Photo: u/kugelvater via Reddit | Edited
Despite building one of the few electric pickup trucks on the market, Rivian irked R1T customers with a short-lived powered tonneau cover and its inability to offer a worthy alternative. Owners who installed an aftermarket cover saw an improvement in efficiency, although the difference is not that big.
Rivian R1T tonneau cover is one of the hottest topics in the EV world, akin to Tesla's FSD Beta. The original powered tonneau cover was seriously cool, although owners soon discovered it would not last much. The intricate mechanism that powered the cover was prone to jamming, and sooner rather than later, it would give up the ghost. Some (admittedly few) Rivian R1T owners still enjoy their powered cover today, but most have been affected by the problem.
Rivian acknowledged the powered tonneau cover has some issues and promised to fix them, but nothing has happened. The latest update from their engineering team informed owners that a solution should be available in early 2023. Since then, the only communication Rivian sent was that the powered tonneau cover was removed from the configurator. Since last October, it's been a manual cover or no cover. One of R1T's coolest features was gone.
You'd think this concluded the cover drama, but it didn't. Rivian couldn't deliver on the manual cover either. Although this is only four interlocking panels sliding in and out of the bed's side rails, no Rivian R1T owner who ordered it has it on their trucks. In early April, Rivian informed customers that the manual cover would start shipping this summer without offering more details. The vague timeframe angered owners even more, and many looked for alternative solutions.
Inspired by the manual tonneau cover description, some owners cut aluminum panels at the required dimensions to fit the R1 T's side rails. Others opted for aftermarket covers, some better than others. All in all, Rivian gave a jolt to the aftermarket suppliers, which went into overdrive to offer what the carmaker couldn't. And as more owners fitted a cover over the bed of their trucks, some discovered that it comes with unexpected benefits.
User u/carpartsguru shared on Reddit that his R1T has become more efficient after fitting the cover. As they drive the same 80-mile route every day in similar conditions, the best they could get without a cover was 2.0 miles (3.2 km) per kWh. After installing the aftermarket cover, the numbers went up to 2.1-2.2 miles (3.4-3.5 km) per kWh on the trip odometer. They live in Fort Myers, Florida, and the outside temperature is constantly hot. The air conditioning runs continuously, while the average speed hovered around 40 mph (64 kph) during their drives. This is a 5-10 percent improvement in efficiency, which is nothing to scoff at.
Some owners have questioned the redditor's findings, considering this was an experiment that Myth Busters also tried with inconclusive results. Yet, others shared similar results, although with smaller improvements. Even when you're not concerned about energy efficiency, a tonneau cover is worth considering for its practical benefits.
Rivian acknowledged the powered tonneau cover has some issues and promised to fix them, but nothing has happened. The latest update from their engineering team informed owners that a solution should be available in early 2023. Since then, the only communication Rivian sent was that the powered tonneau cover was removed from the configurator. Since last October, it's been a manual cover or no cover. One of R1T's coolest features was gone.
You'd think this concluded the cover drama, but it didn't. Rivian couldn't deliver on the manual cover either. Although this is only four interlocking panels sliding in and out of the bed's side rails, no Rivian R1T owner who ordered it has it on their trucks. In early April, Rivian informed customers that the manual cover would start shipping this summer without offering more details. The vague timeframe angered owners even more, and many looked for alternative solutions.
Inspired by the manual tonneau cover description, some owners cut aluminum panels at the required dimensions to fit the R1 T's side rails. Others opted for aftermarket covers, some better than others. All in all, Rivian gave a jolt to the aftermarket suppliers, which went into overdrive to offer what the carmaker couldn't. And as more owners fitted a cover over the bed of their trucks, some discovered that it comes with unexpected benefits.
User u/carpartsguru shared on Reddit that his R1T has become more efficient after fitting the cover. As they drive the same 80-mile route every day in similar conditions, the best they could get without a cover was 2.0 miles (3.2 km) per kWh. After installing the aftermarket cover, the numbers went up to 2.1-2.2 miles (3.4-3.5 km) per kWh on the trip odometer. They live in Fort Myers, Florida, and the outside temperature is constantly hot. The air conditioning runs continuously, while the average speed hovered around 40 mph (64 kph) during their drives. This is a 5-10 percent improvement in efficiency, which is nothing to scoff at.
Some owners have questioned the redditor's findings, considering this was an experiment that Myth Busters also tried with inconclusive results. Yet, others shared similar results, although with smaller improvements. Even when you're not concerned about energy efficiency, a tonneau cover is worth considering for its practical benefits.
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