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Rivian, Wrangler...or Bronco?

skyote

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Just curious...are there any others here that would love to see a Rivian-powered Jeep Wrangler competitor w/ removable doors, top, etc?

I'm a huge Jeep guy & am eagerly awaiting the reveal of the new Ford Bronco as well to see what it will offer. The thought occurred to me that Rivian & Ford could easily beat Jeep to the punch by offering a Rivian-powered Bronco...I wouldn't be able to buy one fast enough.
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Rad

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Yes, I would. I'm actually contemplating a new Jeep now - I need a SUV/truck that is off road capable. If they (Rivian and Jeep or Ford) could work together and get something to market quickly - I'd be a buyer. As it stands - I'll hold onto my R1T reservation, but I need to see how the end product performs.
 
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skyote

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I think both R1T & R1S will be very capable offroad.

My thought is something a bit more fun (doors/top), a little tamer performance wise (400 hp would be great), with more articulation, larger tires, & more customization options, with less focus on efficiency.
 
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I like the ideas, especially more articulation, tires and fun (doors/top)! I am hopeful that the R1T/S will be very capable offroad and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action on/in rugged conditions :).

I think both R1T & R1S will be very capable offroad.

My thought is something a bit more fun (doors/top), a little tamer performance wise (400 hp would be great), with more articulation, larger tires, & more customization options, with less focus on efficiency.
 
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skyote

skyote

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I like the ideas, especially more articulation, tires and fun (doors/top)! I am hopeful that the R1T/S will be very capable offroad and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action on/in rugged conditions :).
We need more video from the Long Way Up trucks, and/or capability demo videos from the Rivian team. Actually, I'd like to see BOTH controlled demo & real world videos from difficult/technical terrain.

As one example of controlled demo, check out the videos at the bottom of this link...Rivian would ace this:
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-beats-audi-quattro-in-roller-test-video/
 

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Lmirafuente

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Man, I just really don't think Bollinger is compelling in any way...especially price. I've followed them since concept phase, long before Rivian, but they just don't deliver on anything I want as a buyer.
totally agree!
 

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I just want an electric 4x4 that can do the Rubicon Trail without any body damage. Rivian is close but not quite there, as far as I can tell. But bigger tires, better approach and departure angles, serious under armor are just about all that’s needed. Should be pretty doable.

Sure, not many RIvian buyers will actually want to drive a trail that difficult. But a vehicle that can do the Rubicon can do the lesser trails with ease. That means more looking at the scenery and less at the road. Isn’t that just what Rivian is all about??
 

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Pretty sure they're planning a detachable roof option. I thought the truck was supposed to have exceptional approach/departure angles and the bottom was a mix of armor and ballistic weave. It has to be. If that gets pierced, it's a big problem. Don't know enough about serious off-roading but is Rubicon something any mass-produced vehicle is ready for, right off the factory floor?

From off-roader comments I've seen, I gather the potential off-road benefits are going to be the independently powered wheels + exceptional traction/steering control they could offer and (my own thoughts) the largely solid state aside from wheels/suspension has to be a plus. Any EV is a lot less stuff that's going to break simply from gravity, Gs, and sudden stops. Also the not-very-talked-about Mclaren-style suspension sounds pretty amazing. One weakness might be a lack of frame flex. The bottom plate probably has to be pretty rigid. Not sure being bottom-heavy is good or bad but I would guess also good.
 

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Pretty sure they're planning a detachable roof option. I thought the truck was supposed to have exceptional approach/departure angles and the bottom was a mix of armor and ballistic weave. It has to be. If that gets pierced, it's a big problem. Don't know enough about serious off-roading but is Rubicon something any mass-produced vehicle is ready for, right off the factory floor?

From off-roader comments I've seen, I gather the potential off-road benefits are going to be the independently powered wheels + exceptional traction/steering control they could offer and (my own thoughts) the largely solid state aside from wheels/suspension has to be a plus. Any EV is a lot less stuff that's going to break simply from gravity, Gs, and sudden stops. Also the not-very-talked-about Mclaren-style suspension sounds pretty amazing. One weakness might be a lack of frame flex. The bottom plate probably has to be pretty rigid. Not sure being bottom-heavy is good or bad but I would guess also good.
The Jeep Wrangler is (IMHO) the standard to which street-legal off-road vehicles should be compared and more specifically with the “Rubicon” trim level. That’s what I own today. And yes, a bone-stock Wrangler Rubicon can easily negotiate the Rubicon Trail with a reasonably experienced driver. But just barely. It helps a lot to fit bigger tires. Stock Rubicons come with 33” tires. But most folks running the Rubicon Trail recommend 35s or larger. I’ve never done it with less than 35s. The Rivian tires are 34”.

The 4 motor system is indeed a huge win off road. As is the smooth linear and immediate throttle response. “Bottom heavy”, more geekily known as “low center of gravity” is a big plus, too..
 
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For a true offroad vehicle, and for terrain like the Rubicon Trail, there are several things needed:

1) Even better approach & departure angles
2) Greater articulation ability
3) Metal bumpers (best to support aftermarket customization/options)
4) Ability to add armor (rock sliders, fenders, corner guards, etc.) for areas of the vehicle that commonly get trail damage

I think a Rivian Wrangler competitor on 35s could have the wheeling ability of a current Jeep on 37s or 40s+, due to low center of gravity, ground clearance/smooth underbody, & superior traction control.
 

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For a true offroad vehicle, and for terrain like the Rubicon Trail, there are several things needed:

1) Even better approach & departure angles
2) Greater articulation ability
3) Metal bumpers (best to support aftermarket customization/options)
4) Ability to add armor (rock sliders, fenders, corner guards, etc.) for areas of the vehicle that commonly get trail damage

I think a Rivian Wrangler competitor on 35s could have the wheeling ability of a current Jeep on 37s or 40s+, due to low center of gravity, ground clearance/smooth underbody, & superior traction control.
A stock Wrangler Rubicon has a 41 degree approach angle and a 36 degree departure angle. The corresponding number for the R1S are 35 and 34 (the R1T is worse at departure). That’s not too much different IMHO; I think I could manage with it given the next point:

The Rivian will have adequate underbody armor and optional steel panels underneath the front and rear bumpers (according to Brian at the Mill Valley event). With that I’m not too worried about body damage.

I’ve never been so enamored with articulation as the rest of the Jeep community. So what if one wheel is up in the air? If it was touching the ground it still wouldn’t have much weight on it and so not much torque could be applied thru it anyway.

Brian also claimed that there will be an factory option for a winch. That takes care of 99% of what I would have wanted a steel bumper for.

I’m still a little concerned that there won’t be adequate protection under the rocker panels but maybe they’ll have an option there as well like the panels under the bumpers. I’be never damaged any other part of my body work so I’m not too worried about corner armor etc.

I would love to put 35s on my R1S but it looks like that just won’t be possible. That’s the biggest thing that I wish they would fix.
 

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The Rivian will never perform like a Jeep and they never planned on it. The forum has gone out of control imagining so. The term adventure vehicle became an all new meaning for our members with images of so.
 
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The Rivian will never perform like a Jeep and they never planned on it. The forum has gone out of control imagining so. The term adventure vehicle became an all new meaning for our members with images of so.
The current models will not, but I'm hoping one of the forthcoming models is a Wrangler competitor.
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