Rivian R1T With 410-Mile Range Arrives With Huge New ‘Max Pack’ Battery
Meanwhile, max pack deliveries for the R1S SUV are expected to begin in the fall.
While Rivian's "tank turn" never materialized, another one of the rising EV manufacturer's trump cards has just hit the table. Rivian's longest-range "max pack" battery has officially begun deliveries, establishing the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV as the longest-legged EVs in their classes.
The Rivian R1T launched with battery options of 105 and 135 kilowatt-hours, with the latter allowing up to 314 miles of range. The same were available for the R1S SUV when it followed, though with slightly reduced range. Both were slated to get the larger, 149-kWh max pack, but it fell victim to delays that plagued Rivian's other headline features, like the camp kitchen and power tonneau cover. At last though, Rivian says the first R1T max pack trucks have been delivered, bringing on what some will consider the ultimate versions of Rivian's vehicles.
The R1T's max pack is estimated to offer 410 miles of range, while 400 miles will be the expected ceiling on the R1S. Max packs are now available to configure on both models, with both the base and performance dual-motor drivetrains—the quad-motor is not compatible. It will be a $16,000 option over the base battery, as opposed to $6,000 for the midsize pack. Rivian expects to begin deliveries of the R1S max pack models later this Fall.
The max pack's arrival gives the R1T and R1S the titles of the longest-range electric pickup and seven-seat SUVs on the market today. The R1T is expected to lose that distinction soon to the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, which claims 450 miles of range by emphasizing different strengths than those of the closely related GMC Hummer EV. Meanwhile, the R1S will be in a better position, with its closest challenge being the Tesla Model X with a claimed range of 348 miles. (However, Tesla has been sued for allegedly exaggerating its EVs' ranges.)
While many other three-row EVs are expected to reach the market in the near future, most are expected to just surpass 300-mile ranges instead of approaching 400. That should leave Rivian in a class of its own for a long time to come—probably until a Chevy Suburban EV makes its debut. But that'll be a while yet.
Update: Oct. 4, 10:50 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect new battery capacity information issued by Rivian after publication.
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