Photo: @TeslaOwnersEBay via Twitter | Edited
Snow piles and slippery conditions can be challenging, even for the most capable off-roaders. A Rivian R1T had to be rescued from the snow by a Tesla Model S, causing a heated debate on social media. Is Rivian R1T incapable of dealing with snow, or maybe the driver had no clue what they were doing? The answer can be more complicated.
Some vehicles can do better than others in inclement weather and slippery conditions, or so people think. This might be true when ground clearance and all-wheel drive come into play, and that's why SUVs and pickup trucks fare better in difficult terrain than your average city car. However, on a slippery road, you can do better with a lighter vehicle if the driver knows what they're doing and the car is equipped with proper tires.
A snowy road is a perfect example of this, and we've seen how such a situation can put even a mighty Range Rover to shame. Specialized winter tires can make all the difference on snow compared to the usual all-season tires that are fitted to most vehicles today. This is also obvious in the case of a Rivian R1T truck that remained immobilized in the snow. The video shared on social media shows the truck high-centered on the snow, needing assistance from a Tesla Model S to get on the road again.
Although this might look unusual for an adventure pickup truck, it most certainly had to do with an inexperienced driver getting in that bad situation in the first place. We don't know what happened, but it's obvious the R1T should not have gotten high-centered on that pile of snow. Despite its powerful motors, there wasn't much the driver could do to free up the truck. Or was it?
Internet wisdom started to pour in after the video was shared on social media. Some suggested that raising and lowering the air suspension a few times would've helped. Others said proper winter tires would've been more appropriate considering the weather conditions. They would've certainly helped, as a well-equipped Tesla Model S jumped to the rescue and had no problem getting the truck out of the snow pile.
This is not indicative of the R1T performance, though. We've seen in another video that the Rivian R1T is capable of helping a semi-truck get back on the road. It was quite an impressive achievement, considering that the Class-8 truck was much heavier than the Rivian's maximum towing capacity. In that case, the Rivian had to stay on the clean road to make a difference, and the four wheels provide plenty of traction.
In the end, regardless of the tires and road conditions and leaving aside how good (or bad) the drivers were, this is a classic "EV owner helps other EV owners" situation. It also emphasizes another EV quality: with high torque available from the get-go, electric vehicles are ideal for towing and other heavy-duty tasks.
A snowy road is a perfect example of this, and we've seen how such a situation can put even a mighty Range Rover to shame. Specialized winter tires can make all the difference on snow compared to the usual all-season tires that are fitted to most vehicles today. This is also obvious in the case of a Rivian R1T truck that remained immobilized in the snow. The video shared on social media shows the truck high-centered on the snow, needing assistance from a Tesla Model S to get on the road again.
Although this might look unusual for an adventure pickup truck, it most certainly had to do with an inexperienced driver getting in that bad situation in the first place. We don't know what happened, but it's obvious the R1T should not have gotten high-centered on that pile of snow. Despite its powerful motors, there wasn't much the driver could do to free up the truck. Or was it?
Internet wisdom started to pour in after the video was shared on social media. Some suggested that raising and lowering the air suspension a few times would've helped. Others said proper winter tires would've been more appropriate considering the weather conditions. They would've certainly helped, as a well-equipped Tesla Model S jumped to the rescue and had no problem getting the truck out of the snow pile.
This is not indicative of the R1T performance, though. We've seen in another video that the Rivian R1T is capable of helping a semi-truck get back on the road. It was quite an impressive achievement, considering that the Class-8 truck was much heavier than the Rivian's maximum towing capacity. In that case, the Rivian had to stay on the clean road to make a difference, and the four wheels provide plenty of traction.
In the end, regardless of the tires and road conditions and leaving aside how good (or bad) the drivers were, this is a classic "EV owner helps other EV owners" situation. It also emphasizes another EV quality: with high torque available from the get-go, electric vehicles are ideal for towing and other heavy-duty tasks.
???? @Tesla model s bails out @Rivian R1T! This year’s snow has been next level. @elonmusk ????: @clean_myp & @TeslaClubSoCal pic.twitter.com/4dwnDVzeOS
— Tesla East Bay Fremont (@TeslaOwnersEBay) March 6, 2023
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