After a few hiccups, Rivian's R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV are about to make their commercial debuts. That was supposed to happen in July, but a few minor obstacles caused minor delays. Now it's finally going to happen at the end of this month in the case of the R1T, with the R1S following a little later.
And as is the norm when a new model is about to make its debut, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) published official fuel consumption figures, or electric range in this case. This is one of the prerequisites for being able to sell the vehicles.
This week the EPA provided first figures for the pair of Rivians. We say first because we already know the company will offer different battery sizes, so there will be separate data, depending on the version; details on that are expected later.
500+
For now, then, the figures published by the EPA apply to the Launch Edition, which is equipped with a 135-kWh battery that powers four electric motors. This configuration will deliver a range of 314 miles, or 505 km in the R1T. The R1S, equipped with the same powertrain, outdoes its sibling slightly, with a range of 316 miles, or around 509 km (508.55 to be precise).
Models with a range of up to 600 km are expected later on. But already, a range of 500+ km is a pretty solid start. This looks a lot like the setting of a new benchmark, which today unofficially sits at 400 km of range for a new electric vehicle.
