The Rivian R1T electric truck was a near-perfect rig for the 2021 Rebelle Rally [CNET Roadshow Article]

[electruck]

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/features/rivian-r1t-electric-pickup-truck-rebelle-rally/

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[OrthoBlock]

I like how they were not afraid to call out any of the shortcomings on the truck. I'm a big fan of the R1T, and can't wait to get mine, but at the same time I appreciate hearing about the bad sides of the vehicle. Nothing is perfect, and I'm perfectly ok with that.

 

[Blur1t]

I like how they were not afraid to call out any of the shortcomings on the truck. I'm a big fan of the R1T, and can't wait to get mine, but at the same time I appreciate hearing about the bad sides of the vehicle. Nothing is perfect, and I'm perfectly ok with that.

Yea, not bad for a first model. Glad I’m getting max pack though, plenty of time to fix the bugs…

 

[cc84]

When the first Rivian R1Ts head to customers in January .......

....But again, this truck isn't perfect. The skid plate is plastic and held in with plastic tabs. This is not nearly enough protection for the cooling pump that regulates the battery temperature. Also, there's no way to see your current tire pressure nor are there any off-road pages in the infotainment system or auxiliary gauges that give information on battery temperature, pitch, roll or current battery usage. The climate controls are all on the screen, too, so even directing airflow requires the driver to take their eyes off the road. Oh, and the electric latch on the center console is just solving a problem that doesn't exist. A mechanical latch here would be simpler and better.

For its part, Rivian said tire pressure monitoring will be available as an over-the-air update and the company is actively exploring adding off-road data as well as a beefier skid plate. Rivian is also analyzing the rally vehicle's performance to learn how the R1T could be improved going forward.....

This caught my attention from the article. I wonder if the OTA update will be free, or if you need membership for something such as this.

 

[Blur1t]

This caught my attention from the article. I wonder if the OTA update will be free, or if you need membership for something such as this.

Hope that’s not the case . Also struck me that she states customers would be taking delivery in January but I’m sure that’s just more mis information.

 

[cc84]

Hope that’s not the case . Also struck me that she states customers would be taking delivery in January but I’m sure that’s just more mis information.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's misinformation, or not, unless you're suggesting deliveries could start beyond January. Not long until January, 64 days. A lot of work ahead for the Guides, if they make contact to all LE pre-order holders, prior to December, and be able to answer their questions.

If Rivian is in their silent period, I don't know if they're able to furnish us with more details about the truck, or not. There are just too many unanswered questions to purchase their truck (for me) at this time. If so, I don't see deliveries until after the IPO. I have no idea when that'll take place. As has been the pattern, wait and see. ?

 

[SoCal Rob]

I don’t quite understand this comment in the article, “Oh, and the electric latch on the center console is just solving a problem that doesn't exist. A mechanical latch here would be simpler and better.”

An electric latch can be controlled by the vehicle. Is it that much of a stretch to think that the compartments controlled by electric latches are controlled by a valet mode or similar?

I think I saw the included Bluetooth speaker/lantern combo also has some kind of electric latching and the first thing I thought was, “Good, people won’t have to obsessively check to make sure a parking attendant didn’t keep a souvenir.” I haven’t gotten to sit in an R1 yet, but I can see how it wouldn’t be obvious that the speaker was missing when you get in and sit in the driver’s seat. I hope they do something similar to lock the flashlight but at least it’s absence should be plain as soon as you open the door.

I understand this electric latch adds complexity and potential points of failure, but having these things plus the gear tunnel, tailgate, and under-bed spare tire storage* inaccessible when the vehicle is locked, and probably in valet mode, makes total sense to me.

We had a Jaguar with an electric latch on the glove box door which seemed like overkill, until I realized that it didn’t open when the car was locked or in valet mode. Even if you left the windows open, as long as you locked the car, nobody could get into the glove box and you didn’t have to remember to take extra actions for the security.

*I imagine the reason you have to lower the tailgate to unlatch the under-bed compartment is so if someone can’t open the tailgate then they can’t open that storage area, either.

 

[Electronaut]

https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/rivian-r1t-electric-pickup-truck-rebelle-rally/

 

[Rivuylkill]

Plastic skid plates seems odd since they'd have had the offroad package, unless it's another "pre production hand wave" thing. My understanding was the base skid plates are plastic and probably fine if not offroading but with the package they're reinforced like the battery protection.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

The comment about not having real time tire pressure is puzzling to me as I could swear one of the many videos I watched from the reviews showed a tire pressure status screen on the driver's display. Maybe that was a different software version or that screen isn't available when driving?

 

[opnwide]

"Plastic skidplate held on by plastic tabs?" WHAT? Not the most flattering article I'll say.

 

[SeaGeo]

Plastic skid plates seems odd since they'd have had the offroad package, unless it's another "pre production hand wave" thing. My understanding was the base skid plates are plastic and probably fine if not offroading but with the package they're reinforced like the battery protection.

Yep. So bizarre.

 

[Lmirafuente]

"Plastic skidplate held on by plastic tabs?" WHAT? Not the most flattering article I'll say.

Wondering what the off road package includes, specific to skid plates.

 

[jjswan33]

Also confused by the plastic ski plates comment. From the below images posted elswhere on the forum I don't see any plastic:

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/attachments/20211027_112210-jpg.10998/

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/attachments/20211027_112210-jpg.10998/

 

[Gator42]

When the first Rivian R1Ts head to customers in January...

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