200+ |
The Massive and Max packs proceed to make use of the identical 2170 cylindrical cells. However the pack enclosures at the moment are constructed from giant high-pressure die castings to simplify manufacturing and scale back mass, in keeping with Rivian. All that’s within the curiosity of less complicated meeting and simpler serviceability.
Rivian says they ship as much as 330 miles (Massive) and 420 miles (Max) of estimated vary, respectively. So that may put the twin motor R1T with the Max pack between the Tesla Cybertruck AWD (340 miles) and the Chevy Silverado EV (440 miles). The twin motor R1S with the Max pack will proceed to get 410 miles of vary.
The tri-motor and quad-motor variations can solely be had with the Max pack, Rivian confirmed to InsideEVs. On the outgoing fashions, the Commonplace+ had 121 kWh of capability. The Massive pack supplied 135 kWh, whereas the Max battery was rated for 149 kWh.
Improved Electrical Structure
Early R1Ts had teething points associated to software program and upkeep. Homeowners complained about glitches on the display, and malfunctioning driver help options and one proprietor even instructed InsideEVs that Rivian needed to exchange his R1T’s complete wiring harness simply to interchange a single side-view digital camera.
Rivian claims to have a number of fixes for such points. There’s a brand new zonal electrical structure that makes use of fewer extra highly effective ECUs, down from 17 to simply seven on the second-gen fashions. Rivian says this has helped it take away some 1.6 miles of wiring from every car and scale back 44 kilos of weight.
Upgraded Infotainment, Laptop, Software program
The Rivian R1T has 11 exterior cameras. However a number of Rivian house owners appeared sad with their high quality, and the way they course of the footage of the environment into the display. The brand new cameras are 4K HDR items and might see 3 times farther and 10 seconds forward at freeway speeds.
Rivian claims these are the highest-megapixel cameras of any car offered in North America—we’ll learn the way they fare in the true world after we spend a while with the brand new fashions.
The second-gen R1S and R1T additionally function twin Nvidia Drive Orin processors that ship 10 instances the computing efficiency in comparison with the outgoing system. The AI-powered processors use the identical architectural parts as giant language fashions (LLMs), christened “Imaginative and prescient Transformers” to decipher the surroundings across the EV and put together reactions.
A wave of next-gen EVs, primarily Chinese language, use these processors for his or her flagship EVs. BYD, Xpeng, Li Auto and even Lucid are utilizing Nvidia Drive Orin as their centralized automobile computer systems as they put together for increased ranges of autonomous driving capabilities—one thing Nvidia claims these chips are designed for.
Rivian additionally says the infotainment system has been “fully redeveloped,” and that lots of the adjustments to its consumer interface might be rolled out to first-generation R1 automobiles through an over-the-air replace.
There are tons of little tweaks on the software program entrance, together with a cool addition to how the drive modes look: cel shading. This mimics the model of hand-drawn animation, with daring outlines and restricted shading to create a stylized look—making them look much less lifelike and extra cartoony. It’s one thing we see extra generally in video video games, and as computer systems turn out to be extra highly effective, these artwork kinds are coming again into vogue.
Rivian Autonomy Platform
The extra highly effective chips and the recent digital camera {hardware} ought to enhance the efficiency of Rivian’s suite of superior driver help and security methods. Options like Freeway Help, which may auto steer, brake and speed up on choose highways will proceed to be supplied on first and second-gen fashions.
Second-generation fashions might be out there with a premium model of the identical, referred to as Autonomy Platform+. That can pack a broader set of abilities, together with Lane Change on Command (due late Summer season through OTA replace) and Enhanced Driver Help that slated to reach later this 12 months.
Rivian additionally added that its EVs will proceed to make use of a set of 5 radars to detect the surroundings round them. “These radars function a significant backup to the cameras, significantly in conditions the place dust or grime may obscure a digital camera lens,” the automaker mentioned.
They Do not Come Low-cost
The refreshed R1S begins at $75,900 and the R1T begins at $69,900, earlier than taxes and charges. These are the dual-motor, Commonplace pack variations out there to order instantly. The tri-motor R1S begins at $105,900 whereas the R1T is priced at $99,900.
They’re anticipated to reach by late summer season whereas quad-motor is claimed to observe someday later. We don’t know the costs of the quad-motor variations but however anticipate detailed pricing sooner or later. Deliveries of the R1S begin on June 7, and R1T will observe quickly after.
| Variants | R1T | R1S |
| Twin-Motor Commonplace Pack | $69,900 | $75,900 |
| Twin-Motor Massive Pack | $76,900 | $82,900 |
| Twin-Motor Max Pack | $83,900 | $89,900 |
| Tri-Motor Max Pack | $99,900 | $105,900 |
| Quad-Motor Max Pack | TBA | TBA |
