R2 Launch Mode demo by Wassym -- 0-60 in 3.45s. Coming to R2 in next OTA update

[rogunenode]

Quicker is nice. Too bad launch modes are lame.

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[rodhx]

I've dusted many loud for nothing cars at the stop light. Before I roll up I change it to Sport and set it to the lowest suspension. If this was just one button that'd be nice.

I have found those sorts of cars don't even require a change of mode. AP @ standard height remains sufficient vs obnoxious muscle cars.

 

[savethemanual]

Both tires have the same V speed rating (149mph), so I doubt they'd have different top speed settings. I'm not sure why they chose 130mph - there could be another component rated only for 130mph, or the 19"/20" AS tires have a lower speed rating, or they just wanted to leave some buffer.

I've said this several times this forum, there is NO reason to go over 100 mph on public roads. The number one cause of traffic fatalities is SPEED. Please be on a track when pushing the limits, I knew someone who was killed because another driver was going WAY too fast.

 

[NoMoreGas71]

If this is without rollout, then its about the same as the MYP. Great job Rivian.

You can clearly see from the video there is no rollout. He’s holding the brakes and pushing the accelerator at same time then releases brakes.

 

[ronbauer]

Just for an interesting comparison, here are the specs for my 2021 Porsche GT4 with PDK:

0-60 - 3.3 seconds
0-100 - 7.8 seconds
Quarter mile - 11.6 seconds at 121 mph

So, my GT4 is a little quicker off the line to 60, but then the R2 pulls away hard!

Ron

 

[mkennedy009]

Just wait until Hardware 3 shows. We will be back to step 1, no speed, no Pet/camping mode. no shit.

 

[SDH]

yeah great but who really gives a sh!t about launching an SUV? Don't get me wrong, I like the usefulness of instant torque that EVs have for things like pulling out and overtaking (it's a safety thing) but the novelty of a 1/4 mile drag race from the lights wore off in 2017.

 

[NaeemTHM]

Just for an interesting comparison, here are the specs for my 2021 Porsche GT4 with PDK:

0-60 - 3.3 seconds
0-100 - 7.8 seconds
Quarter mile - 11.6 seconds at 121 mph

So, my GT4 is a little quicker off the line to 60, but then the R2 pulls away hard!

Ron

And just think, the R2 will be doing this while hauling your family and a load from Costco in the back! Sincerely impressive.

 

[kanefsky]

I'm not sure why they chose 130mph - there could be another component rated only for 130mph, or the 19"/20" AS tires have a lower speed rating, or they just wanted to leave some buffer.

I forget which video it was, but an engineer from Rivian said that the max speed is a function of the motors running at max RPM and not any kind of artificial restriction.

 

[monzarottie]

Very interesting. As I recall, the original R1 quad was 0-60 in 3 seconds flat but had a 1/4 mile of 11.6.

R2 is a half second slower to 60 but quicker through the 1/4 mile. It reiterates what we've heard about how hard the R2 pulls from 60-80.

This is my 2023 LE R1S on the 8th mile track in Madras, OR.

Very interesting. As I recall, the original R1 quad was 0-60 in 3 seconds flat but had a 1/4 mile of 11.6.

R2 is a half second slower to 60 but quicker through the 1/4 mile. It reiterates what we've heard about how hard the R2 pulls from 60-80.

Very interesting. As I recall, the original R1 quad was 0-60 in 3 seconds flat but had a 1/4 mile of 11.6.

R2 is a half second slower to 60 but quicker through the 1/4 mile. It reiterates what we've heard about how hard the R2 pulls from 60-80.

For comparison, this is my 2023 LE R1S will all season tires on the 1/8 mile strip in Madras, OR.

 

[Apprunner]

You can clearly see from the video there is no rollout. He’s holding the brakes and pushing the accelerator at same time then releases brakes.

I wonder if launch mode opens up some more horsepower. Does it pull harder between 40-120mph in launch mode vs. just being in Sport and flooring it. Will be interesting to see.

I felt there was a pretty decent pull at 45mph vs. a standstill. Seems Rivian isn't giving the full beans until about 45mph without launch mode at least.

 

[Electron]

yeah great but who really gives a sh!t about launching an SUV? Don't get me wrong, I like the usefulness of instant torque that EVs have for things like pulling out and overtaking (it's a safety thing) but the novelty of a 1/4 mile drag race from the lights wore off in 2017.

Haha, I get where you're coming from. But dusting what used to be fast cars in a family SUV is still priceless. Especially the loud for nothing ones that make a ton of noise only to get walked by something with child seats in the back. The ego popping factor and the look on their faces is just icing on the cake. (Yes, of course I only have fun in Sports mode when driving solo.)

EVs completely reshuffled the automotive food chain and set a new benchmark for what an SUV can be. I think a lot of people still have this misconception that because something is big, practical, or not a sports car, it can't be genuinely fun. Why? There isn't some rule that says performance is reserved for two door sports cars. A fast SUV/Truck and a sports car are different experiences, but both can be enjoyable for different reasons.

That's the X-factor with these high performance EVs. They're practical enough to haul the family, groceries, dogs, or camping gear, yet they're capable of acceleration that used to be reserved for six figure exotics. That's a combination we simply didn't have before. Whether one chooses to enjoy what's capable is an option. At least it's there.

And to Tesla's credit, I'd argue EVs helped breathe new life into the enthusiast scene. By the mid-2010s, the whole car scene in general plateaued and became stagnant. Then the Model 3 arrived and suddenly an affordable sedan was outrunning cars that cost two or three times as much. The Performance Model S pushed that even further and forced the entire industry to rethink what "fast" meant. Then comes the Plaid that mopped the floor. Even with the new ZR1X, which I love, is only able to achieve what it can due to the electric motors up front. However, the Sapphire still beats it and a modded Model S can beat it as well.

At the end of the day, instant torque is a genuine game changer. Whether you're merging, overtaking, or just pulling away from a stoplight, that immediate response changes how the car feels in everyday driving. For me it's a legit safety feature to be able to get out of dodge in hairy situations. Even if drag racing isn't your thing anymore, it's hard to deny that EVs have expanded the definition of what a fun performance vehicle can be.

 

[Electron]

I forget which video it was, but an engineer from Rivian said that the max speed is a function of the motors running at max RPM and not any kind of artificial restriction.

I think it's probably a combination of factors rather than just one thing.

The "motor max RPM" explanation definitely makes sense and could very well be one of the limiting factors. But I also have a hard time believing Rivian would leave performance on the table if there was a safe way to unlock more speed. The Tri Motor makes around 850 hp, which is more than enough power to push a vehicle with its aerodynamics beyond 130 mph if power alone were the limitation.

My guess is the 130 mph top speed is where several engineering constraints converge with motor RPM, tire ratings across all available wheel packages, thermal management, durability, and stability. Remember, the R1S is a nearly 7,000 lb SUV designed to tow, haul, and go off road. At those speeds, the loads on the tires, suspension, brakes, and cooling system increase dramatically.

Even if the motors could theoretically spin faster with a different gear ratio, Rivian still has to certify the entire vehicle and not just the drivetrain. They need a top speed that's safe and repeatable across every production vehicle and wheel/tire option they sell. It's like the Cybertruck for example, that thing can go way faster than what it's capped at ~112MPH for the AWD and the Cyberbeast is capped at ~130MPH, just like The Gen1 Quad, Gen2 Tri & Quad (in Launch Mode). Otherwise, the rest of the models, both Gen 1 and 2 are capped at 110MPH.

So I don't think it's simply an arbitrary software governor, but I also don't think it's only motor RPM. It's likely the result of the whole vehicle being engineered around a 130 mph operating envelope.

 

[Electron]

I've said this several times this forum, there is NO reason to go over 100 mph on public roads. The number one cause of traffic fatalities is SPEED. Please be on a track when pushing the limits, I knew someone who was killed because another driver was going WAY too fast.

I agree with you. Public roads aren't the place to be doing 100+ mph runs, and if someone wants to explore the absolute limits of a vehicle, a track is where to do it.

That said, I don't think it's fair to assume that every mention of racing someone means people are blasting down the road at triple digit speeds. I get the point though as there are a lot of idiots out there that make it hard to assume otherwise.

In my case, if I floor it occasionally, it's typically just up to the ~speed limit (assuming traffic, road conditions, and visibility are good), then I let off. For example, there's a stoplight near me that feeds directly onto a freeway with a long, open stretch ahead. I'll accelerate hard up to the posted limit and then let off, which is plenty to dust cars off the line.

A quick acceleration from a stop and a 100+ mph highway run are two very different things. Our Rivians are electronically limited to around ~110 mph depending on the model anyway (except in track mode), but regardless of the limiter, my point is that enjoying instant torque doesn't automatically mean driving recklessly. Again, I get your point though and sorry to hear about your loss.

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