R2's A/C performance in really hot weather?

[rvnxyz001]

I have not driven the R2 yet, but I read a couple of reviews about this, and it seems the new glass roof could be a potential problem if you live in a sunny area. Where I live, even when it is 70 degrees outside, it feels extremely hot in direct sun.

Here is one of the extensive reviews (source):

"The temperature was roughly 85 degrees outside, and my drive partner and I found ourselves sweating. I, generally, am not sensitive to heat, having driven far too many junkers without AC in my day. But it was clear that the R2 we were driving just wasn’t as comfortable as it should have been, so we adjusted the AC controls and turned everything to max cooling. The fan was up, the temperature was down, and yet my head continued to sweat....

I suspect that some ceramic coating on that roof might help, but the bigger issue is that the AC seemingly could not keep up with my cooling request. CEO RJ Scaringe told me the company is planning to increase front-passenger air volume through the vents, so it sounds like they’re aware of the issue."

So I guess it needs very good but transparent tint to be a comfortable vehicle. I see that Rivian officially refers to XPEL, and XPEL offers roof tinting for the R2, which is not the case for Tesla, for example. So I assume Rivian and XPEL know that the roof will not crack due to the combination of heat and tint, but I’m still not completely sure, probably good to have a written confirmation from rivian before doing tint on roof

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[rvnxyz001]

Test drove one in Northern California (Walnut Creek) on a mid-80's day. Second row would really benefit from pillar vents.

I know people say there is no heat transfer from the glass roof but I sure felt like the persistent noon sun made it warmer in the 2nd row where the blasting AC didn't quite reach. Admittedly we didn't spend time aligning the front vents so that may have played a part in the experience.

this is my main concern , I will be driving with small humans on the back and take back seats myself periodically and having transparent glass is a big concern. Even though many people (current rivian owners) here say it is not an issue, I guess it depends on how sensitive you are to sun and heat. I personally can't stand direct sun and never ever opened my sunroof cover , maybe because I lived in predominantly cold and dark areas majority of my life...

 

[CharonPDX]

Related to the topic of this thread - how is the A/C performance when the car idling? Sorry, I’m new to EVs, and in ICE, air moving through the engine helps. I sit in carpool in NC heat (95 degrees) in the summer for an hour daily, so an EV would really help me in keeping the cabin comfortable (VS running an entire engine just to run the A/C compressor)

The reason ICE vehicles work better is because the AC compressor is connected via belt to the engine crankshaft. So when the engine is spinning faster (under load while driving) the AC compressor moves faster and is more effective. When the engine is idling (stopped in traffic) the AC compressor moves slower and is less effective.

EVs use electric compressors, like a house AC, so aren't dependent on the engine speed at all. (Some hybrids use electric AC compressors, too, so they can run when the engine is off.)

 

[r2fb]

In an ICE (Internal combustion engine) vehicle,

Hybrids and PHEV's also run the compressor off battery so it works that way with them too despite being ICE vehicles.

 

[SANZC02]

It is really hard to go by how other people feel about the HVAC system. I hear complaints all the time about the R1S HVAC system and I’ve never had an issue with hot or cold in mine. I’ve been in the southwest deserts in temps over 118 and on cross country drives in single digits and always felt the cabin to be comfortable.

No issues with the AC on my R2 test drive a couple of weeks ago but temps were only in the mid 80s so not much of a test.

 

[rvnxyz001]

It is really hard to go by how other people feel about the HVAC system. I hear complaints all the time about the R1S HVAC system and I’ve never had an issue with hot or cold in mine. I’ve been in the southwest deserts in temps over 118 and on cross country drives in single digits and always felt the cabin to be comfortable.

No issues with the AC on my R2 test drive a couple of weeks ago but temps were only in the mid 80s so not much of a test.

True, it is like some people prefer to keep the AC on in the house to cool it down to some extreme levels instead of opening windows even if it is cool outside, and they also drink water with ice with the AC on or they just never roll car windows down and keep AC on lo level all the time

 

[Dark-Fx]

Today's verdict, it works better than any of my R1 vehicles if the windows are up.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I wonder if there is also a benefit to having fresh air pushed through the condenser rather than just having a fan blowing the otherwise stagnant external air around?

Depends on outside temperature doesn’t it? Outside air blown through condenser is more effective on 70-degree day than on a 110-degree one.

 

[rvnxyz001]

I had a chance to sit in the R2 under direct sun. It was 68°F outside, and the AC was working okay, but I could not make it work as hard as in my ICE car. Maybe this could be changed in some setting, but I could not figure it out because the UI is pretty complex.

The biggest issue, though, is the heat coming from the glass roof. You feel comfortable below your head, but the top of your head gets pretty warm. In addition to the heat, the sunlight is also too bright, and the factory tint is not dark enough to block it, especially in the back seat.

I’m 6 ft tall, so my head is pretty close to the roof.

Also, the sun can blast straight into your eyes through the roof in the back seat, so you may need to wear a hat.

Make sure you test drive it on a sunny day. It could be acceptable to you if you are not very tall.

It also looks awful when the roof is dirty, although the dirt does help block some sunlight.

For me, though, I’m canceling my reservation.

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