The Rivian R1T is the world’s first all-electric pickup truck. Rivian Automotive, the innovative American startup, describes the R1T as an adventure vehicle—and for good reasons. The truck comes standard with all-wheel drive and an adjustable air suspension that lifts the body eight to 14 inches over roadway obstacles. R1T drivers can select from eight different driving modes, including Off-Road Rock Crawl and Off-Road Drift.

 

The R1T uses four independent electric motors—one at each wheel. The combined quadruple output delivers a whopping 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque. The unique four-motor design also allows the R1T pickup to do an unusual trick called a “Tank Turn.” Motors at the opposing wheels spin in different directions, so the truck rotates in a circle. The more practical use of the unconventional powertrain is rapid acceleration up to 60 miles per hour in about three seconds and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.

Starting in 2022, electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) became eligible for federal tax credits up to $7,500 for new EVs and PHEVS and up to $4,000 for used clean vehicles that met certain battery production and materials requirements. As of 2024, the Rivian R1T Large and Max battery qualify for federal tax credits of $3,750. Even better, customers can obtain the tax credit as a rebate at point-of-sale, reducing their purchase by the full credit amount.

The Rivian R1T comes with a choice of three large battery packs. The smallest battery is 105 kWh and provides about 230 miles of range on a single charge. The 135 kWh increases the range to an expected 300 miles. Lastly, the monster 180 kWh pack offers an impressive 400 miles between charges—although the power drops slightly to 522 horsepower to achieve that distance.

 

The R1T is heavy, tipping the scales over 7,000 pounds. Yet, despite this heft, the Rivian truck gets an admirable EPA rating of 82 MPGe in the city, 74MPGe on the highway, and a combined 78 MPGe.

 

Drivers use the standard J1772 plug for home charging, which provides juice to an onboard charger rated at 11.5 kW. That equates to adding 30 or more miles of range in an hour, although Rivian notes a conservative estimate of 25 miles per hour of charging.

 

Taking full advantage of the 11.5 kW charger requires a capable 48-amp home EV charger like the JuiceBox 48. The 48-amp JuiceBox allows drivers to fully charge the 270-mile Standard R1T from empty to full in a nine-hour overnight session. Of course, bigger packs take longer to fill up, but most daily commutes in the U.S. are about 40 miles so the sizable Rivian packs only need topping up on most days. The Rivian app allows you to monitor the R1T pickup’s charging status in real-time.