On 21" Tires . . . .

[mgc0216]

I have read that the 21" tires are the sweet spot for range on the R1T, and moving to the 20" tires can cost up to 15% (I believe that's what I saw on these forums)

I also vaguely remember reading that the 21" tire that Rivian was using was a custom (or at least fairly uncommon) size.

Are these things true? If I wanted to go with 21" tires to maximize Range (appearances be damned!) am I going to be able to find a good set of winter tires (say Blizzaks or the like) to swap to come November? Does anyone know the actual size of the 21" tires they're using?

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[Trandall]

I have read that the 21" tires are the sweet spot for range on the R1T, and moving to the 20" tires can cost up to 15% (I believe that's what I saw on these forums)

I also vaguely remember reading that the 21" tire that Rivian was using was a custom (or at least fairly uncommon) size.

Are these things true? If I wanted to go with 21" tires to maximize Range (appearances be damned!) am I going to be able to find a good set of winter tires (say Blizzaks or the like) to swap to come November? Does anyone know the actual size of the 21" tires they're using?

From Pirelli's site:
Pirelli’s Scorpion Verde All Season tires for Rivian are constructed from lighter raw materials that don’t compromise durability or performance. The Scorpion Verde All Season also presents a special size, unique in the industry: 275/55R21.
Full article: https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/road/pirelli-tires-tailor-made-for-rivian
For what it's worth the 21" ugly wheels are all seasons and combined with Rivians kick-@$$ driving dynamics will probably be better on wintery roads than anything you've driven in the past anyway.
I believe the 15% figure was specific to to 20" AT tires but is probably not far off from the 22" sport wheels.
I think some peoples strategy is to get the 20's and when they wear out get get all seasons with narrower sidewall to avoid the range hit. I believe it may be possible to achieve a higher efficiency with the 20's paired with the right tire than the stock 21".

 

[mgc0216]

It'd be interesting to see how those all seasons w/ the individual motors handle icy conditions. I could see them being able to address wheel slip really well, but i can also see 7,000 pounds being hard to hold on an icy road leading up to Timberline lodge (hence thinking I'd want something like a Blizzak with a bit more traction).

 

[Autolycus]

I believe it may be possible to achieve a higher efficiency with the 20's paired with the right tire than the stock 21".

Eeehhh... probably not. The 21" wheels look much more aerodynamic, especially with their plastic inserts. The 20" wheel that we're seeing on most R1Ts is going to probably cost some range because of worse aero design. For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 aero wheels lose 3-5% of range just from removing the plastic aero cover.

 

[BigSkies]

Note: I freely admit I know very little about tires, Please correct me if anything I'm saying is wrong.

I think the 21" tires are under-rated here.

Sure, this is a vehicle to go on adventures in. But how many of those adventures truly involve rock climbing or "real" offroading?

I do tons of outdoor activities, but I've never had a problem reaching access points or trailheads in much less capable vehicles. Heck, my 2wd Mazda6 gets me to nearly any campsite or backpacking trail I desire. My wife's light SUV gets me to the rest of them.

To me, the bigger challenge of accessing adventures is the ability to drive far enough on the freeway to get there with minimal stops. And the 21" tires help with that.

My only real question is how they perform in light ice and snow. I don't have room for a second set of tires, so I need something I can be confident in year round with Denver weather.

 

[sacramentoelectric]

Note: I freely admit I know very little about tires, Please correct me if anything I'm saying is wrong.

I think the 21" tires are under-rated here.

Sure, this is a vehicle to go on adventures in. But how many of those adventures truly involve rock climbing or "real" offroading?

I do tons of outdoor activities, but I've never had a problem reaching access points or trailheads in much less capable vehicles. Heck, my 2wd Mazda6 gets me to nearly any campsite or backpacking trail I desire. My wife's light SUV gets me to the rest of them.

To me, the bigger challenge of accessing adventures is the ability to drive far enough on the freeway to get there with minimal stops. And the 21" tires help with that.

My only real question is how they perform in light ice and snow. I don't have room for a second set of tires, so I need something I can be confident in year round with Denver weather.

It would be great to get a comparison of how the 21" vs 20" compare off road. Not only do the 20"s cost more, it's a big hit on range. It's not like the 21" are rubber band summer tires. Do the 20" provide 15% better traction off road or 50%? I'd trade 15% less traction for 15% more range.

 

[ironpig]

I have read that the 21" tires are the sweet spot for range on the R1T, and moving to the 20" tires can cost up to 15% (I believe that's what I saw on these forums)

I also vaguely remember reading that the 21" tire that Rivian was using was a custom (or at least fairly uncommon) size.

Are these things true? If I wanted to go with 21" tires to maximize Range (appearances be damned!) am I going to be able to find a good set of winter tires (say Blizzaks or the like) to swap to come November? Does anyone know the actual size of the 21" tires they're using?

You don't have to rely on forum posts - the information is literally right on the first page when you read about the vehicles on the Rivian website:

"From the hottest places to the coldest — from 130ºF to -25ºF — our battery system was built to explore, delivering an EPA estimated 314 miles of range when paired with 21" wheels. For 20" wheels, our estimates show a range reduction of 10-15%, with a 5-10% reduction for 22" wheels. Estimates may vary depending on driving style and conditions."

 

[ironpig]

Note: I freely admit I know very little about tires, Please correct me if anything I'm saying is wrong.

I think the 21" tires are under-rated here.

Sure, this is a vehicle to go on adventures in. But how many of those adventures truly involve rock climbing or "real" offroading?

I do tons of outdoor activities, but I've never had a problem reaching access points or trailheads in much less capable vehicles. Heck, my 2wd Mazda6 gets me to nearly any campsite or backpacking trail I desire. My wife's light SUV gets me to the rest of them.

To me, the bigger challenge of accessing adventures is the ability to drive far enough on the freeway to get there with minimal stops. And the 21" tires help with that.

My only real question is how they perform in light ice and snow. I don't have room for a second set of tires, so I need something I can be confident in year round with Denver weather.

Most people don't need the off road tires. They aren't going to suddenly deflate once you hit dirt. It's the same with other trucks and SUVs.

The 4Runners and Tacomas come with Dunlap Road tires and they still run them through dirt and Offroad in the commercials. But a lot of people immediately put BFG KO2s on them because they like the off road look. I don't think even half of those people are actually 4 wheeling and need AT tires.

 

[mgc0216]

You don't have to rely on forum posts - the information is literally right on the first page when you read about the vehicles on the Rivian website:

Certainly, but I appreciate the discussion here on the prospective tradeoffs which you don't get from simply reading the page (although had I read the page I would have certainty on the 15% hit).

 

[mgc0216]

Most people don't need the off road tires. They aren't going to suddenly deflate once you hit dirt. It's the same with other trucks and SUVs.

The 4Runners and Tacomas come with Dunlap Road tires and they still run them through dirt and Offroad in the commercials. But a lot of people immediately put BFG KO2s on them because they like the off road look. I don't think even half of those people are actually 4 wheeling and need AT tires.

I kinda feel like a lot of folks who go with 20" ATs on the Rivian won't actually need 20" ATs (myself included if I go that route). it's just a question of what looks best on the truck.

 

[Mister Person]

I'll probably end up going with the 21's for cost and range, even though I find them to be the least attractive option.

 

[BrayBay]

I think some peoples strategy is to get the 20's and when they wear out get get all seasons with narrower sidewall to avoid the range hit. I believe it may be possible to achieve a higher efficiency with the 20's paired with the right tire than the stock 21".

This is me. I figure its also easier to find 20" All-Season than 21". Also, I'm more concerned about tread wear and tire life. "Low-rolling resistance" tires doesn't sound like they have good tread life, but someone feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken.

The other scenario I'm imagining is just keeping All-Terrain and replacing them with another All-Terrain set when the time comes. Some of the streets I ride on make me feel like I'm "off-roading" anyway ?

 

[Attesan997]

Note: I freely admit I know very little about tires, Please correct me if anything I'm saying is wrong.

I think the 21" tires are under-rated here.

Sure, this is a vehicle to go on adventures in. But how many of those adventures truly involve rock climbing or "real" offroading?

I do tons of outdoor activities, but I've never had a problem reaching access points or trailheads in much less capable vehicles. Heck, my 2wd Mazda6 gets me to nearly any campsite or backpacking trail I desire. My wife's light SUV gets me to the rest of them.

To me, the bigger challenge of accessing adventures is the ability to drive far enough on the freeway to get there with minimal stops. And the 21" tires help with that.

My only real question is how they perform in light ice and snow. I don't have room for a second set of tires, so I need something I can be confident in year round with Denver weather.

Eagerly awaiting feedback in this area. I have the 20s configured now but will not need them for any regular serious off roading. It’s more because paying the electricity hit for “having and not needing” is cheaper than gas, and I’d imagine it’s a decent light to medium snow tire. But does it make more sense to just replace the standard 21” wheel and tire combo once they wear out with a set of 20“ all seasons? For now I’m keeping the AT for looks and just because but as more owners give their experience my config may change.

 

[Smithery]

I have read that the 21" tires are the sweet spot for range on the R1T, and moving to the 20" tires can cost up to 15% (I believe that's what I saw on these forums)

I also vaguely remember reading that the 21" tire that Rivian was using was a custom (or at least fairly uncommon) size.

Are these things true?

It's true. All of it.

- The 21" wheels with tires give the best range of all the options
- The 20" wheels with AT tires take up to a 15% range hit over the 21"s
- The 21" OEM tire is a custom tire for this truck, a size never-before seen.

Does anyone know the actual size of the 21" tires they're using?

Pirelli got to tell the world this last year:

275/55R21

If I wanted to go with 21" tires to maximize Range (appearances be damned!) am I going to be able to find a good set of winter tires (say Blizzaks or the like) to swap to come November?

You will NOT be able to find a winter tire in 275/55R21. At least not right away.

But you absolutely can put any set of of 21" winter tires on you want that are close. There'll be a difference in acceleration, range, and speedometer readout but... If you're trudging through the snow you might not notice.

Tire Rack shows me that 275/60R21 doesn't exist, but there's a handful of 275/50R21 including one Dunlop snow tire

It's load rating is lower than the OEM Pirelli - 2,500lbs vs 2,800 - So you best not be planning to haul near max payload or tow with it - but it "works"

 

[thehodge]

Shipping disruption is a thing now. I can't get the kitchen sink I'd prefer, plumbing-repair parts until 5 months later, hard-drive gagetry, cute cameras, recording gear or a picky-cat's cat food for weeks/months already.

I have the 20" AT on the order for that reason. For all other driving reasons, I'd rather have the 21".

But when the 20" ATs are done, I'm one of the guys looking to find 20" AllSeason OEM replacements that don't exist yet. But they might. I think that's more likely than tire makers starting up a line of 21" AllSeasons.

Anyway,
I'd rather have choice than need to go looking for something close to ok or good enough.

I read a proof-with-pictures comment that a 20" AllSeason replacement wouldn't be that much different in range than the OEM 21". I'm holding on to that memory, hoping for more sidewall & near-optimum range by delivery season. If my range is going to take a hit for tire availability, there's still the max-pack battery to make it tolerable. I suspect it'll be quite tolerable.

I still expect & hope there'll be a direct OEM 20"AS option by the time a white, off-road max package shows up under my oak trees. It's already adventurous being old & living on the fringes of civilization with its anti-taxers & their "we're proud of our bad roads" interest group(s).

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