Photo: Rivian
Even though Rivian started its business based on an adventure vehicle, this doesn’t mean that performance vehicles are not on the company’s radar. Recent rumors from Rivian indicate that the EV maker is hard at work building a rally-inspired performance SUV on top of the R1 platform.
Rivian surprised everyone in a good way, with the R1T being the first electric pickup truck on the market. The R1T is genuinely good, as many who drove it testified, as is its cousin, the R1S SUV. None are performance monsters, although they offer more than decent specifications. This should change in the not-so-distant future, according to Motortrend sources inside Rivian.
The EV maker is pressing ahead with a seriously powerful SUV built on the R1 platform, which Motortrend describes as a cross between a Jeep Wrangler and a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. In other words, it should be at home on the road and off-road, taking the best of both worlds without limitations. Luxurious and capable, but with the Ford Bronco’s wild character and much more horsepower to rely on. Moreover, it will have a fastback roofline, maybe more like a Cayenne.
And because the future Raptor-killer needed a name, the R1X moniker was coined. It might not be the actual name but rather a placeholder. However, according to CarBuzz, Rivian tried to trademark R1X in March 2021 without success. The future performance SUV will use a shorter version of the R1 platform, and, unlike the R1S, it will have two rows of seats. Motortrend sources claim that Rivian will use a new type of motors and batteries for the R1X.
Those will have carbon-sleeved rotors like the ones in the Tesla Plaid line of models. This should allow them to spin at higher rpm and develop more power. Rivian aims for an output of 1,200 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft (1,632 Nm) of torque and, as such, will use four motors, one for each wheel. This should allow for impressive torque vectoring performance and assure that the Ford Bronco Raptor will look no more challenging than a house pet compared to the R1X.
Of course, the rumor would not be complete without a price target, and we hear this was set at $115,000. It is rather ambitious, considering what Tesla charges for its Model X Plaid. Realistically, it should be closer to $150,000, if not way above that. If rumors are true, expect the R1X to show up in Q4 2023. Or maybe take everything with a grain of salt.
The EV maker is pressing ahead with a seriously powerful SUV built on the R1 platform, which Motortrend describes as a cross between a Jeep Wrangler and a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. In other words, it should be at home on the road and off-road, taking the best of both worlds without limitations. Luxurious and capable, but with the Ford Bronco’s wild character and much more horsepower to rely on. Moreover, it will have a fastback roofline, maybe more like a Cayenne.
And because the future Raptor-killer needed a name, the R1X moniker was coined. It might not be the actual name but rather a placeholder. However, according to CarBuzz, Rivian tried to trademark R1X in March 2021 without success. The future performance SUV will use a shorter version of the R1 platform, and, unlike the R1S, it will have two rows of seats. Motortrend sources claim that Rivian will use a new type of motors and batteries for the R1X.
Those will have carbon-sleeved rotors like the ones in the Tesla Plaid line of models. This should allow them to spin at higher rpm and develop more power. Rivian aims for an output of 1,200 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft (1,632 Nm) of torque and, as such, will use four motors, one for each wheel. This should allow for impressive torque vectoring performance and assure that the Ford Bronco Raptor will look no more challenging than a house pet compared to the R1X.
Of course, the rumor would not be complete without a price target, and we hear this was set at $115,000. It is rather ambitious, considering what Tesla charges for its Model X Plaid. Realistically, it should be closer to $150,000, if not way above that. If rumors are true, expect the R1X to show up in Q4 2023. Or maybe take everything with a grain of salt.
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