Rivian is giving customers who spent $5,000 on a performance dual-motor R1-series vehicle or intend to do so another reason to justify the splurging. A brand-new upgrade is poised to make moving from 533 to 665 hp even more attractive. Here's the gist of it.
Rivian introduced its dual-motor R1T and R1S as a way to lower production costs and increase profit margins without upsetting or turning away prospective buyers. The Enduro drive units were developed in-house and helped the Irvine-based automaker to introduce two versions – one with 533 hp and another with 665 hp.
They're not different in any meaningful way. The marque just decided to lock 132 hp behind a $5,000 paywall.
However, the best thing about them is that Rivian needs fewer semiconductors. Couple that with a shorter and more secure supply chain, and it becomes understandable why the young EV maker is trying to move production away from the pricey quad-motor R1-series models with the Bosch drive units.
On top of that, the dual-motor R1T and R1S EVs can do exactly what Rivian advertises and even work well with the so-called "max-pack" battery. The new energy storage unit barely adds any extra weight to the EVs and increases the EPA-rated range to 400 miles for the R1S and 410 miles for the R1T. The Enduro motors are very efficient.
However, a 132-hp bump in output might not make much sense for many customers. So, Rivian decided to make the $5,000 upgrade a tad bit more appealing. Soon, an over-the-air update will bring the Soft Sand drive mode to all Performance Dual-Motor R1T and R1S EVs.
Activating it softens the acceleration and regenerative braking. It also allows for a "gradual buildup of throttle at low speeds and then a more aggressive delivery at higher speeds," per Rivian. Traction and stability control have also been optimized to allow drivers to easily get unstuck.
Photo: Rivian
Essentially, Soft Sand mode will allow R1T and R1S EVs equipped with the unlocked dual-motor configuration to confidently visit places like the Glamis Dunes in California.
The first clue about making this mode available to prospective or existing buyers appeared on the web configurator. An extra icon showed that customers would get more stuff if they chose to upgrade. But an official confirmation followed up on Reddit. Company representatives pointed out that the feature would arrive soon via an OTA update.
It's worth noting that this $5,000 option included from the get-go one extra drive mode over the "base" dual-motor powertrain – Sport. Soon, Soft Sand will also become available, expanding the number of drive modes to six. Dual-motor R1-series EVs have only four – All-Purpose, All-Terrain, Snow, and Towing.
We expect to see future updates made available exclusively to those who paid to have their all-electric pickup trucks and SUVs equipped with the performance dual-motor option.
Finally, Rivian is also adding the possibility to add more Waypoints (its Level 2 charger network) when planning a trip through the same OTA update.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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