2023 Rivian R1S SUV Performance

The Rivian R1S's electric motors come in dual-motor and quad-motor configurations, both imbuing the SUV with AWD. Specs for the Rivian R1S include 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque with the quad-motor setup - 415 hp and 413 lb-ft from the dual front motors and 420 hp and 495 lb-ft from the dual rear motors.

The dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration can be had in standard guise with 533 hp or 665 hp in Performance Dual-Motor AWD guise. The former can dispatch the 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, while the latter does it in just 3.5 seconds. The quad-motor Rivian R1S's 0-60 sprint takes three seconds with the standard 21-inch wheels and tires.

Whereas rivals such as the Tesla Model X and BMW iX have a trailering capacity of between 5,000 and 5,500 pounds, the quad-motor R1S can tow 7,700 pounds, as well as accept a payload of 1,800 pounds, although this does severely cut range.

The R1S is an electric vehicle with a single-speed drive to the wheels, unlike some EVs, such as the Porsche Taycan with a two-speed transmission. The quad-motor model has an electric motor per wheel, and the dual-motor has one per axle. Since top speed is not important in a truck or SUV, Rivian has geared the single-speed R1S to provide a good blend of low- and medium-speed power at the wheels and ample low-speed crawling torque for off-road work.

It might have been able to employ a slightly taller gearing ratio to reduce motor revolutions and save a little electricity, but that would have come at the expense of low-speed off-road work, towing performance, and load-lugging ability, not to mention that headline-grabbing 0-60 sprint time.

The MPGe figures for the Rivian R1S depend on so many variables that listing these figures here would be quite an exercise. Instead, here are the estimated range figures for the lineup. Base Dual-Motor models can achieve between 260 and 340 miles with the standard and large battery packs, respectively. The Max pack ups the range to 400 miles. Quad-Motor models have an estimated range of 321 miles since they can't option on the Max pack.

The R1S comes with a portable charger with an 18-foot cable that can plug into either a 120-volt or 240-volt outlet, the latter adding 16 miles of range per hour. With a Rivian Wall Charger installed at your home, you can add 25 miles of range per hour - the same as the Level 2 Rivian Waypoint chargers that the automaker plans to install at hotels, parks, public shopping areas, and campsites. When using DC fast charging, a maximum of 140 miles of charge can be added in 20 minutes.