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Overlanding / Adventuring / Camping - R1T vs Bronco

njcoach24

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I've been studying the R1T for a long time, have a launch edition on reserve but the more I see the Bronco and what they are doing / coming out with I start to wondering would I enjoy the Bronco lifestyle more.

I know they aren't the same...especially ICE vs Electric. However, I do have some range anxiety on longer trips and having never owned an electric vehicle I feel I would absolutely hate losing 30-1hr of time charging or getting stuck some place remote with no cell service / electric.

Moreover, since I am buying a vehicle for adventure (mainly to enjoy with my young son) I am excited to see some of the things the Bronco community has already started for example the Off-Roadeo (https://broncooffroadeo.com) and "integrated Trail Maps, stabilizer bar disconnect, front and rear lockers, and 360-degree cameras to tackle the toughest spots on the trail."

With a lack of information from Rivian and I really want to see the convertible option before spending 80K on the regular, I find myself getting excited about a Bronco.

Thoughts? Anybody else between these two?
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Reed

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If I had any inclination towards buying another ICE vehicle, that got blown away by an article I read earlier this morning about a glacier in BC that is shrinking to zero.

The Klinaklini Glacier in the central coast area of the province covers 470 square kilometres. You would have to go to Alaska to find anything bigger.

And, it's all going to be gone in under 50 years.

I'm just going to start reading the second article on what impact that will have on life, including human, along the length of our coast. This much is for certain - it won't be good.

No matter what, my next vehicle will be electric. The sooner, the better.

If you want to read the article for yourself, it can be found at: https://thetyee.ca/big-melt/
 

Andystroh

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I am with reed on this one, I am going electric no matter what to reduce some guilt I feel driving all over the mountains burning fossil fuels.
One thing I'll say is prior to my current vehicle (4runner) I thought I would want all the upgrades and mods for offroading. You might have more experience offroading than me, in which case you can ignore this, but it turned out the stock 4runner was plenty capable for my desires, and honestly pushing the limits of it is stressful and I don't think I want any more capability. I'm thinking the rivian will be similar - plenty capable for what most people are looking for, and likely if it can't handle it I'm not sure I'd want to drive up it. I'll take the on highway comfort over some trail capability, and in this case electric.
 

PoorPilot

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I completely understand the range anxiety as I went through the same thing before I bought my Model X 3 years ago. The anxiety lasted about a month until we figured out our daily driving habits were a fraction of what we thought they might be and we could realistically go 2-4 days without charging at home if we needed to. Everyone's situation is different though, so you have to look at what your current driving habits are and then make a decision. As far as road trips- yes, stopping to charge does add some extra time, but we take advantage of the time(which works out to about every 3-4hrs of driving) by using the restroom, refilling water bottles, eating or even taking a quick nap. The Rivian Adventure Network will be vague and spotty at first, but there are other options available for a Level 3 (quick charge) or a Level 2 (25-45mph) charge until the RAN gets ramped up.
As far as the Bronco is concerned, the handful I've seen in public appear to be a lot smaller than I had expected. Almost look like a boxy Ford Escape. Definitely not like the Broncos I remember from the 1990's.
 

Ty012

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There is a lot of advantages to electric, environment as previously mentioned, cost of ownerships is lower since less to maintain, electricity being cheaper than gas, etc. but at the end of the day you have to choose what is going to work best for you and your family.

As far as range anxiety and charging time, as long as Rivian sticks to their charging network plans, it wonā€™t be an issue unless you are going super remote. I own a Tesla now and stops at superchargers are pretty fast. Usually there is a coffee or sandwich shop in the area to get a drink or bite and every time the car has either been done charging before I get back to it or only has about 5 min remaining. There have even been a few times where Iā€™ve had to go back and move the car out of the charging spot so I didnā€™t get any idle fees.

Iā€™ve too have thought about going ICE and getting a loaded Tacoma for 25k less and being able to deck it out with upgrades, rooftop tent, etc (and get now vs a year from now - no LE for me) but after driving an EV for a few years, I like it so much that I canā€™t bring myself to go back to an ICE vehicle.

All that said, those new Broncos are pretty coolā€¦
 

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drhnbtx

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I had a day one pre order for the Bronco and waited until the last order day before canceling. I love the look, the accessories, and the expectation of capabilities. Unlike @Reed and @Andystroh, The environmental aspect is not my primary reason for going Rivian. I believe(hope) that the R1T for me will be the whole package: power, refinement, practicality, and environmental benefits.
 

SoCal Rob

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I've been studying the R1T for a long time, have a launch edition on reserve but the more I see the Bronco and what they are doing / coming out with I start to wondering would I enjoy the Bronco lifestyle more.

ā€¦

Thoughts? Anybody else between these two?
Iā€™d be comparing the Ranger to the R1T and the Bronco to the R1S but maybe Iā€™m too literal?

Regarding the features you mentioned, ā€œintegrated Trail Maps, stabilizer bar disconnect, front and rear lockers, and 360-degree camerasā€

Trail maps - I think (hope) the maps will be in the Rivian at or near launch; but Iā€™ve been relying on specialized apps which cache data for offline use for the last 6+ years. There are at least two great options which fulfill this need and I like the fact that my waypoints, recorded tracks, and planned routes are automatically synced between devices and a web site.

Stabilizer bar disconnect - Hopefully someone will correct me if Iā€™m wrong about this since I have very limited knowledge of suspensions. My understanding is that Rivianā€™s suspension uses hydraulic fluid in a network of pistons tied to each wheel and doesnā€™t have a traditional stabilizer bar so there is no direct comparison to make. If thatā€™s the case it would be like saying that the Bronco has a heavy duty alternator while EVs donā€™t even have an alternator.

360 cameras - Iā€™m pretty sure that Rivian has enough cameras on board the vehicles to meet or exceed the views provided by Ford.

On the other hand, I donā€™t think there will be any comparison in the ability to accessorize or modify the vehicles. At this point the Bronco seems on track to have as much potential as a Jeep Wrangler for customizing looks and capabilities. I just donā€™t see how Rivian will come close to either because of the anticipated production volume.

Also, each one of us has to figure out where we land in the range/refueling speed versus fossil fuel/environment battle. With the current technology there is no way to allow a person in an EV to carry an extra 75 miles or so of range in something the size and weight of 5 gallons of gasoline.
 
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njcoach24

njcoach24

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And, it's all going to be gone in under 50 years.
This is a concern of mine as I truly enjoy the environment/mountains whenever possible. However, and I've read this in a number of places, you don't see the environment benefits with ICE vs Electric until about 20,000 miles (https://www.wsj.com/graphics/are-electric-cars-really-better-for-the-environment/).

cost of ownerships is lower since less to maintain
This is the part I love the most and I idea of not ever going to a gas station again is amazing but the up front costs vs something loaded with everything as someone mentioned earlier can range at least 15K less....we don't even know how much any Rivian accessories cost yet besides the kitchen. I'm figuring this 75K car will be at least 90K with one or two accessories + fees.

With the current technology there is no way to allow a person in an EV to carry an extra 75 miles or so of range in something the size and weight of 5 gallons of gasoline.
And this is what the reality is right now. I was just in Joshua Tree and the biggest concern from the ranger there was making sure I had enough fuel or back up fuel. No service and long roads.

I'm really torn....and I'm talking about the 4 Door Regular Bronco, not the Sports that look like Ford Escapes. And I love the topless aspect so I really want to see that variation from Rivian.
 

SoCal Rob

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I was just in Joshua Tree and the biggest concern from the ranger there was making sure I had enough fuel or back up fuel.
We spend a lot of time in and around Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park so I get that concern. Assuming we follow-through with a purchase, I expect to take two vehicles for the first few trips to establish a comfort level with EV off-roading.
 

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Ty012

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And this is what the reality is right now. I was just in Joshua Tree and the biggest concern from the ranger there was making sure I had enough fuel or back up fuel. No service and long roads.

I'm really torn....and I'm talking about the 4 Door Regular Bronco, not the Sports that look like Ford Escapes. And I love the topless aspect so I really want to see that variation from Rivian.
Sounds like waiting for the max pack (400+) and the removable roof option Rivian is promising might be the best option/compromise. Unless the added 15k (guessing removable roof will be 2-5k) and having to wait for another year or more is a deal-breaker, then Iā€™d actually say get the Bronco. In a few years there will certainly be EV advancements and more options that might be the perfect fit. I wish everyone could go EV but for some EVs are not where they need to be quite yet and thatā€™s ok.

If you go Bronco can I have your LE reservation? ? Yeah, yeah, I know they are not transferable, but one can dream. ?ā€ā™‚
 

skyote

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The new *actual* Broncos (full size) are awesome. I put it in competition with Jeep Wrangler, not really in the same ball park as Rivian, IMO.

I want the Rivian because it should be great both on & off road, insane performance, and should be very comfortable (approaching a luxury vehicle). That is worth the extra cost to me, but everyone has their own criteria.

If you decide the Bronco wins out for now, I'd plan on keeping it until the next leap in battery tech, probably 5+ years down the road.
 

azbill

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As far as the Bronco is concerned, the handful I've seen in public appear to be a lot smaller than I had expected.
The only ones out there today are the Bronco Sport models, they are very small. The "real" ones are not out yet.
 

Vserra

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I just put my Rivian deposit down a little over a week ago and cancelled my Bronco reservation a few days later. I think I actually learned about Rivian on the Bronco forum. While I really wasn't in the market for a $70K+ truck (or any truck for that matter) - a $40-45K 2-door Bronco was looking just fine - when I started looking into Rivian I was blown away. I actually was seriously considering a Defender more recently before discovering Rivian - a little bit nicer for a daily commuter and at least it has a start/stop system (which would definitely save me some gas on my commute).

When the big Bronco mpg was released the other week, that pretty much sealed the deal and I don't have reservations about cancelling my reservation (pun intended). The fact that the Rivian operates as a super sports car, an EV and can take me off road (I'm mostly concerned with beach driving on the south shore of Long Island), was just too much to pass up. It seems to have been developed and marketed just for me (I'm sure a lot of you on this formum feel that way). While I have some concerns about range on trips, that's not a deal breaker for me since we'll have another gas-powered family car (probably 7-seater with plenty of storage) that we can also take on road trips if we need to. With the network they are building and ability to charge at different types of EV charging stations, it should be fine in my opinion, e.g., for winter ski trips in the Northeast or even on longer trips. Friends with Teslas don't seem to have a problem with this.

I don't expect to have this car for a year so hopefully the EV network will be somewhat better developed by then, and continue to streghten throughout ownership.
 

Eager2own

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I just put my Rivian deposit down a little over a week ago and cancelled my Bronco reservation a few days later. I think I actually learned about Rivian on the Bronco forum. While I really wasn't in the market for a $70K+ truck (or any truck for that matter) - a $40-45K 2-door Bronco was looking just fine - when I started looking into Rivian I was blown away. I actually was seriously considering a Defender more recently before discovering Rivian - a little bit nicer for a daily commuter and at least it has a start/stop system (which would definitely save me some gas on my commute).

When the big Bronco mpg was released the other week, that pretty much sealed the deal and I don't have reservations about cancelling my reservation (pun intended). The fact that the Rivian operates as a super sports car, an EV and can take me off road (I'm mostly concerned with beach driving on the south shore of Long Island), was just too much to pass up. It seems to have been developed and marketed just for me (I'm sure a lot of you on this formum feel that way). While I have some concerns about range on trips, that's not a deal breaker for me since we'll have another gas-powered family car (probably 7-seater with plenty of storage) that we can also take on road trips if we need to. With the network they are building and ability to charge at different types of EV charging stations, it should be fine in my opinion, e.g., for winter ski trips in the Northeast or even on longer trips. Friends with Teslas don't seem to have a problem with this.

I don't expect to have this car for a year so hopefully the EV network will be somewhat better developed by then, and continue to streghten throughout ownership.
Welcome aboard. Great first post.
I also wouldā€™ve considered the Bronco if I was willing to stick with an ICE vehicle.

Itā€™s good that you already recognize that it may be year before you have your Rivian. That means you might make it 2 or even 3 months before your post #233 looks more like this:
ā€œWHY HASNā€™T RIVIAN CONTACTED ME?!?!? WHERE IS MY TRUCK?!?!?ā€
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