Off-Roading in a Rivian R1T: What You Need To Know

For the best experience, off-roading requires a vehicle up to the rigors of unconventional environments. Most people prefer traditional options for off-roading, such as 4×4 vehicles, Jeeps, ATVs, and UTVs. A common misconception is that electric vehicles aren’t built for off-roading rigors- particularly electric trucks. 

Are you wondering if the Rivian R1T can handle your next off-roading excursion? You can rest assured that the Rivian R1T is more than capable of holding its own in the outdoors. 

Here is everything you need to know about the Rivian R1T and how it stacks up to the competition in the rugged outdoors.

Table of Contents

• Water handling
• Tackling Sand Dunes
• Rocky Terrain
• More Off-Roading Capabilities for the R1T
• Drive Modes
• Battery Life
• Charging
• Specs
• Every Day Driving
• Comfort Features   
• Safety
• Warranty Information
• Price

Water handling

The many outdoor trails in the United States have moist terrain, making for a wet and sticky ride. Some places have water crossings that riders can’t wait to splash their way through. Some pickup trucks and ATVs can’t safely ride through high waters. 

But the Rivian R1T can more than manage a watery journey. The Rivian R1T can navigate through water crossings up to 3 feet high with ease.

Tackling Sand Dunes

You’re in for a pleasant surprise when you take the Rivian R1T off-road. The R1T chews through soft sand with ease, making for a spectacular ride when you’re blasting through the desert. 

The ground clearance helps the truck handle tall dunes and protects the undercarriage from getting choked up, so you can drive confidently through the sand.

Also, the 20-inch all-terrain tires are the ideal choice should you want to take the desert head-on. 

Rocky Terrain

When some vehicles struggle to confront the rocky terrain of America’s outdoors, the RIvian R1T shines as it can masterfully climb the most jagged rocks. 

Some people think the best way to climb up the steep landscape is to have a diesel-guzzling pickup and rev the engine repeatedly. 

The Electric R1T packs plenty of punch, as it can beautifully make steep climbs to the top of the cliffs. Using the Off-Road-Rock-Crawl mode helps you to stay balanced as you climb. 

Those who upgrade to the AWD vehicle can control the torque for each wheel, putting the entire climbing experience in their hands.

More Off-Roading Capabilities for the R1T

Feel free to use your R1T to get dirty if you wish. The R1T’s suspension makes it safe to blast through mud, and you have a great time doing so if you want to take it off-road. It can handle uneven gravel, traverse through canyons, and even hold its own in the snow.

But your vehicle’s full capabilities depend on your battery package and driving style.

Drive Modes

You can stop fretting If you’re worried about the Rivian R1T not being built for everyday use. You can easily switch your vehicle to all-purpose mode, allowing you to handle common bumps with daily driving easily. According to Rivian.com, the all-purpose mode automatically adapts to the driving conditions, making for a smoother ride.

The drive modes don’t stop there. You can take advantage of other driving modes to make the most of the vehicle. These include

• Sport Mode
• Off-Road Auto
• Off-Road Dirt
• Off-Road Rally
• Off-Road Rock Crawl
• Off-Road Drift
• Tow Mode
• Conserve Mode

Each drive mode features a unique characteristic to suit the driving needs of your situation. For instance, the off-road drift mode is for when you want to use the R1T’s torque to whip around snowy areas and loose dirt trails, which many other trucks can’t do.

Sport mode is excellent for hitting tight corners at blazing speeds or for when you just want to put the pedal to the metal.

Feel free to play around with the other drive modes the Rivian R1T offers, as the truck is ready for anything the road (or you) can throw at it.

Battery Life

A common question among those considering switching to an electric vehicle is how long the battery life lasts. 

The Rivian R1T can get between 200 and 400 miles out of one pack. But this depends on other factors, such as which motor and battery packages you choose at the time of purchase.

For instance, Rivian suggests that the combination of the dual motor and the 21-inch tires can help make the most of the vehicle’s battery life, whereas choosing other tires, such as the 20-inch package, can decrease the battery range to just under 300 miles in some cases. 

Charging

Rivian hasn’t completed building its network of charging stations, but there are plans to build a network of over 10,00 charging stations that span across America and into Canada.

Rivian’s plans also include building 3,500 fast chargers to help get you back on the road more quickly.

Also, you can use the Rivian app to connect with CSS networks for more charging options.t

But if you aren’t near any CSS networks, you can use Rivian’s 18-foot wall charger that comes standard at the time of purchase to meet your charging needs. The charger also comes equipped with wifi and a 5-year warranty as added bonuses.

Also, the wall charger is weatherproof, allowing you to recharge indoors or outside in unpleasant conditions. Just make sure that you plug it into a 240v outlet for optimal charging.

Specs

The Rivian R1T is 217 inches long and 79 wide, increasing to nearly 82 inches with the side mirrors folded. These specifications put the Rivian R1T in the same class as the Ford F-150 Lightning.

The R1T is also 73 inches high and has a wheelbase of 135.8 Inches. You can also use the 37 cubic feet of cargo volume; this truck holds and enjoys 107 cubic feet of passenger volume.

Some of the other specs for the R1T include

• A 51-inch bed with
• 11 cubic feet of front trunk volume
• 835 Horsepower
• 908 lb ft. of torque
• Ground clearance of nearly 15 inches
• A combined EPA fuel economy of 70 MPGe

Every Day Driving

If you want a smooth, quiet ride that can put on the speed if need be, The Rivian R1T is the electric truck for you. The insulated cabin ensures that you hear what’s going on inside the vehicle and filters out the noise from outside. The all-purpose setting is ideal for navigating common issues with city driving, such as bumps and potholes, absorbing the impact, so you don’t feel it.

When you’re on the open road, you can go from 0-60 in a little over 3 seconds so that you can get around town quickly. But remember to follow your local traffic laws, or your fun can end soon.

If you have a load to haul, the tow mod of the R1T gives the vehicle a load capacity of 11,000 lbs, making it an excellent vehicle for tough jobs.

However, some jobs, such as hauling a trailer, can affect battery efficiency and may cause it to drain faster.

Comfort Features

Other features of the vehicle make everyday driving a luxurious experience. The Rivian R1T offers premium leather seats that are both stylish and highly comfortable. Materials used in the vehicle’s interior are designed to handle mud, dirt, and other outdoor substances, making for easy cleaning after sub-optimal weather conditions.

The 16-inch display system makes for an entertaining view of your dashboard. The display menu is crisp, clear, and easy to navigate. Standard options include climate controls, media, navigation, and more. The vehicle’s full WIFI and LTE capabilities help you stay connected, find your way around town and carry on conversations.

If you like letting in a view from the top for your passengers, the panoramic roof can help give them a great view as they ride. The truck also comes equipped with an immersive sound system that gives you a powerful audio experience. You can remove one of the Bluetooth speakers when you’re done driving and pick up where you left off on your favorite track.

Safety

The Rivian R1T has a robust safety package to help protect you on the road. Each vehicle comes standard with

• Highway assist in helping you with steering, braking, and accelerating 
• Lane Change Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keep Assistance
• Blind spot warning
• Rear-Cross Traffic warning
• Park assistance
• And many other premium safety features

Warranty Information

The RIvian R1T comes with a warranty featuring 5-year, bumper-to-bumper coverage or 60,000 miles, making it one of the more reasonable warranty packages on the market.

You can also get a battery pack warranty that includes all components for eight years or 175,000 miles,  Drivetrain coverage of 8 years or 175,000 miles, and an 8-year corrosion coverage package.

Price

The purchase price is perhaps the most significant determining factor in buying the Rivian R1T. The truck comes with an MSRP of 67,00 for the explore package (base model), $74,500 for the adventure package, and $85,000 for the launch edition.

The Rivian R1T comes with features that place it near the top of its class. It’s off-roading capabilities, towing capacity, and wealth of driving modes make for a one-of-a-kind  EV experience.

Although Rivian is new to the market, their attention to innovation and style figures help them become a significant contributor to the automotive world.