Off-road package add-on and effect on range

[Ralph]

From my understanding, the additional protection is only in front of and behind the battery pack. The battery pack is protected on all models. From what I saw at the Hub in Venice, the underbody is all a thin (3-5mm?) carbon fiber. It doesn’t seem like it would add much weight. I also am not sure what’s behind the carbon fiber, because I wouldn’t want to rely only on that. Looking forward to Munro taking one apart.

That is my understanding as well. The battery has the protection it needs. People here are talking about fire roads as if they are all but paved. That must be a western thing. From the Ozarks through the Appalachia's, all the way to PA, NJ, Maine, etc. you will find plenty of rocks of the fire roads. It only takes one.

I have a Factor 55 hitchlink noted above. They make very high quality products that are tested as well or better than anything you will find. In fact, it looks like that hitchlink might even be the one that comes as a part of the Rivian off road package.

If you off-road, even fire roads, there will come a time that whoever is trying to help get you un-stuck needs to hook from the front. A hitchlink on the back will not help. Off-road is off-road. Get the package or risk more damage to a very nice vehicle during even an easy recovery. Remember the Rivian is heavy. And there does not appear to be really ANYTHING else to hook to. Even out of a snow back on the farm in Nebraska.

Speculation regarding range: The off-road package at a few hundred pounds, as a part of a 7000 lb vehicle will not be noticeable. Context is everything. And it is likely that the front and rear skid plates will actually be *more* aerodynamic.

Except of course for those two hooks. Sticking out there on a flat surface. Oh, the turbulence! The horror! j/K

I too believe that the off-road package will be very desirable upon resale.

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[Mcfly Rivian]

I just got done checking out the Venice hub again. They only had the blue r1t today. The green one was in the shop for an undisclosed issue. Anyways I took a couple of pics of the underside. The reps said it is full length added protection with the package. Not sure if that's true, but you can see the plating in the pics. Side note, the front plate did not feel very thick.

 

[Monkey]

I'm probably getting the off road package, but I live in Colorado and go off road a lot. I also crawl over some decent sized rocks. IMO I think you can safely skip it.

Also being in CO, I plan to get the off-road package. I don’t consider anything I do as rock crawling, but occasionally there are some larger rocks or obstacles that can be a problem. My off-road driving is pretty similar to the Breckenridge media drive that Rivian put on. BLM or national park land, forestry service roads, etc.. I’ve found decent skid plates to be valuable over the years. Tow hooks not so much, as long as there’s a way to grab onto the front if needed. The rear will have the hitch.

I went to the hub event in Venice, CA. I asked the guide if by adding the off road package will I take a hit in range. He said definitely, the added weight of the skid plate will decrease the range.
He then asked me what trails I planned on taking my R1T on. I told him the only real trail my R1T would see would be a fire road for camping. Definitely no rock crawling. Maybe a few times a year snow and ice. I mostly like the look of the recovery hooks.
He told me the off road package is not worth getting in my case. He said the stock underbody protection is going to be more than enough protection.
That being said I’m still on the fence. Thinking long term resale wise.

He may be right, but like I said above I would probably feel more comfortable with the skid plate even for your usage. The real question is how much does the off-road package effect range and cargo? How is the skid plate implemented? Can it be removed or is it just thicker underbody armor?

 

[R1T7777]

I'm hoping an aftermarket company makes a tow hook kit (hooks and bumper panel). The front bumper with the tow hooks has an opening. Hopefully that panel can easily be swapped out.

Tow hooks should be a pretty easy bolt on accessory. The frame should have the attachment points already.

 

[R1T7777]

I just got done checking out the Venice hub again. They only had the blue r1t today. The green one was in the shop for an undisclosed issue. Anyways I took a couple of pics of the underside. The reps said it is full length added protection with the package. Not sure if that's true, but you can see the plating in the pics. Side note, the front plate did not feel very thick.

I think the green one was having tail gate issues when I was there. Maybe that’s the issue? Not a good idea to show a non functioning tailgate at the hub...

 

[Whmorken]

I just got done checking out the Venice hub again. They only had the blue r1t today. The green one was in the shop for an undisclosed issue. Anyways I took a couple of pics of the underside. The reps said it is full length added protection with the package. Not sure if that's true, but you can see the plating in the pics. Side note, the front plate did not feel very thick.

Great pics.

I just got done checking out the Venice hub again. They only had the blue r1t today. The green one was in the shop for an undisclosed issue. Anyways I took a couple of pics of the underside. The reps said it is full length added protection with the package. Not sure if that's true, but you can see the plating in the pics. Side note, the front plate did not feel very thick.

Great pictures. Thanks.

 

[Whmorken]

Ordering off-road as well. Necessary here. I sure hope Rivian in a year or two will have no range issue no matter the add on’s , the speed, the load, or the weather. Meanwhile we plan and cope. This issue with battery improvements will fade!
!

 

[eggpaul]

Front under body shield looks like a normal plastic part.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Front under body shield looks like a normal plastic part.

I think the exposed layer is carbon fiber and there is metal under that.

 

[Rivian_Hugh_III]

I'm hoping an aftermarket company makes a tow hook kit (hooks and bumper panel). The front bumper with the tow hooks has an opening. Hopefully that panel can easily be swapped out.

Someone made a big deal out of the fact that the official tow hooks are attached to the frame of the truck, giving them insane strength. Hopefully those aftermarket additions would be able to provide a similar level of strength. Something about the way the stock hooks were described makes me think that aftermarket won't compare.

 

[Mcfly Rivian]

Front under body shield looks like a normal plastic part.

Felt like plastic to me. The underbody was very substantial/solid.

 

[camaroz1985]

Someone made a big deal out of the fact that the official tow hooks are attached to the frame of the truck, giving them insane strength. Hopefully those aftermarket additions would be able to provide a similar level of strength. Something about the way the stock hooks were described makes me think that aftermarket won't compare.

Every tow hook on every truck I have owned has been mounted directly to the frame. If someone is making tow hooks specifically for the Rivian, I would assume it will mount in the same way, or it won't be worth purchasing.

That said there won't be that big of a market, so it might not be a feasible accessory to make. There aren't many trucks in general (compared to mainstream mid or full size trucks) and I would expect most to be optioned with the Off Road Package to start. Maybe you can just buy the hooks and filler panel from Rivian at a later point, seems to be a pretty easy replacement.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Anybody else thinking about hitting that front skidplate with some heavy duty bedliner?

 

[staples]

Anybody else thinking about hitting that front skidplate with some heavy duty bedliner?

Why? To provide extra grip to the bottom of the truck so you can stick to any rocks that hit it? It also seems like a waste that'd inhibit any aerodynamic benefits of the plate.

 

[svet-am]

I live in Colorado and our routine winter plowing of snow can easily result in mountains of rock hard ice/snow that has frozen/melted/refrozen into solid boulders. I have seen more than once in the past for one of these to severely damage the transmission casing, oil pan, or other sensitive parts on the underbelly of a vehicle.

This is why I had off-road skid plates on my Xterra and is a key part of why I am getting the off road package on my R1S.

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