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Rivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year Award

The Lucid Air was praised by MotorTrend when it won the 2022 Car of the Year Award because it was the first time a debut vehicle won the prestigious award. Being electric was just a detail. The Rivian R1T repeated that feat by winning the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year Award: it’s the first vehicle its company built, it was “the most remarkable truck” MotorTrend ever tested, and it happens to be electric.
Rivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year Award 6 photos
Photo: Rivian
Rivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year AwardRivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year AwardRivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year AwardRivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year AwardRivian R1T Wins 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year Award
In the video below, you can see some of MotorTrend’s editors discussing how difficult it was to reach a decision with the great competitors the award had this year. They also talked about the multiple tests they did, some of which are very unique to the prize, such as the frustration test.

The idea is to find a steep hill in which a truck towing something heavy will have to overtake a semi. Evaluating if the truck can even do that is the primary goal. Predictably, the Rivian contender did that without complaining.

According to the editors, the electric pickup truck coped with all six criteria (advancement in design, efficiency, engineering excellence, performance of intended function, safety, and value) with ease. The American magazine had already praised how well it deals with off-roading and what a great vehicle it is in daily driving.

Ironically, Edmunds recently stated that the Rivian R1T was the most inefficient EV it ever tested. MotorTrend would have counterpointed that if Edmunds had not mentioned this as well: although it has a massive frontal area and is a tall vehicle, the R1T is still the most efficient truck around just by being electric.

Yes, the GMC Hummer EV also competed with the R1T despite not being for sale yet, but GM’s first attempt to deliver an electric truck goes against much of what EVs should stand for, especially when it comes to efficiency. Being so massive and so heavy may make people want to brag about its torque and power, but that will have an impact on range, hauling capacity, and so forth. Safety around a 4-ton vehicle is also a concern for the others.

According to MotorTrend, anyone able to pay around $70,000 and willing to have a great pickup truck would get the best value for the money with the Rivian R1T. Just like with the Lucid Air, being electric is just a detail, but it is an important one.

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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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