Rivian Takes Wraps Off The R1S Electric Luxury SUV

Rivian stole the show on Tuesday at the LA Auto Show after dropping two massive nukes in the electrified segment. The gully electric pick-up truck, R1T which we reported a day ago was coupled with its luxury sibling in an SUV iteration, named as the R1S.

Both the vehicles are based on the same skateboard-type platform that houses the battery on the floor of the passenger seats. From the looks of it, the front end of the R1S is similar to that of the R1T with vertically placed pills shaped headlights and a long strip of light that extends from one side of the vehicle to the other. The long strip interestingly lights up during charging and denotes the amount of charge that the battery carries at the moment.

Rivian has confirmed that the SUV will be offered in three battery options including a 105, 135 and 180kWh, respectively. Meanwhile, we also expect two larger options at launch with the 135-kWh battery estimated to deliver a range of over 310 miles and the 180-kWh battery a range of over 410 miles in the R1S.

Calling for similar output figures for both the models, the R1S and the R1T both clocks its maximum power at 750bhp and 820lbft of torque. The car is capable of touching triple-digit speeds in about three seconds; something that we usually witness in supercars indeed. Charging from nought to 80 per cent takes place in 50 minutes on a DC fast charger.

Other noteworthy features on the SUV includes a sophisticated suspension architecture with unequal-length double-wishbone suspension in the front and a multi-link suspension in the rear. The suspension features dynamic roll control and adaptive dampers along with ride-height adjustable air-suspension.

The rear of Rivian's R1S has a liftgate and small tailgate, the latter having a small place to sit. The second and third rows fold flat to provide room for extra gear. For even more storage, Rivian has developed a racking system that utilizes telescoping racks with mounts that quickly attach to the roof. When not in use, racks can easily be stored in the front trunk of the vehicle.