The all-electric pick-up truck is a relatively new entry into the EV world. To date, there are only three EV pick-ups available for purchase in the US; the Ford F150 Lightning, the Rivian R1T, and the GMC Hummer EV. There are a few more EV pickups on the horizon including the Chevy Silverado, the Dodge RAM and the Tesla Cybertruck.
I have been driving EV’s since 2017 when we leased our 2017 Chevy Bolt EV Premier. We loved its performance and its hatchback utility. We were sold on EV’s from that point on so when the lease was up, we replaced it with a 2020 Chevy Bolt.
At the time, we also owned a 2005 Honda Element CUV (compact utility vehicle). The “E” was a truly flexible utility vehicle as it had a washable plastic floor and removable rear seats which made it extremely useful for transporting gardening tools, yard waste, and moving our children’s gear into their various college dorms and apartments. When the “E” failed its emissions test on its annual inspection and required more than $2,000 in repairs to get it to pass we had to replace it.
I wanted to replace it with an EV that had similar utility but there really was nothing at the time on the EV market that truly matched the “E” for size, affordability, and utility so we decided to replace it with a 2019 Chevy Bolt and “make do” while the EV market caught up.
I had been following the news about Rivian, a new EV startup, since 2018. Rivian was retooling a former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, IL to build an EV pick-up (R1T) and an SUV (R1S). They were also on contract to build EV delivery vans for Amazon. Although I had never owned a pick-up before, the R1T looked like it would exceed the utility of our beloved “E”, so I made a reservation for an R1T Adventure truck in March of 2021. I also made a reservation for the Ford F150 Lightning EV in the same year in case something fell through with Rivian.
As it turns out, Ford contacted me in March 2022 before Rivian. So, I immediately drove to the dealership to configure my truck and also to get in a gas powered F150 to see how comfortable I was with the layout and the size of the vehicle. I decided that the F150 was way more truck than I needed so I cancelled my reservation and put my hopes on Rivian.
Rivian informed me that the estimated delivery date for my R1T would be in November-December 2022 but to my surprise, they contacted me in late June 2022 to say they had a pick-up that matches my configuration with one exception. This R1T included an electric tonneau cover for the truck bed. I had heard that the tonneau had be problematic (i.e., getting stuck) for some R1T owners but I took the risk and picked up my 2022 Rivian R1T Adventure on July 1, 2022 (~15 months after I placed the reservation).
The R1T has been awesome! There is plenty of storage with a front trunk, under rear seats storage, a 54” truck bed, a truck bed trunk and the extremely useful “gear tunnel” (see picture). I use the truck to transport my e-bikes to bike trails around New England. We also use it for our weekly volunteer landscaping for work in our city.
Comfort in the R1T is outstanding with large heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel.
R1T performance and handling are incredible. With a motor for each wheel, 835 hp, and 908 ft. lbs. of torque, the R1T accelerates from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds. Truck height and acceleration are selectable through the R1T’s various drive modes (All-Purpose, Conserve, Rally, Sand, Snow, Drift, Rock-Climbing, and Towing)
The range is an impressive 328 miles per charge. You can squeeze another 20+ miles when you choose Conserve mode which disengages the rear wheel motors and lowers the truck to reduce drag.
Charging time on Level 1 and 2 electric vehicle supply equipment is as expected (Level 1: 110VAC 12A adds ~4 miles of range per hour. Level 2: 220VAC 48 A adds ~25 miles of range per hour). For road trips, fast charging at 480VDC 500A adds an impressive 140 miles of range in 20 minutes.
I found the cost of my R1T to be outstanding, but I also had a bit of luck. I reserved my R1T before the price hike in March 2022. My R1T with mostly standard options except for the add-on cost of paint color (Compass Yellow) and the electric tonneau was $76,570 including the $1,075 destination. The same configuration today is in the $90,000 range. The good news is Rivian is now offering less expensive dual motor R1T’s starting at $73,000.
The R1T Quad Motor truck currently qualifies for $7,500 through the Massachusetts MOR-EV Truck rebate program from Massachusetts. There is also a $7,500 Federal Tax Credit available for EV’s (with certain restrictions) to taxpayers who qualify.
My R1T qualified for both programs so my final cost was essentially $61,570.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my R1T. It perfectly balances a fun driving experience with great utility.
Rivian has also announced that they are designing a smaller truck – the R2T for release in 2026. I expect the R2T to be about the size of the Ford Maverick pick-up truck and a cost below $60,000. I cannot wait to see it.
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