Rivian’s new Quad-Motor R1S electric SUV just became the first production EV to tackle the Rubicon Trail, recognized as one of (if not the) most demanding off-road trails in North America.
Rivian’s test and development team successfully completed the Rubicon Trail in a stock Quad-Motor R1S, making it the first production EV to do so.
Well-known among the off-road community, the famous Rubicon Trail is a rugged, rock-crawling, extreme-driving experience. It features challenging obstacles that wear vehicles down, which is why only certain vehicles are equipped to tackle the terrain.
The Rivian team began the 12-mile journey at 7:45 am on Monday, August 7, completing it around 3:30 pm Wednesday, August 9.
The achievement marks a significant milestone not only for Rivian but also for the broader electric vehicle community.
Rivian’s director of vehicle testing, Matt Trainham, commented on the accomplishment, saying, “Crossing the Rubicon Trail in a more sustainable way than it has ever been done before makes me hopeful for the future of off-roading.”
Rivian R1S takes on the iconic Rubicon Trail
The R1S was a Quad-Motor version, entirely stock, with 34-inch Pirelli all-terrain tires. The only equipment Rivian added was a set of steel rock sliders, front tow hitch receivers, and a roof rack.
Rivian’s R1S electric SUV entered the Rubicon Trail with around 80% charge and finished with under 10%. The team says it was still enough to reach a nearby level 2 charger.
Top comment by Ruaraidh
Amazing feat! Congratulations to the Rivan teams in the US and UK!
No mechanical failures or tire changes were experienced during the run. However, it did inherit some bumps and scrapes, typical of the trail. Meanwhile, the R1S was supported by two pre-production Quad-Motor R1T electric truck models from the Rivian test and dev fleet for the first leg of the trip, after which a modified Jeep Wrangler took over.
Chris Bassett, director of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, also commented on the landmark achievement, saying:
I’m hugely impressed by the R1S’s clean run. Aside from some homebuilt EV crawlers, this is the first fully-EV vehicle through the trail, and definitely the first production EV. Very impressive on stock tires, too.
The Quad-Motor was the first powertrain used in Rivian vehicles. The automaker has since introduced its in-house “Enduro” Dual-Motor drive units.
Rivian now offers three powertrain options: Dual-Motor, Dual-Motor Performance, and Quad-Motor. The Performance version, introduced last month, delivers 665 hp and 829 lb-ft of torque at its peak. From the first drive reactions, the difference is minimal, if noticeable at all, from the quad-motor with 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque.
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