MKBHD Gen2 R1S Review

[portdirect]

(Just came across this post.)​

The mathematical average (mean) of 346 and 395 is 370.5--i.e., 371 when rounded up to a whole number.

Is that pure coincidence? Or could it explain the origin of the (questionable) 371 mile value?

It's basically the core of how it came about - they do however provide the other values - which should be weighted when they break down the efficiency. And when they do the break down, do so super-weirdly by using the concrete efficiency for city driving, and the AP one for highway. Your average explanation is the one that Wassym has given, but it's a direct contradiction to the one RJ gives. I've got another post that breaks down that history a bit more - what's in here is just a summary.

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[DayTripping]

Here is the one @portdirect is referencing I believe.

"According to Rivian’s own testing and submissions to the EPA:
All-Purpose (AP) Mode: ~346 miles
Conserve Mode: ~395 miles

Yet, Rivian promotes a 371-mile “EPA” range figure. This number appears to result from mixing data from different drive modes: applying AP mode efficiency for highway driving (45% weighting) and Conserve mode efficiency for city driving (55% weighting). This methodology is entirely backward and not standard practice for EPA ratings.

By blending results from two distinct modes, Rivian achieves a more appealing—but less transparent—range estimate. However, this figure cannot be directly compared to any other EV on the U.S. market, as no other automaker takes this approach. Despite this, Rivian submitted the 371-mile figure to Fuel Economy for inclusion on the Monroney label.

Is This Misleading?

Technically, EPA guidelines sometimes allow multi-mode testing, meaning Rivian may not be violating explicit rules. However, this approach only holds up if Rivian can convince the EPA that the majority of drivers actually use Conserve mode in city driving and AP mode on the highway (which is highly questionable).

As a result, R1T owners and reviewers frequently ask why no drive mode actually displays “371 miles” on the dashboard—leading to repeated attempts to rationalize the discrepancy - like Marques did in the video here. This raises concerns about transparent reporting of electric vehicle range and how automakers can “game the system” by merging results from multiple modes to produce a more attractive but less realistic number.

This practice isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison with other EVs and makes it difficult for consumers to accurately assess real-world range expectations.

The Problem Becomes Worse When Executives Make Misleading Statements

This situation shifts from creative marketing to borderline deception when statements like the following are made publicly:

Transcript from Sandy Munro’s Interview with RJ Scaringe (Rivian CEO)

Sandy: So what’s the range on this one here with the tri-motor setup?

RJ: So with the tri, um, on the EPA test, it’s 371 miles—that’s the EPA-certified number. And to get that number, we actually had to test it with all-wheel drive locked because we wanted it so that in normal mode, the front axles are both on. If you go into Conserve mode, which has a dynamic rear disconnect, it does around 400 miles. But the EPA number is 371. That’s different from our dual motors, where we actually have the dynamic rear disconnect always engaging or disengaging. The reason for that is that with the tri, we wanted to be able to lock it so it's always immediately there for full performance, even in AP mode. So it’s a decision we made—to trade off a little bit on EPA range—but it’s still 371 miles. But I’m driving one, and I regularly get around 400 miles in Conserve mode. And the neat thing about Conserve mode on this is that you can access both—it’s all-wheel drive on demand, so the rear axle comes to life when you need it.

The Certification Process—Or Lack Thereof

Notably, Rivian has not yet been audited for the 2025 R1 values they submitted, and without pressure likely never will be, meaning the certification is currently just a rubber-stamp approval.

Also, notice that RJ never explicitly states that the 371-mile figure corresponds to AP mode—yet, given all the information above, it’s understandable why most people would assume that an EPA cycle would produce a 371-mile range in AP mode. That assumption, however, is simply incorrect.

#RangeGate?
Oh, I know some people won’t like that… ?"


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/mkbhd-gen2-r1s-review.40386/post-728366