Rivian R1T Drags Tesla Model 3, Mustang, Corvette, and Takes a Trio of Shameful Beatings

Sure, that is an extreme case scenario involving a vehicle produced in severely limited quantities and with an astonishing price tag. But, above all, Tesla has constantly demonstrated that even vehicles that will not cause bankruptcy for the owner can be pretty darn fast, too. Mainly at the quarter-mile dragstrip, of course, as shown by the countless world record attempts by the 1,020-hp Tesla Model S Plaid.

But even its affordable Model 3, which starts at $40,240 currently, can be an asset at the local racetrack, especially if you buy it as a $53,240 Model 3 Performance version, capable of sprinting to 60 mph (96 kph) in 3.1 seconds and a 162 mph (261 kph) top speed when fully charged. Well, this Model 3 that we are about to show you probably had the battery topped up as it prepared for an EV-exclusive skirmish against the new Rivian R1T full-size EV pickup truck kid on the quarter-mile dragstrip block.

The videographer behind the Wheels channel on YouTube is a major fan of 'Thunder Mountain' - aka the Bandimere Speedway quarter-mile dragstrip in Colorado, and it seems that he is committed to continuing the story of the daring yellow Rivian R1T truck that challenged everyone at the mile-high racetrack. After previously witnessing a couple of skirmishes against a yellow and black-striped Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, now the EV pickup is trying to wipe the shame of losing to an ICE-powered V8 Mopar with a Tesla vs. Rivian brawl.

Alas, that wasn't the hour of success, either, as the white Model 3 was a nudge quicker off the mark (1.83 to 1.88 reaction times) and ultimately snatched victory with a close 11.72s versus 11.81s result. But do you think the Rivian owner has had enough of these walks of shame? Not at all, so next up, the R1T lined up with a couple of representatives of the muscle and sports car halls of fame – the Ford Mustang and Chevy Corvette.

The former was a tuned monster, for sure, given the 9.77s ET (as opposed to Rivian's 11.66s), and the latter only had to be a little faster off the start line to gain a sizeable advantage and the overall victory. Ultimately, we suggest a couple of things to the daring Rivian R1T truck owner. First, get rid of the all-terrain tires for a pair of sleek racing models. And secondly, do something about the EV's top speed limiter, too!