The 2025 Rivian R1S and R1T quad-motor fashions are extra highly effective and faster than earlier than
Regardless of being faster the acceleration does not really feel as violent as within the GMC Hummer EV
The Rivian R1T and R1S at the moment are the quickest SUVs and pickup vehicles cash should buy
Rivian pegs its Quad-Motor R1 vehicles at as little as 2.5 seconds to 60 mph.
Sure, that’s faster than the three-motor Tesla Cybertruck in beast mode. And it’s faster than the three-motor GMC Hummer EV in its WTF mode.
It additionally beats the Ram TRX, the Lamborghini Urus, the Durango Hellcat. You title it.
And I received to expertise final week how simple it was to churn out three-second 0-60 instances within the 2025 Rivian R1T and R1S. As Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe demonstrated in a fast video publish on Friday, it’s so accessible, and it requires only a few steps.
Launch Mode is implausible!! pic.twitter.com/BTlVMIUQaD
— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) June 7, 2024
Attending to the sub-3.0-second zone takes a bit of extra finesse and dedication, however as we came upon, it’s a matter of physics in getting these large electrical vehicles to end up instances beforehand reserved for supercars.
It’s a whole lot of energy and torque to push out to 4 tire patches. The Quad-Motor R1 vehicles make 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft of torque and may speed up to 60 in that claimed 2.5 seconds, whereas the Tri-Motor R1 vehicles make 850 hp and 1,103 lb-ft of torque and get there in an official 2.9 seconds.
I didn’t but get an opportunity to drive the Quad-Motor R1s on the street as I had the Tri-Motor model in Motor Authority’s 2025 Rivian R1S and R1T first drive, however Rivian afforded journalists an opportunity to preview the Quad with some runs on a correct NHRA-prepped drag strip this previous week.
It was sufficient to say that off-the-line the Tri- and Quad-Motor fashions are seemingly going to be fairly even in real-world acceleration at authorized speeds as a result of it’s tire- and traction-limited.
Rivian R1 efficiency goes staggered-width
To optimize traction and entry these prime instances, Rivian fitted Quad-Motor fashions with the obtainable staggered-width Michelin Extremely Excessive-Efficiency tire bundle—including 22-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 5 rubber in 275- and 305-mm widths entrance and rear, respectively.
Simply off the road, the Quad-Motor R1T doesn’t really feel as gut-sink brutal because the Hummer EV in WTF Mode—maybe a matter of seating peak—but it surely makes up for it proper after that, with a blur to 60 mph that felt practically like an on-off swap. There was a bit of little bit of traction administration in entrance and in again, however I felt like I might do that all day.
2025 Rivian R1S Quad-Motor
Subsequent up, I used to be in a Quad-Motor R1S and it felt fully completely different on the drag strip—with rather more of a shift in mass to the rear wheels, leaving the fronts scrambling a bit extra. I used to be instructed to carry on tight to the steering wheel at 10 and a pair of, and it wasn’t till I used to be within the R1S that I understood why this had been emphasised a number of instances. In Tri-Motor variations of the R1S, you are feeling mild blipping of the brakes at both of the entrance wheel to get the correct steadiness off the road. However within the Quad-Motor model right here, the electronics let it rip, modulating the entrance motors to softly pull onerous forwards and backwards as an alternative.
That distinction in the way in which the R1S and R1T shift their weight round—and find yourself launching in a different way, regardless of the identical wheels, tires, and propulsion system—is to be anticipated, given the R1T’s 12-inch-longer wheelbase and pickup structure, versus the R1S’s SUV structure. Precise curb weight totals are but to return, however we’re informed that the 2025 fashions will shed weight.
R1S and R1T shift their weight round in a different way
“For the straight-line launch, we have to get torque to the rear wheels, that’s the place the grip is, and we additionally have to offset for the load distribution,” which is a bit more rear-biased within the R1S, defined Luke Lynch, Rivian’s director of auto dynamics. Lynch stated that that getting the suspension in tune for the correct launch ended up being a little bit of a compromise versus all the opposite ride-and-handling conditions these autos will encounter.
Rivian motor programs
In Rivian’s Gen 2 fashions, among the firm’s updates to suspension and trip tuning coordinate with the motor modifications and apply in a different way to R1S than to R1T, with a lower within the entrance spring fee and improve of the rear spring fee making use of primarily to R1S, primarily making the car really feel extra refined and stage—though each fashions get new bushings, damper tuning, and different secondary trip modifications, in addition to new tuning of the hydraulic roll system.
I’m informed that you simply *can* get the identical type of time with the SUV—possibly even faster within the quarter-mile due to aero—should you hook up effectively from the beginning, and that the raise of the brake pedal is essential. However particularly within the R1S it might be a matter of hooking up at these entrance wheels.
Rivian additionally says that with simply the correct hookup it will probably do the quarter mile in simply 10.5 seconds—additionally faster than the Cybertruck. I just do over 11 with a less-than-ideal launch within the R1S.
2025 Rivian R1S Quad-Motor
I’ve a bit of further area, so simply to see the way it feels, I maintain my proper foot planted deep after the quarter-mile ends, pegging these fashions’ limiter at 130 mph. There’s no aerodynamic hurricane or front-end lightness; the R1S feels planted and safe, with its front-end lightness strictly restricted to all of the torque of its launch.
Beneath all of it, Rivian’s new motor models and inverter tech is a key think about these improved instances. In Tri- and Quad-Motor variations, peak energy output could be maintained to primarily a better pace now.
Rivian engineers defined that that is associated to a number of elements. Optimizing the gearing of the motors is a part of it. They’re now at an 11.7:1 discount ratio within the again versus 9.1:1 in entrance, versus 12.6:1 for all 4 with the earlier Quad-Motor setup.
R1S and R1T passing energy leaps forward
Beforehand, energy would begin dropping off by 40 mph, if you’d begin getting again voltage that successfully cuts the present and energy, however now it’s round 50 mph. Given the motor and gearing modifications, round 60 mph you’re nonetheless close to peak output, in line with Mason Verbridge, Rivian’s precept drive engineer.
“That’s the place it begins to decay, however the 60-80 (mph) determine we’ve type of used as a metric is method up,” stated Verbridge.
2025 Rivian R1S
What appeared much more spectacular, relative to different EVs, is that claimed 60-80 mph acceleration time Verbridge was referring to: 1.5 seconds. Rivian did all its personal improvement and physics work with the inverter and motor management algorithm, so it’s as a lot about returning spectacular vary as it’s offering these fast bursts of passing energy. I’m desirous to see how that performs out in real-world journeys.
Within the meantime, seeking to parse out what the distinction between Tri- and Quad-Motor variations appears like? Translate these drag strip outcomes to the true world, based mostly on what I noticed, and these vehicles can reliably do 0-60 in about three seconds, whereas the Quad-Motor can shave tenths of a second off if given the correct floor.
Whereas there might not be a Tank Flip, I wager Rivian has another future makes use of for that fourth motor within the works, too.
Rivian paid for lodging plus meals onsite to assist facilitate this overview.
