Opinion: The truck needs to switch to front wheel drive automatically on the highway.

[loudog3114]

Conserve mode saves a ton of juice. I mean I have seen upwards of 25%. Dual motor Model S' automatically switch to front wheel drive above 70mph or something like that. Rivian needs to program this truck to do the same for highway travel.

Edited for clarity.

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[mabowden]

I like the idea of being able to choose. I will likely drive in AP most days with conserve on longer trips.

 

[crashmtb]

If it does that it should be a setting, and in automatic conserve(“highway” mode?) it should revert to AWD if wheel slip is detected.

 

[cohall]

Conserve mode saves a ton of juice. I mean I have seen upwards of 25%. Dual motor Model S' automatically switch to front wheel drive above 70mph or something like that. Rivian needs to program this truck to do the same for highway travel.

Have that as an option, sure. But absolutely don't force it automatically. I would like control of how much power and traction I have on the highway, thank you very much.

 

[Kidentist]

Choice is a good thing.......unless you like it "North Korean style"......

 

[jjswan33]

So expanding on this thought. With the current software both Conserve and All Purpose go to the same heights at low (Standard height) and high speed (Low height)? So the saving on conserve will be limited to accelerating with only 1 motor instead of 2, if that is the case and you really want savings wouldn't you just want to leave Conserve always on, ie stop go, city driving where those motors are needed more often?

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

If they want to make it configurable, then that's fine... But I won't be using that setting. I do occasionally use Conserve on a long trip, but I don't want it to automatically switch to that. It needs to remain a deliberate choice by me.

 

[loudog3114]

Let me be more specific. The car should automatically move power to just the front wheels at highway speed in all purpose mode to save juice, thats basically all conserve mode does. But it should also re-engage awd at a certain throttle position. This is how the tesla's function. There is zero need to have awd active cruising on the highway at 70mph. I have a feeling they don't do that now because there is a noticable shift from fwd to awd when switching from conserve to all purpose and they need to work on smoothing that out first. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find this is in a roadmap somewhere.

 

[Inkedsphynx]

Automatic? Hell no. I don't want to drive in conserve. It may have a lot of juice, but it doesn't have all the juice. It also, i'm assuming, prevents 4 corner traction control since the rear motors are disengaged (this is 100% the reason that yes, you may still want 4 motors while cruising at 70. i do so all the time on wet highways around seattle that get a bit slippy. The extra traction control from all 4 motors engaged is very helpful, especially since it's the rear end that always slides first.

Lastly, it adds extra wear to your front tires.

I will only ever use conserve mode if i *need* to. I'd be livid if they made it automatically go to that mode whenever it thinks it's detected i'm on a highway (would absolutely love that in Seattle where i-5 runs right through town and GPS often thinks I'm on the highway when i'm just on surface streets next to or underneath the highway.

 

[loudog3114]

If they want to make it configurable, then that's fine... But I won't be using that setting. I do occasionally use Conserve on a long trip, but I don't want it to automatically switch to that. It needs to remain a deliberate choice by me.

I'd be curious to know why. There is no driving feel difference when highway cruising and your efficiency goes up a good bit.

 

[domoplaytime]

The car should automatically move power to just the front wheels at highway speed in all purpose mode to save juice, thats basically all conserve mode does

No, as others have said it disconnects the rear motors entirely. This should absolutely not ever be automatic.

 

[jjswan33]

Let me be more specific. The car should automatically move power to just the front wheels at highway speed in all purpose mode to save juice, thats basically all conserve mode does. But it should also re-engage awd at a certain throttle position. This is how the tesla's function. There is zero need to have awd active cruising on the highway at 70mph. I have a feeling they don't do that now because there is a noticable shift from fwd to awd when switching from conserve to all purpose and they need to work on smoothing that out first. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find this is in a roadmap somewhere.

The truck doesn't know if you are on a highway or cruising up a canyon shredding some corners. With Rivians four motors you have torque vectoring to improve performance. Your dual motor Tesla can't do that. Also it's a truck.

 

[Dark-Fx]

So expanding on this thought. With the current software both Conserve and All Purpose go to the same heights at low (Standard height) and high speed (Low height)? So the saving on conserve will be limited to accelerating with only 1 motor instead of 2, if that is the case and you really want savings wouldn't you just want to leave Conserve always on, ie stop go, city driving where those motors are needed more often?

Conserve eats up the front tires in stop and go. Definitely will cost more in the long run than the energy savings you get. If you are in a situation where you absolutely do need the energy savings, use conserve instead.

 

[moosehead]

I'd be curious to know why. There is no driving feel difference when highway cruising and your efficiency goes up a good bit.

I drive above 70 mph frequently and have zero desire to lose AWD during most of those outings. Much of it is mountainous driving, much of it is winter conditions, some of it is rain, some of it is towing, some of it is heavier loads.

If another 25 miles in range becomes the priority, that can be selected by the driver as an option rather than forced and unwanted during above conditions.

There are enough granny measures in today's cars.

 

[cohall]

I drive above 70 mph frequently and have zero desire to lose AWD during most of those outings. Much of it is mountainous driving, much of it is winter conditions, some of it is rain, some of it is towing, some of it is heavier loads.

If another 25 miles in range becomes the priority, that can be selected by the driver as an option rather than forced and unwanted during above conditions.

Nailed it. No chance I'm heading up the hill in conserve mode on days like today.

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