(Bed) size matters

[EyeOnRivian]

What's the beds width? The length should make the cut in my book. I'm concerned that the wheel well bumps will not allow for an 8x4 sheet of plywood to lay flat.

According to the spec sheet the R1T has the following bed dimensions (I converted them to inches): Width: 54.5”, Length (gate up / down): 55” / 82.7”

So an 8x4 sheet of plywood will fit width wise but probably not lay flat due to the wheel wells. And certainly NOT fit length wise with the tailgate closed.

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[Rockstar2020]

I am good with the short bed as I haul my toys in a covered trailer. However I suspect many folks would like an optional 5.5 bed if that is possible. Maybe a future HD version with a 5.5 or 6 ?

 

[EyeOnRivian]

Maybe a future HD version with a 5.5 or 6 ?

I do not believe Rivian will be building a larger pickup, at least under the Rivian brand. I recently had read (unfortunately I don't recall the source) where RJ Scaringe was asked something similar to this (e.g. building a larger, work / construction size pickup) and he basically said no. I don't believe Rivian is looking to compete with those HD / larger pickup trucks as they are a different segment of consumer that Rivian is targeting.

I did find the following from a very good Seattle Times piece back in February on RJ and Rivian -

"... Scaringe said Rivian was looking to do for autos what Patagonia has done for outdoor clothing, aiming for an upscale but utility-focused consumer. His goal is to make a pickup and SUV that are premium and give buyers a spirit of adventure, but with clean emissions and great technology, including over-the-air updates.​

...
“Tesla did an outstanding job,” Scaringe said. “They pulled customers out of luxury cars and even the Toyota Prius. You’ll see us pulling people out of Land Rovers, BMWs, Subarus and Teslas.”"

 

[Sparty97]

The shorter bed length works for me. I haul a lot of little stuff and don't need it for work. Mostly mountain bikes, camping gear, hunting gear (and on a rare occasion some game) and some small home projects. Full sized trucks end up parking outside (and in the snow in the winter) at my home. Plus, the short bed makes it easier in the parking garage at work.

 

[davrow_R1T]

Short bed is fine by me. I am accustomed to using a trailer for my big stuff, including plywood, lumber and bricks. Attack and departure angles of the truck itself is more important, to me.

As envisioned by RJ, this will not be a work truck for me, but a go out and play offroad vehicle.

 

[skyote]

I preordered the R1T, but will be changing to R1S. I thought about replacing my diesel pickup, but have since decided to keep it to be my workhorse & to pull my 5th wheel...can't beat the range & capability of a full size diesel for real truck stuff.

 

[buddilly]

Does anyone know if Rivian will offer a "bed extended" device like on an F-150, etc. so if a motorcycle is strapped down in the bed with the tailgate open, the extender would go to the edge of the open truck bed? It's important in case anything else that isn't strapped down is in the truck bed like a helmet, etc. Like this...

 

[ElectricTrucking]

The extender would be a very easy after market item but attaching it could require some drilling. Only speculating.

 

[buddilly]

The extender would be a very easy after market item but attaching it could require some drilling. Only speculating.

Wouldn't be too hard to add but Rivian would likely make a far better one with better integration if they decided it was a need/good option to offer. For instance, I love the power bed cover. I have thought for years that manufacturers should do this and finally one did! I've bought bed covers for every previous truck and there is always a compromise because it wasn't integrated from the start.

 

[EyeOnRivian]

Does anyone know if Rivian will offer a "bed extended" device like on an F-150, etc. so if a motorcycle is strapped down in the bed with the tailgate open, the extender would go to the edge of the open truck bed? It's important in case anything else that isn't strapped down is in the truck bed like a helmet, etc. Like this...

Rivian hasn't officially announced their options. However while talking to the R1S team lead at the Normal event a few weeks ago I had mentioned about transporting loads longer than the 55" bed. Reading between the lines of his responses I got the impression Rivian would be offering a bed extender / gate of some sort. Again nothing official at this point.

 

[Pherdnut]

I love everything about this truck except the fact that they aren't offering a bigger bed. I was one of the first people to place a reservation but did so with the hope that a bigger bed would be available by launch time. If one isn't I will be canceling my order. If a truck can't fit a pile of dirt bikes or an ATV in it then it is not a truck that I can own. For me, that single feature is a deal breaker. Most summer weekends entail pulling a jetski trailer with one or more land toys in the bed. That said, my question to the group is, if a bigger bed were available, who would actually pick the size they are currently offering instead?

Me and probably anybody else who lives in a city and has to park somewhere other than their own garage or parking space occasionally. It also strikes me as counter to their off-road focus to go longer for the R1T. Atlis strikes me as gunning for the more traditional pickup crowd but they're probably many years away from full-scale production.

Now that they've got Amazon and Ford as partners, the factory in Normal, and a 100,000 van order to scale up to ASAP, however, I'd be very surprised if Rivian doesn't already have a more fleet-compatible truck in the works.

I'd also like to see something more old-school Ranger sized. There's plenty of appetite left for smaller pickups in the city.

What's the beds width? The length should make the cut in my book. I'm concerned that the wheel well bumps will not allow for an 8x4 sheet of plywood to lay flat.

It doesn't have wheel well bumps. Higher/shallower bed. The spare tire fits underneath it. It's 55.1 inches long with the tailgate up. The truck's width is 79.1 inches so the bed width is probably at least 5 and half feet.

Edit: Of course it has wheel well bumps. I was either highly unobservant or looking at footage from the wrong angle.

 

[Dav8or]

My Ram 1500 eco diesel will not fit in my garage. I haul bikes and occasional landscaping so the bed size works for me. I want a truck that is more maneuverable and easier to park.

 

[brianmartin]

I'm only here for the R1S. I see absolutely no point of a pickup truck with a 55" bed. I already own a Silverado double cab with a standard 6.5ft bed. I can do pretty much everything with that size, plywood, appliances, loads of dirt, bed full of camping gear, firewood, furniture purchase or sale, etc. Maybe if the R1T was your only vehicle and you lived in the city, it would be an adequate compromise between daily driveability and utility. But until there is an EV truck with a 6.5ft bed, I will continue to use my gas truck.

 

[electruck]

I'm only here for the R1S. I see absolutely no point of a pickup truck with a 55" bed. I already own a Silverado double cab with a standard 6.5ft bed. I can do pretty much everything with that size, plywood, appliances, loads of dirt, bed full of camping gear, firewood, furniture purchase or sale, etc. Maybe if the R1T was your only vehicle and you lived in the city, it would be an adequate compromise between daily drivability and utility. But until there is an EV truck with a 6.5ft bed, I will continue to use my gas truck.

Rivian appears to be leaving that market to the electric F-150 and whatever GM eventually delivers, it's clearly not what they are targeting with their initial pickup truck offering. As an electric startup, I think they are wise to steer clear of that market as it's going to be one of the last to get fully on board with electric and one of the hardest product spaces to compete in (ICE or BEV).

 

[brianmartin]

Rivian appears to be leaving that market to the electric F-150 and whatever GM eventually delivers, it's clearly not what they are targeting with their initial pickup truck offering. As an electric startup, I think they are wise to steer clear of that market as it's going to be one of the last to get fully on board with electric and one of the hardest product spaces to compete in (ICE or BEV).

I see what they're doing and I get why they are starting small. I just think a full size Rivian would be awesome and I'd almost rather buy one from Rivian and not GM/Ford. I also think Rivian, if they want to become a major player, eventually needs to eschew the "yuppie" brand image. If they are going to be a fixture in the midwest economic landscape, it also kind of makes sense to build the vehicles that a ton of people there drive (full size pickups).

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