We’ve seen several range tests with the wonder kid Rivian R1T, but none of them was taken off-road. Since the electric truck is advertised as an adventure vehicle able to conquer the harshest trails, it was natural that people wanted to see how far they could go on a charge.
Gauging the real-life range of an electric pickup truck is difficult, with many factors at play. The endeavor gets even more complicated when it comes to venturing off-road. The relief and the trail’s difficulty add new variables to the equation, which is also influenced by the vehicle’s equipment and the driver’s abilities. Nevertheless, a Rivian R1T owner has tried to solve this equation, and he did so in the most scientifically correct manner.
Rex Briggs is a data scientist with a Rivian R1T in his garage that he often drives off-road. This passion for overlanding has made it important for him to know how far he can venture away from civilization and not get stuck with a depleted battery. It should be noted that Rivian offers a remote charging service just for such a case, should it happen to a Rivian owner.
Being a data scientist, Rex has used data from several off-road trips, including a full day in the field covering 100 miles (161 km) and about 17,000 feet (5,182 meters) of elevation gain (39% grade at one point). His truck is a 135-kWh battery version equipped with 20-inch AT tires and an off-road package. Although he based his calculations on the advertised 135-kWh capacity, independent testing showed that the R1T has a usable capacity of 125 kWh.
Rex Briggs took his truck on the Coyote Flat off-road trail in California’s Inyo National Forest, which is not a difficult trail. He started his 100-mile off-road journey with 93% state-of-charge and reached Funnel Lake with 65% SOC. The trip included a dozen creek crossings and climbing to 10,300 feet (3,139 meters) above sea level. Rex calculated that the R1T would be able to drive 137 miles in this condition, which is half of the total range of the truck.
Rex’s conclusion was the Rivian R1T would be able to climb the highest peaks in North America, South America, Europe, or Africa and still make it back (if there was a road, of course). Unfortunately, the battery would not last enough to conquer Everest or other Himalayan peaks.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
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