Rivian Towing Capacity: Everything You Need To Know (2023)
Rivian by DestinationFearFan — CC-BY-SA-4.0
Suppose you’ve been keeping tabs on the electric vehicle niche. In that case, you’ll know that American electric vehicle startup, Rivian, has burst onto the scene by releasing the Rivian R1T and R1S – an all-electric pickup and SUV, respectively. One of the first things you’ll notice about Rivian’s offerings is their futuristic good looks. True enough, we’ve seen nothing quite like the R1T and R1S in the current market.
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Another standout aspect of both Rivian all-electric vehicles is their performance. The Rivian R1T and R1S can deliver 600-800 horsepower and up to 900+ lb-ft of torque, depending on your configuration. With that said, Rivian markets these vehicles as an adventure and outdoor-centric companion, so one question that most people have is about the Rivian towing capacity.
For this post, we will shed some light on the Rivian’s towing capacity. How much can the R1T and R1S tow, considering they’re pure electric vehicles? Let’s find out!
Rivian Towing Capacity: How Well Do These EVs Tow?
Both the Rivian R1T and R1S are heavily marketed as “adventure” vehicles, so we’re going to check out the actual towing capacity of these EVs.
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Rivian R1S Towing Capacity
The seven-passenger Rivian R1S SUV will be the second production model from the upstart electric vehicle manufacturer based in California. Rivian is clearly aiming its sights on the Tesla Model X, which is the only available three-row SUV as of now. Once the R1S is made widely available, it will be a lot less expensive than the Model X, with a starting price of $72,500.
With that said, the Rivian R1S has an advertised towing capacity of up to 7,700 lbs, and it’s the same number across all models and configurations. This is impressive because most SUVs of this size have an average towing power of 5,000 lbs. Basically, the Rivian R1S is punching above its weight class in terms of towing capacity because these numbers are generally reserved for full-size trucks.
However, with such impressive towing capacity, there’s a caveat concerning range which we’ll discuss later.
Rivian R1T Towing Capacity
If you’ve been paying attention to Rivian for the past year, you’ll know that the R1T is the company’s flagship EV – and it also has the distinction of being the first full-electric pickup truck in the market. Although production of the R1T is currently in full swing, there have been numerous delays that keep frustrating many early adopters.
The R1T offers the best Rivian towing capacity of up to 11,000 lbs, which is nothing short of impressive for a truck this size. On top of the beastly towing capacity, the R1T equipped with Rivian Quad-Motor AWD delivers a total of 835 horsepower and 908 lb-ft of torque. Furthermore, the Rivian R1T boasts 14.9 inches of ground clearance, making it a solid machine for tackling all sorts of terrain.
Again, considering that we’re dealing with a full-electric pickup truck, there are some concerns about the truck’s towing capacity and how it affects the range.
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Rivian Towing Capacity and Range Concerns
Like with all-electric vehicles, the most significant area of concern for Rivian EVs is range. On their own, both the Rivian R1T and R1S have impressive travel ranges. Depending on the battery pack and motor model, the R1S offers 260-320+ miles of range, while the R1T delivers 260-400+ miles.
In combination with these vehicles’ towing capacity, it may seem impressive, but these are electric vehicles we’re talking about. According to Rivian itself, tapping into these vehicles’ towing output will cut the range by half.
Real-World Test for R1T Towing Capacity
Car and Driver conducted an R1T towing test, and it had some revealing results. Rivian has made using the R1T as a tow rig easy. Once you connect a trailer wiring to the truck, a new Tow Mode will appear on the mode selection screen. If you’re hauling anything that’s close to 11,000 lbs, you’ll want to use the Tow mode since it lets you use the integrated trailer-brake controller.
Before you decide to reserve your R1T to tow your boat, you’ll want to evaluate how and where to tow your boat.
As soon as you activate Two-mode on the R1T, the indicated range instantly decreases. In the case of the Car and Driver’s test, the stated range went down from 270 miles to 103. While there are plenty of Rivian DC chargers all over the country, the frequent stops will make your trips highly impractical.
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Even just adding a moderate trailer will turn a 4.2-hour trip into a 6.2-hour drive. Plus, Car and Driver also mentioned that the network of DC chargers is not all designed for electric pickups towing a trailer. Thus, there’s the possible tedium of disconnecting your trailer at certain charging stops.
Fortunately, Car and Driver had some good things to say about the towing performance of the R1T. Describing the performance as “fabulous,” the R1T never felt lethargic and is consistently stable – thanks to its excellent four-motor operation and impressive torque output. Furthermore, the regenerative braking felt natural and seamless, and trailer sway was kept to a minimum.
Rivian Towing Capacity in Freezing Temperatures
Regarding electric vehicles, towing capacity is just one piece of the puzzle. Real-world performance can differ significantly from ideal scenarios, especially in challenging conditions. As you can see from the video above, YouTube personality Zack Nelson put the Rivian R1T to the test in a grueling winter towing experiment, revealing some interesting insights.
Nelson loaded his R1T with a hefty 10,000-pound cargo, pushing the truck close to its 11,000-pound towing limit. The combination of extreme weight and freezing temperatures presented a formidable challenge for the electric pickup.
The test exposed some quirks in the R1T’s range estimation system. Curiously, upon connecting the trailer, the truck’s computer suggested an impossible 635-mile range. Throughout the journey, the onboard system provided unreliable estimates, often dramatically overestimating the available range.
In reality, the harsh conditions significantly impacted the R1T’s performance. Nelson concluded that towing such a heavy load in cold weather reduced the truck’s range by approximately two-thirds. This stark reduction highlights the importance of careful trip planning when using electric vehicles for heavy towing, especially in adverse weather conditions.
While the R1T proved capable of handling the task, the test underscores the current limitations of electric vehicles for frequent long-distance hauling in challenging environments. As EV technology advances, we can expect improved range estimation accuracy and overall performance under stress.
Rivian Towing Capacity: Is It Any Good?
On paper, the Rivian R1T and R1S have impressive towing capacity, making them excellent for outdoor adventurers. However, such towing prowess comes at the price of your EV’s travel range. Quite frankly, it’s essentially the same problem when you tow with a gas-powered vehicle. Therefore, you have to keep in mind how your towing duties will affect the range of your Rivian vehicle.
Although these are valid practical concerns, they apply to all EV pickup trucks and SUVs, so it’s not a unique Rivian struggle. If you’re simply looking to tow your boat to the local launch at the park, the Rivian towing capacity should be more than enough. Meanwhile, if your towing duties require a DC charge or two, you may want to hold on to your old tow rig as of this time.
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