Photo: Rivian
The end of quad-motor variants of the R1T and R1S might be in sight, considering that Rivian will introduce a tri-motor option for the model year 2025. The two variants will probably coexist for a while. Still, there's no real benefit to having four electric motors, and Rivian is trying to cut costs as much as possible. The change has been spotted thanks to updated VIN decoding information submitted to the NHTSA.
Rivian started the sales of the R1 electric vehicles with the quad-motor variants powered by electric motors sourced from Bosch. However, the EV startup worked on developing its own drive units to cut costs and avoid supply chain bottlenecks. The so-called "Enduro" motors turned out not only cheaper but also better, offering improved efficiency and more power than the Bosch units. This turned the dual-motor variants of the R1T and R1S into bestsellers.
There have been discussions about what is better, dual-motor or quad-motor. If you only drive your Rivian on the road, the quad-motor version offers better performance if you can afford it. The jury is still out when going off-road. Some owners think two motors are better than four because diverting the power to one wheel (torque vectoring) is better than losing half the power on an axle. Others disagree, saying that one Enduro motor in a dual-motor configuration would not have much more power than a single motor of the quad-motor version.
Whatever the situation, it's clear that Rivian aims to simplify manufacturing and reduce reliance on external suppliers. With the refreshed R1S and R1T expected later this year as 2025 models, Rivian will likely replace Bosch drive units with Enduro motors. Not only that, but the quad-motor variants are on their way out, as people speculated for a while. Rivian has notified the NHTSA about an update to its VIN database to include tri-motor versions of the R1T and R1S.
The filing adds a new option for the sixth position in the VIN after A (Electric, Quad-Motor, AWD) and B (Electric, Dual-Motor, AWD). Predictably, this is C: Electric, Tri-Motor, AWD. Notice that option A doesn't disappear, which means the tri-motor R1 EVs will coexist with quad-motor variants, at least for a while. However, given the likely price difference, customers will probably avoid the more expensive quad-motor vehicles.
Rivian will have to limit the number of options to cut costs, and scrapping the Quad-Motor R1 EVs looks like the right move. It has already signaled that it would not be offering quad-motor variants of its electric vehicles with the launch of its R2 and R3 models. The most capable variants of these models feature three electric motors, which means Rivian is confident a quad-motor version will not be missed.
The VIN database update also adds new trim options in the eighth position for "P: Premium" and "E: Entry." This complements the A: Adventure, which is currently the only trim you can order. It's great that Rivian is considering more configurations for the R1T and R1S for the 2025 model year. This will offer more options to buyers and, undoubtedly, more affordable prices for Entry trims.
There have been discussions about what is better, dual-motor or quad-motor. If you only drive your Rivian on the road, the quad-motor version offers better performance if you can afford it. The jury is still out when going off-road. Some owners think two motors are better than four because diverting the power to one wheel (torque vectoring) is better than losing half the power on an axle. Others disagree, saying that one Enduro motor in a dual-motor configuration would not have much more power than a single motor of the quad-motor version.
Whatever the situation, it's clear that Rivian aims to simplify manufacturing and reduce reliance on external suppliers. With the refreshed R1S and R1T expected later this year as 2025 models, Rivian will likely replace Bosch drive units with Enduro motors. Not only that, but the quad-motor variants are on their way out, as people speculated for a while. Rivian has notified the NHTSA about an update to its VIN database to include tri-motor versions of the R1T and R1S.
The filing adds a new option for the sixth position in the VIN after A (Electric, Quad-Motor, AWD) and B (Electric, Dual-Motor, AWD). Predictably, this is C: Electric, Tri-Motor, AWD. Notice that option A doesn't disappear, which means the tri-motor R1 EVs will coexist with quad-motor variants, at least for a while. However, given the likely price difference, customers will probably avoid the more expensive quad-motor vehicles.
Rivian will have to limit the number of options to cut costs, and scrapping the Quad-Motor R1 EVs looks like the right move. It has already signaled that it would not be offering quad-motor variants of its electric vehicles with the launch of its R2 and R3 models. The most capable variants of these models feature three electric motors, which means Rivian is confident a quad-motor version will not be missed.
The VIN database update also adds new trim options in the eighth position for "P: Premium" and "E: Entry." This complements the A: Adventure, which is currently the only trim you can order. It's great that Rivian is considering more configurations for the R1T and R1S for the 2025 model year. This will offer more options to buyers and, undoubtedly, more affordable prices for Entry trims.
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