Gen 1 vs Gen 2 Observations

[usulio]

Not pursuing a new R1T until I can regain back 400 miles of range within 20 minutes.

Ok, you want to charge at 500 kW for the entire charging curve. It'll be years if not decades until battery technology and charging stations can do that.

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[HaveBlue]

The 22s are very hard and have little tread to begin with. The car is completely different on ATs where ride is concerned.

 

[Jonger1150]

Ok, you want to charge at 500 kW for the entire charging curve. It'll be years if not decades until battery technology and charging stations can do that.

I know we're behind here, but this exists today. I'm thinking 800V and a 40% reduction in charge time is possible by 2030-2032 by Rivian. I mean, isn't that achieved by Hyundai right now?

 

[usulio]

I know we're behind here, but this exists today. I'm thinking 800V and a 40% reduction in charge time is possible by 2030-2032 by Rivian. I mean, isn't that achieved by Hyundai right now?

Checked it out and I stand corrected. BYD Flash Charge appears to be able to do this now. USA and Europe are really falling behind

 

[Jonger1150]

Checked it out and I stand corrected. BYD Flash Charge appears to be able to do this now. USA and Europe are really falling behind

I would expect 2036 Rivian R1Ts will have flash charging. I'm willing to go for an R1T with lesser technology than that -- and the tech I really want exists today. LOL

 

[Great Gatsby]

I traded a very early VIN LE R1S for a 2026 R1s Quad Max, One area I strongly disagree - A huge positive is the greatly improved suspension on the Gen 2. Much tighter and no clunk. Overall, the build quality is much better on the Gen 2, but some of the delta might be do to the very early VIN of my gen 1. Only negatives I see with the trade are the audio (had the Meridien), the heat pump noise (although it works better), and the door buttons. The Rivian motors are much more efficient, smoother, and found the humming of the Bosch motors annoying - love the quiet Rivian versions. Overall, very happy with the changes in Gen 2.

I'd say this has more to do with the new Quad vs Tri. Having driven both, the suspension on the new Quad was a huge step up from gen 1 and even better than the Tri. I'd say the new Tri is closer to gen 1 than the new Quad. It was noticeable different, specially in lower ride heights.

But agreed for sure. The new Quad is a much more improved vehicle in terms of it being more smooth and quiet across the board. Just wish the price delta also didn't go up with it.

 

[Electron]

Not pursuing a new R1T until I can regain back 400 miles of range within 20 minutes. The other one is the front suspension. This is an extremely capable suspension that has very few equals in the auto industry, but since 99% of the time it's a pavement princess, I just don't need the ball spline half shafts and their added clunks.

Edited for an additional want: 220V 30 amp+ outlets in the bed. I want to charge Stark Vargs on the trail.

It still baffles me that Rivian didn’t include more outlets, especially for a vehicle marketed around adventure and utility. Imagine if we had the kind of beefy power outlets found in the Lightning or Silverado EV. My experience using the outlets in the Lightning has been fantastic.

The audio system also needs major improvement. Calling the current setup “Premium” at this price point honestly feels misleading. It’s one of the weakest parts of such a great vehicle.

These are two areas Rivian really shouldn’t have cut corners on. The good news is they’ve shown to listen and react to feedback. People asked for a glove box, and Rivian doubled down and gave us two (R2). So they’re clearly capable of addressing these kinds of shortcomings if enough owners keep pushing for it. Heck, I think even they know how horrible the audio is to be honest. Next time don't cut cost in areas that actually matter.

 

[Weck]

Since Truckdor the Drivenator ('22 LE Quad R1T) is in the shop getting some suspension and water intrusion evaluations, I've finally gotten my hands on a Gen 2 R1S (TriMax -Ascend trim). I'm sure there's dozens of threads on this but I'm bored and figured i'd add my own thoughts.

Gen 2 Tri Pros
- First thing I noticed was the massively improved cameras. They actually match the quality of the rest of the vehicle and infotainment software. I didn't really have an issue with the Gen1 cameras functionally but hot damn these are way better.
- Much improved wind noise!
- Nearly silent motors
- Reduced road noise (AS vs AT tires though...)
- Electrochromic roof is neat
- Slightly increased efficiency (about +0.1 to +0.2 mi/kWh)
- UHF on non-highways is nice
- Ascend trim is SHARP and the seats are more comfortable

Gen 2 Cons
- Rivian Premium Audio is decent but a discernable step down from the Meridian Audio
- Heat pump noise is LOUD and audible in the cabin, not much, but it's noticeable
- Motors are too quiet, I find myself missing the low humming wind up of the Bosch motors
- Noisier suspension over rough pavement, though some of that might be 22" on the Tri vs 20" on my Quad. I've noticed it less the more I drive it and after knocking 4-5 psi out of the tires (48psi cold now)
- The Trimotor @ 850hp doesn't seem as quite as peppy as the Quad @ 835hp (both in all-purpose mode). I wonder if they have some acceleration cap software tweak on the loaners? My speedometer always says "80 MPH MAX" so I'm guessing they've speed limited the vehicle somehow.
- Regen braking is weaker, had to step it up to high to get the same drive feel as normal on the Quad.
- Autonomy+ just isn't a huge step up from Driver+/Highway Assist in its current state. I really only use it much on the highway anyway
- I prefer the driver monitoring of Driver+ vs UHF. I hate getting yelled at anytime I check the mirrors or adjust the radio for too long because my eyes aren't on it.
- Despite having roughly 10% more battery capacity (128kWh vs 141kWh) and about 5-10% more efficiency, my SOC change is nearly identical on all my usual drives...
- Don't like the electronic door latches. The 1/2 second delay when opening the door while the truck is asleep is obnoxious

Random other observations
- Didn't realize the R1S has a small adjustable rail and tiedown system in the back, that is pretty cool!
- Much roomier than I anticipated in the R1S. We sat 3 adults in a line (front to back) comfortably. It should haul 6 average sized adults comfortably!
- Really surprised how worn the stock Pirelli Scorpion tires are after only 9,400mi
- Storm blue is more gray than blue, still lovely though!
- Ocean Coast is nicer than I expected and pairs well with the Ascend plaid accents
- They only gave me the keycard to use. This is fine as a backup but as the main key it's super obnoxious to always be pulling it out of your wallet.

Have a 2025 g2 tri-max as a loaner for the long weekend while my g2 R1T dual max performance is having a wind noise issue fixed. Mine has the 22 inch AS, and the tri has the 20 inch ATs with about 10k miles on them.

Wow, those perelli ATs are noisy!

Aside from that, the ascend interior is pretty nice with the lighter wood and copper tones, but I actually like the detailing of the seats in my regular ole adventure interior better. The premium audio didn't sound any better then my g2 base audio with the powered sub I added to it. The photochomatic roof glass is kinda neat, especially how it activated itself when the cabin got warm parked in the sun, but not something I need up here in the north.

One major thing I noticed between my T dual max on AS and the S tri max on AT, aside from the extra 200 hp and rougher ride, was the noticable drop in range and efficiency. My normal trip to the cabin at normal speeds in mild weather took 25% more energy each way. In the winter the same hit could be a problem. Also the fewer power outlets in the S versus the T was noticed.

Other thing I noticed is the difference in the UHF between my truck and the loaner even though they are the same hardware. I think the loaner had a camera calibration issue, because it both dropped out on a fault once, would not be available on the same roads as often as my truck, and it was constantly nagging me to keep my eyes on the road when I was looking straight ahead. It only seemed happy if I was staring at right hand side ditch.

But I can attest the loaner I had was not limited speed or power wise. That extra power all the time, yeah, could get used to that.

 

[Jnz]

I had a lot of the same observations and one of the reasons why I am still driving my LE Gen 1 Quad R1T. I kind of like the whirl of the Bosch motors vs. the nearly silent Tri-motors. I know the Tri-motor is quicker to 60, but it just did not feel as quick. Audio system was a downgrade. Did not like the electronic door latches. But I absolutely loved the Ascend interior; UHF was very good - the monitor was a little more annoying but it's a big upgrade in functionality and will continue to get better. For R1T owners, the new tonneau cover is great. For R1S owners, the suspension updates are significant. Did not mind the heat pump noise. The smaller frunk isn't a big deal, but would require me to relocate some gear that I keep in the truck. It's a great truck overall. It just doesn't feel like a big upgrade. I haven't driven a Gen 2 Quad yet, but I'm probably going to keep mine until there is a Gen 3 Quad.

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