2022 Rivian R1S Electric

The 2022 Rivian R1S will be available in three trim options. However, for the first few lucky customers who made their reservations quite early, Rivian will provide the Adventure Package with the Launch Edition itself for $75,500. The Explore Edition will be priced at $70,000. But we are sorry to inform you that the reservation for Launch Edition with Adventure Package is already closed. You are allowed to reserve the general Adventure Package trim or the Explorer Package trim by paying just $1000 in advance. 

We Recommend

As the reservation for the Launch Edition is already closed, we’ll recommend you to go for the Adventure Package trim. The Adventure Package trim is surely priced higher than the other trim but it is well worth the extra bucks you spend on it. You get heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, Meridian Premium audio system, special compass yellow interior stitching, natural wood interior finishes, etc to elevate your in-cabin experience to a much greater extent. 

2022 Rivian R1S Release Date 

All the trims except the Launch Edition are available for reservation on the official website by paying just $1000. The deliveries are expected to begin in January 2022. 

The Rivian R1S SUV is based on the R1T pickup truck platform and shares many components with it. It is equipped with the same quad motor setup and battery pack found on the R1T. The setup produces nearly 415 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque on the front axle and 420 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque on the rear axle. The combined output stands at about 800 hp and 900 lb-ft of torque. The power and torque figures are nothing short of insane for an electric SUV vehicle. As there is a dedicated motor for each wheel, the traction can be controlled separately depending upon the driving and surface conditions. As a result, the traction provided by the Rivian R1S is bound to be commendable. 

A single-speed direct-drive transmission is standard for all the trims and as power is supplied to all the wheels via their respective motors, the Rivian R1S is obviously an AWD vehicle. The performance is surely insane for an SUV of this size and it can do 0-60 mph in about 3-seconds. Rivian claims that the R1S can tow about 7,700 pounds which can be considered very good. Rivian has also equipped the R1S with an adaptive air suspension which can increase the height of the R1S from 8-inches to 14.2-inches depending upon the terrain you are driving upon. So, that makes the Rivian R1S off-road compatible as well. The AWD configuration further accentuates its off-road worthiness. 

The Rivian R1S is the most powerful electric SUV in the comparison and comes with quad motors instead of just two motors as seen in the competitors. The Tesla Model X comes close to the Rivian R1S at least in terms of performance while the R1S’s power output of about 800+hp is unmatched. The Audi e-tron comes third with respect to power output, followed by Jaguar I-Pace. The I-Pace might be less powerful than the former but performs much better than it. The Rivian R1S also offers the maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds, followed by the Jaguar I-Pace with 5,291 pounds, Tesla Model X with 5,000 pounds, and Audi e-tron with 4,000 pounds of towing capacity. 

The Riviain R1S is equipped with a large battery pack of 135 KWh. The EPA has recently rated the Rivian R1S and the ratings are quite good for an SUV of its size and versatility. It offers 74 MPGe in the city, 66 MPGe on the highway, and 70 MPGe in mixed driving conditions. It can offer upto 316 miles of range on a full charge which is quite commendable. Rivian has further revealed that it will offer two more battery pack options offering 250+ miles and 400+ miles range on a full charge. The 400+ miles battery pack will be named the Max battery pack. The respective KWh capacities of the new battery packs will be revealed later on.

All the electric vehicles in the comparison are equipped with nearly 100KWh battery packs except the Rivian R1S which comes with a larger battery pack. The Tesla Model X is equipped with a smaller 100 kWh battery pack and offers a higher range of 360 miles, owing to lesser power output and higher MPGe ratings. The Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace are equipped with smaller battery packs and offer 218 miles and 234 miles respectively. Both the electric vehicles offer better MPGe ratings than the Rivian R1S. 

The interior of the Rivian R1S is very modern and futuristic as well. The Rivian R1S is available in a 5/7 seater configuration. The dashboard is as minimalistic as it can get with a large central infotainment screen and all the functions are accessible via touchscreen-only. The absence of traditional knobs and buttons might seem undesirable for some but we believe that they’ll get used to it within a few days of usage. 

The seats are trimmed in vegan leather with performance stitching or pattern stitching depending upon the trim you opt for. The Explore Package trim offers matte black interior finishes. The seats and steering come with heating functionality for a more comfortable experience. The driver seat offers lumbar adjustment as well. The second-row seats are 60/40 split and foldable whereas the third-row seats are 50/50 split and foldable to accommodate all of your luggage with ease. 

With the Launch Edition and Adventure Package trim, you’ll get very similar interior features like heated and ventilated seats, natural grained ash wood interior finishes, compass yellow interior accents. A glass panoramic sunroof will improve the feeling of roominess in the cabin. The liftgate will be powered in all the trims for added convenience. The cargo capacity is enough to accommodate all your luggage for weekend getaways and offers about 16 cu-ft of cargo space with all seats up in a 3-row configuration. 

The Rivian R1S and Tesla Model X offer seating for up to seven passengers depending upon your selection. The Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace are available in five-seater configurations only. We believe that the interior dimensions of the Rivian R1S would be on par with its rivals and might even offer better headroom and legroom than them, especially considering the boxy profile of the R1S. The Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace offer 27.2 cu-ft and 25.3 cu-ft of cargo space. The Rivian R1S and Tesla Model X offer just 16.0 cu-ft and 13.0 cu-ft of cargo space respectively in their three-row configuration. Some of the standout interior features of the Rivian R1S are: 

• Matte black interior finishes (Explore Package)
• Vegan leather seating with performance stitching/pattern stitching (Explorer/Adventure)
• Heated seats (Explore Package)
• Heated steering wheel (All trims)
• Heated and ventilated seats (Launch Edition and Adventure Package)
• 60/40 split and folding second-row seats 
• 50/50 split and folding third-row seats
• Launch Edition interior badging (Launch Edition)
• Panoramic sunroof 

What’s there to keep you entertained? 

The Rivian R1S will get a feature-rich infotainment system. It comes with a large touchscreen display placed in the center of the dashboard. Just like the Tesla Model X, the Rivian R1S’s infotainment system will run on its own single user interface supported via the Rivian App and it will show all information regarding charging, over-the-air updates, and even games on the touchscreen. 

It also offers some necessary features like Bluetooth connectivity, 8-USB ports, Alexa voice commands, 4G hotspot, and WiFi capability. For a good musical experience, the Explore Package trim will be equipped with a standard audio system while the Launch Edition and Adventure Package trim will get a Meridian audio system known as the Rivian Elevation audio designed specifically for the Rivian R1S for a more immersive experience. Some of the standout infotainment features of the Rivian R1S are:

• Central large infotainment touchscreen 
• Amazon Alexa compatibility 
• 4G hotspot 
• Rivian Elevation audio by Meridian 
• Navigation system
• Android Auto (Expected)
• Apple CarPlay (Expected)

The Rivian R1S is based on the R1T platform and is basically an extension of the same with a third row. The boxy profile of the Rivian R1S is not very different from any other full-size SUV. However, many other modern design elements accentuate its styling over conventional SUVs. The front fascia imbibes a wide LED strip penetrating through both the vertical capsule-shaped LED headlamps. The side profile is as boxy as it can get and looks like any other traditional SUV. However, the door handles sit flush with the body and the uniquely designed alloy wheels definitely look very modern and attractive. 

The rear profile is very similar to the front end in terms of the wide LED strip being used as a tail lamp. The boxy SUV comes with high departure and approach angles along with a commendable water wading depth of 3+ feet. The Rivian R1S comes with a standard ground clearance of 8-inches which can be increased with the help of adaptive air suspension and raised up to 14.9-inches. Such features make the Rivian R1S off-road-ready quite easily and it is definitely a better choice for off-roading than its competition. Rivian also provides many optional accessories to further improve the R1S on the practicality front.

The Rivian R1S is definitely the biggest SUV of the lot considering its external dimensions. It is longer, taller, and sits on a longer wheelbase than its competitors. A longer wheelbase offers better stability and interior space. It also offers a higher ground clearance of 8.1-inches with its standard suspension setting and it can be raised higher depending on the situation. Some of the standout exterior features of the Rivain R1S are: 

• Nine exterior color options 
• Body-flush door handles
• Power liftgate 
• Capsule-shaped vertical LED headlamps 
• Wide LED strip rear tail lamp 

The 2022 Rivian R1S’s structure is made from ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum alloy, and carbon fiber elements for enhanced safety. The battery pack in the R1S is also placed in the floor panel thus lowering the center of gravity of the R1S. With a low center of gravity, rollover risk is mitigated and improves the overall handling of the vehicle too. The Rivian R1S has not been tested by the NHTSA or IIHS and we hope that it gets tested soon. However, we expect it to pass all the crash tests with flying colors. Every Rivian R1S is equipped with Driver+ autonomous driving technology. 

The autonomous drive feature can automatically steer, change lanes safely, and adjust the speed of the vehicle depending upon surrounding situations. The Driver+ mode will work only on select highways and other highways will be added via OTA updates. The R1S is also equipped with many driver assistance features like lane change assist, adaptive cruise control, highway assist, airbags, dynamic brake assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic headlamps, and many more as standard. Some of the standout safety features of the Rivian R1S are: 

• Forward collision warning 
• Automatic emergency braking
• Rear cross-traffic Warning
• Surround sensors
• Trailer assist 
• Automatic high beams 
• Blindspot warning 
• Lane departure warning
• Surround sensors 
• Lane-keeping assistance 

2022 Rivian R1S vs 2022 Audi e-tron Premium Plus 

The Rivian R1S is dimensionally bigger than the Audi e-tron. It also offers better performance and a higher range than the Audi e-tron. The R1S can accommodate up to seven passengers while the Audi e-tron can accommodate up to 5-passengers. The R1S is also a more capable off-roader considering its adaptive air suspension can increase the ground clearance to 14.9-inches. The higher torque and AWD configuration make it unbeatable on all terrains. The Audi e-tron is more urban than the Rivian R1S. The R1S costs less than the Audi e-tron and offers much more than it. So, the Rivian R1S would be our pick. 

2022 Rivian R1S vs 2022 Jaguar I-Pace HSE

The Jaguar I-Pace definitely aces the styling department with its sleek and sassy aesthetics but can't beat the Rivian R1S with its lower range and performance. The Rivian R1S is generously specced-up with many desirable features and offers class-leading performance despite being dimensionally bigger. It also features Driver+ autonomous driving technology which the Jaguar I-Pace misses on. The Rivian R1S is unbeatable with its off-road compatibility and lesser price as compared to the Jaguar I-Pace. 

 2022 Rivian R1S vs 2022 Tesla Model X 

The Tesla Model X is the closest competitor to the Rivian R1S considering the fact both can accommodate upto seven passengers. Also, both are designed and manufactured in the United States. However, Tesla beats the Rivian R1S with its higher range and better-charging networks across America. However, the Rivian R1S is more powerful than the Model X and is more off-road capable than it. In the future Rivian will also offer a larger battery pack to offer a 400+ miles range, making the Tesla Model X look insignificant. The Model X is more expensive than the Rivian R1S, making us pick the Rivian R1S over it. 

The Rivian R1S believes in offering more for less. With a long list of desirable features and a very competitive price, it definitely gives many fellow players a run for their money. It offers better performance, good range, and a long list of standard safety features than some of the established players in the market. However, it needs to prove its worthiness with after-sales service and the availability of more charging stations. Rivian has already collaborated with Electrify America’s vast charging network to offer a trouble-free charging experience for its buyers. We believe that Rivian R1S ticks most of the right boxes at the right price and we won’t mind recommending it to you.