Mesmerizing Rivian R1T Trip to Alabama Hills Reconfirms the Pickup Truck's Capabilities

It's highly unlikely that someone will bring forward a worthy competitor for the Rivian R1T this year. The Ford F-150 Lightning may be cheaper in some trims, but it isn't as good off-road and has less versatility than the Normal-made pickup truck. The Blue Oval logo-wearing unit lacks sufficient ground clearance for naughty adventures, a proper suspension setup that will prevent you from damaging essential components, and the very useful and creatively placed gear tunnel.

The GMC Hummer EV Pickup is another R1T rival, but the General Motors subsidiary isn't rushing anywhere with production and deliveries. In the first four months of 2023, it sold just two models.

The Chevy Silverado EV and the Ram 1500 REV are still nowhere to be found, while Tesla's Cybertruck is still a mystery. The now-Texas-based EV maker announced it produced the first customer-ready unit, but that was it. Nobody knows the specs or the price.

For now, Rivian has the upper hand and is undeniably the king of the all-electric full-size pickup truck segment. But instead of just handing it the crown, let's take one more look at what it can do.

One significant advantage of all-electric pickup trucks used for shy overlanding or remote weekend exploring fun isn't the maximum instant torque available at very low rpm nor the higher horsepower figures. What's so great about them is that they're silent.

If you haven't tried off-roading with a battery-electric pickup truck yet, try it. It will change your perspective while helping local fauna be less disturbed by human presence.

We've previously shown you many Rivian R1T off-road adventures, including an official one where the young automaker sent a woman-only crew to travel 1,600 miles of remote routes without using any modern navigation equipment. But the one you're about to see must be the best-looking yet.

Someone decided to take their all-electric Rivian pickup truck into the Alabama Hills in California. The scenery is breathtaking. Unsurprisingly, many adverts for tough-looking vehicles have been shot there. Located near the small yet cute town of Lone Pine, the landscape is filled with bewildering rock formations, narrow paths, and mountains awaiting the brave explorers in the background.

Alabama Hills is also great for those passionate about astrophotography because it provides a great view of the Milky Way at night when the sky is clear.

To put their Rivian R1T into an even better spotlight, the owner didn't even equip the EV with the 20-inch all-terrain wheels. They moved through that impressive place with the help of all-season low-resistance tires installed on 21-inch rims.

The pickup truck handled with grace everything thrown at it, including some soft rock crawling. It's places like these that make having the camp kitchen a blessing.

This particular R1T is so capable because it boasts the quad-motor setup, meaning each wheel benefits from independently adjusted torque. That's how it remains steady in most scenarios. It also has a McLaren 720S-like suspension setup, which allows it to do cool things like leveling itself on uneven ground. But more importantly, it helps significantly with maneuverability.

Now watch it do all these impressive things, and don't hesitate to share your thoughts below.