There are many changes coming up in the pickup truck game, one of them is the 2023 Rivian R1T. This is the truck of the future, or so does the manufacturer says. It is a fully electric pickup truck which is something we don’t see very often on the market. If Rivian is a hit on the market, this will force another manufacturer’s hand. Meaning they will have to invest heavily in the electric vehicle department.
Some companies already did that, we have a fully electric pickup from Ford, but Rivian is something else entirely. With the announced specifications, R1T is going to be amazing when compared to the category. The truck itself is very innovative and we are more than happy to welcome the changes it is bringing.
There will be four electric motors inside the 2023 Rivian R1T and they have amazing performance. It was also mentioned that the Rivian is more than capable of tackling the off-road. To find out more about the upcoming game-changer in the pickup truck game, keep on reading.
Interior
The 2023 Rivian R1T is all about improvements and looking toward the future. It is no wonder that its cabin represents that. When you step inside it does indeed look like you entered a spaceship. Starting with the upholstery we can see that Rivian didn’t save money on the design. Upholstery is leather, suede, and fabric. Contrast stitching is also available. This opens up so many customization options to fully personalize the look of your car, the color schemes aren’t official yet but we can guess there will be plenty to choose from.
Touchscreen & Dashboard
In the middle, we can see an infotainment system. The touchscreen of at least 10-inches in size. This is where all the controls are since Rivian is all about minimalism in the cabin. Knobs and buttons are derived to a minimum and we can see the general direction in which futuristic cars are heading. The dashboard is also digital, which is nice and represents the technologically advanced Rivian.
There are also chrome accents along with the cabin, this adds to some luxury that this truck can definitely have. The infotainment system is 16 inches in size apparently which is plenty. This allows the back row of passengers to enjoy the fun without interruptions. Connectivity is not an issue and we didn’t expect it to be. We get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with Bluetooth and wifi hotspot inside the cabin.
We can also expect state of art driver aid technology. Systems like these are industry-standard nowadays and they are able to save lives in a pickle. It would be interesting to see if the surround system is brand-made and hopefully multiple speaker setups. It is up to us to wait and see what other amenities will be available in the 2023 Rivian R1T. But we can already see we are in for a wild ride and won’t be disappointed.
Exterior
The new 2023 Rivian R1T is not changing too much from the winning recipe. Why would they, their initial concept design was a huge hit and people loved it. So they are simply going to build upon the already good platform and improve what can be improved. As we know there is always space for making things better.
The model will compete with the full-size and middle-size models since the dimensions of the car are somewhat uncharacteristic. It falls somewhere in the gray area of the two categories. The only Crew cab is available but we don’t see that as a problem since that cab is one of the most sought after.
The cargo bed is a standard size so people can haul a lot of cargo. The SUV version is also available in the form of Rivian R1S. It does have a classic pickup look but a lot more curves. This makes it aerodynamic which definitely helps with the range of the car since it is an electric one.
The tires are beefy to make it off-road worthy and we can see at least 19 inches of wheels. Wheels of course are made of lightweight materials to shave off some weight and improve power to weight ratio. This further increases the range of the 2023 Rivian R1T. On the front, we don’t have a grille since it is an electric truck. Instead, we get a cargo space that is quite large.
The unified LED bar across the front increases visibility by far. Also, the vertical design of the headlights is quite interesting and refreshing. All in all the truck remains mostly the same with minor tweaks on the outside.
2023 Rivian R1T Specs, and Powertrain Options
This is where things get interesting for the 2023 Rivian R1T. All trims and combinations are coming with two options: dual-motor AWD, and quad-motor AWD versions.
The dual-motor AWD version has one electric motor on each axle. This version has 600 horsepower, and from zero to sixty it goes for just 4 seconds.
The quad-motor AWD version has four electric motors. Each wheel gets a whole motor just for itself. This vastly improves performance and power output. This Rivian R1T option can go up to 835 horsepower which is amazing for an electric truck. From zero to sixty it needs a mere 3 seconds. Not a lot of trucks can put up those numbers.
Towing capacity is around 11.000 pounds and hauling is maxed out at around 1.700 pounds. There might be a weaker configuration in the works but we are not sure about it. Why give it fewer motors when it can do a lot more with four and have better performance. Affordability is one reason but let us wait and see.
Battery Packs
The Large battery pack is 135 kWh and has a max range of 320 miles for a dual-motor AWD version, and 314 miles for a quad-motor AWD version. Not too shabby but there are trucks with better mileage on a single charge.
We also have a stronger package (2023 Rivian R1T Max Pack) with 180 kWh and 400 miles range for both versions. Impressive for only 40 minutes of charging. There is a fast charge option and you can get 100 extra miles with only 10 minutes of waiting at the electric station.
The Standard battery pack isn’t available.
2023 Rivian R1T Max Pack Price and Release Date
Brand new 2023 Rivian R1T is poised to hit the road in the second half of 2022. This might get pushed back due to pandemic issues but we expect it to be no later than the first half of 2023.
Starting price for the basic – Explore version should be around $68.000. The Adventure trim is around $73.000. A fully loaded Launch Edition starts at $85.000 and it has been sold out. Be ready to add $6.000 more for the Large battery pack, and $16.000 for the Max Pack. Also, for the quad-motor version, you need to give an additional $6.000.
