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What does 800 hp feel like?

atR1S

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So I’ve never driven a vehicle with more than 400 hp or so. I drive a Jeep Wrangler and it’s really fun but not what you’d call fast. For those that have driven the R1T or are used to other high performance cars, what’s it like to have so much power at your disposal? I’ve seen way too many videos where the driver of a sports car or something similar is showing off and quickly gets out of control. Same thing with the Rivian, I assume?
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I haven't driven a Rivian, but I am expecting that driving a 7500lb truck or SUV with 800HP feels a lot like a 3750lb truck or SUV with 400HP.

My Model 3 is relatively not too far from 3750lb/400hp. So I am expecting the Rivian strait line experience to similar (but with worse handling).
 
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crashmtb

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electric horsepowers hit different, as the kids say, what with the instant torque.
 

jennq

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As a long-time Tesla Ludicrous owner, it's all the same once you launch 0-60 in sub 3 secs. It's fast, ends quickly, and you wonder where it went
 

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A UH-1H Huey has 825HP. So powerful it can beat the air into submission. I expect the R1T to do the same with pavement or dirt. ?

My Raptor had 450HP with ~500ftlbs of torque. It was a solid kick in the pants with 0-60 in 5.1sec. However, my mind was blown when I drove a dual motor (non-performance) Model Y. Then I got a ride in a Ford Lightning (500+HP 700+ftlbs torque). Holy Moley those were amazing.

I can’t wait to give an R1T a solid go.
 

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DuckTruck

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A UH-1H Huey has 825HP. So powerful it can beat the air into submission. I expect the R1T to do the same with pavement or dirt. ?

My Raptor had 450HP with ~500ftlbs of torque. It was a solid kick in the pants with 0-60 in 5.1sec. However, my mind was blown when I drove a dual motor (non-performance) Model Y. Then I got a ride in a Ford Lightning (500+HP 700+ftlbs torque). Holy Moley those were amazing.

I can’t wait to give an R1T a solid go.
You will not be disappointed. For those who thrive on the sound, rumble, and tension that builds as you stand on the gas and brakes at the same time, with the engine grinding to a crescendo before launching your ICEasaurus, the R1T may seem a little underwhelming. That is, until you push the accelerator to the floor.

Once you do that, all of that beautiful torque quietly comes on a once. It's not so much a pedal as it is a light switch. You just flick it. No aural drama. In fact, little sound at all, other than possibly the tires doing their level best to convert all 908 lbs-ft of that torque into traction as best they can, while magically limiting any spin. Think of watching NASA launch a rocket into space with the sound turned down, or maybe an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet going from 0 to Airborne in about nothing flat while leaving an Aircraft Carrier.

The ride is more akin to a theme park roller coaster powered by a huge flywheel. The type of ride where they release the clutch and the drive quietly catches hold, and you silently shoot forward and out of the station. One major difference in the R1T is that you're at the wheel, and you're not stuck on a defined, certain path. There are no rails. You control where you take it. What you can't control are the muscles in your face. No matter how much the g-forces are pulling every part of you back in the seat, a smile will appear as you shoot forward with the countryside flying by outside, faster and faster.

One difference between this and space travel, however, is that, on Earth, they can hear you scream....and laugh....
 
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atR1S

atR1S

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I cannot wait to experience that. Hopefully just another 90 days or so
 

ironpig

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I took the R1T test drive on to my normal morning freeway onramp to test it out. It was significantly faster than my Model S 85 (non performance etc) which was the closest scenario I could benchmark because I know what it's like to floor it on that on ramp. Having also driven a ludicrous Model S, the R1T doesn't feel as quick off the line, but the fact that it's pretty close is insane for a pick up truck.

I wouldn't worry about it being too fast to control. I've never felt out of control in a fast electric the way you can in a 500HP gas sports car with no traction control. All the electrics have incredible traction control and you have a motor at ever wheel calculating the proper amount of torque so it's not that easy to get in to trouble.

The best part about electric acceleration is not 0-60 but something like 30-70. When you are in stop and go traffic on a freeway and see an opening in another lane, you can get over in to a tight spot and out of gridlock instantly. To me that's much more valuable than launch speed. After you launch it once or twice the party trick is no longer interesting.
 

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Rivian R1T R1S What does 800 hp feel like? 1641164382139
 

SeaGeo

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I wouldn't worry about it being too fast to control.
I think there are (at least) two things that the R1T has going for it in this regard:
1. The throttle seemed to have quite a lot of "depth" to it. When I was "flooring" it on the highway, I didn't actually have it to the floor.
2. The breaks don't suck like on a current model S plaid.
 

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ironpig

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I think there are (at least) two things that the R1T has going for it in this regard:
1. The throttle seemed to have quite a lot of "depth" to it. When I was "flooring" it on the highway, I didn't actually have it to the floor.
2. The breaks don't suck like on a current model S plaid.
I agree. The only thing I noticed about the R1T was the regen was a lot stronger than the normal Tesla setting but once I got used to that, it was super smooth both in braking and acceleration. I thought it was incredibly well tuned.
 

State11

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Prior to my test drive, the quickest car I'd ever driven by far is my wife's dual motor model 3. While it is a blast to drive, I can confirm the experience by several above....the R1T just seems much smoother with the accelerator & the brakes. It also seems much quicker, but at the Sonoma test drive, the 0-60 test was going up a moderate hill with a turn after the end (which for me made me possibly a bit hesitant). It was very difficult for me to believe it was a pickup truck.

On a completely different note, I couldn't get over how smooth it was off-road. For something that seems like it can conquer some pretty tough terrain, it felt very plush inside. I'm guessing it would outperform my Defender D90 in most circumstance. Hard to believe something can perform so well in such extremely different circumstances( speed/off-road).
 
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Zoidz

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I haven't had the opportunity to experience a Rivian yet, but my motorcycle gets close - 0 to 60 in 3.4 sec or there abouts. It qualifies as stupid fast. Best comparison I can give is the Aerosmith Rockin' Rollercoaster at Disney. "Get in, sit down, shut up and hold on".

Many of those videos you see where a Lambo gets wrecked by a noob are rear wheel drive only and they turned off traction control to do a burn out. A friend of mine (NOT a car guy) learned this the hard way. His buddy let him drive his McLaren SLR (620 hp). In the parking lot he stood on the gas pedal, spun out and hit the curb. Fortunately for him, the "only" damage was the tire and wheel, at $2500. Worked out to roughly $1000 per second of driving!!! ?
 

ironpig

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On a completely different note, I couldn't get over how smooth it was off-road. For something that seems like it can conquer some pretty tough terrain, it felt very plush inside. I'm guessing it would outperform my Defender D90 in most circumstance. Hard to believe something can perform so well in such extremely different circumstances( speed/off-road).
That's great to hear. Our Los Angeles off road test drives were cancelled because of the heavy rains so I only experienced on road. I can't wait to try it on some of the local trails when I get it.
 

AxelR

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In the meantime, go to Tesla and test drive one of their Long Range or Performance model 3 or Y and you’ll know what’s up.
R1T felt more on par with LR than Performance.
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