Rivian R1S, R1T Rated at Over 300 Miles by EPA

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

While Rivian awaits government approval before starting deliveries of the R1T pickup truck in September, things continue to move forward for the brand's electric vehicles. The EPA completed its fuel economy testing on the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV and the numbers are better than anticipated.

Launch Editions Are Impressive

The fuel economy figures are for the Launch Edition models with the middle-of-the-pack Large 135-kWh battery pack and massive 21-inch wheels. The pickup truck has a range of 314 miles, while the R1S is slightly better with a range of 316 miles. The R1T truck, though, wins the internal battle with better fuel economy figures. The truck gets up to 74 MPGe city, 66 MPGe highway, and 70 MPGe combined. The R1S SUV carries fuel economy ratings of 73 MPGe city, 65 MPGe highway, and 69 MPGe combined.

Since the EPA conducts its testing on a dyno, we're not sure why the vehicles have different figures if they're equipped with the same battery packs and electric motors. It's not like aerodynamics play a part, as that variable is negligible when running on a dyno. In the real world, we expect the R1S to have a slight edge over the R1T because of its more aerodynamic body compared to the R1T pickup. For most consumers, though, the difference won't matter.

If anything, the EVs' wheel size is more likely to play a large role in total range. Rivian offers a variety of wheels with the R1T and R1S. The 21-inch wheels on the Launch Edition models were the best for range. The company also offers its EVs with 22-inch wheels, but those are meant to give drivers "the best on-road handling" and will probably result in a slight decrease in range. Then, there are the 20-inch off-road tires that will reduce range by a large margin.

400 Miles Seems Possible

The EPA hasn't tested Rivian's optional 180-kWh Max battery pack that's available for an extra $10,000. Rivian expects that battery pack to be rated at 400 miles of range. Seeing as how the automaker was pretty spot on with the Large battery pack, we're sure the Max one will actually get 400 miles of range.

It's hard to say how the R1T and R1S will stack up against its rivals, because the vehicles don't really have any rivals at the moment. The R1T is one of the first electric pickup trucks on the market and other automakers haven't had their pickup trucks tested by the EPA yet. Ford is targeting 300 miles of range with the F-150 Lightning, while the GMC Hummer EV will have around 350 miles of range. Tesla's wonky Cybertruck will have somewhere between 250 and 500 miles of range, but that vehicle is so far from production that it's impossible to give an accurate range for the truck.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods