Watch The Rivian R1 Gen 2 Rip It On The Racetrack

With 835 horsepower and 908 lb-ft of torque, the first-generation quad-motor Rivian R1T and R1S have at all times been extremely highly effective and fast automobiles.

I do know firsthand since I’ve owned each variants. So I used to be excited to get behind the wheel of the Gen 2 R1 automobiles, notably the brand new quad-motor variant, to see how noticeable the additional 190 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque was. It was, properly, positively noticeable.

The additional energy comes from a number of enhancements, however largely as a result of Rivian is changing the unique water-cooled Bosch-sourced motors with its personal oil-cooled “Enduro” motors, that are manufactured at Rivian’s plant in Regular, Illinois.

Rivian’s new R1 automobiles now are available in 4 completely different powertrain configurations: dual-motor, Twin-Motor Efficiency, Tri-Motor, and Quad-Motor. Energy output varies from 533 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque within the Twin-Motor base fashions to 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft of pavement-punishing energy within the top-of-the-line Quad-Motor variant. 

Rivian not too long ago invited a small group of journalists to get a really feel for the facility of the brand new Quad-Motor R1S & R1T on the Pacific Raceway in Kent, Washington. I had the chance to pilot an R1T and an R1S for 0-60 take a look at runs and likewise quarter-mile races towards the opposite journalists – yeah, this job definitely would not suck!

Rivian prepped the observe with traction glue and had a tire hotter available to heat up the rubber earlier than we began the runs, as the surface temperature was within the low 70s once we started.  

We began out taking turns in every car for the 0-60 mph runs and I managed to hit the mark in 2.98 seconds within the R1T and three.13 seconds within the R1S. Rivian claims the R1T can obtain the aim in below 2.5 seconds in excellent situations. All of us needed to drive with a Rivian consultant within the automobiles, in order that added about 170 lbs of pointless weight.

Additionally, since we have been operating the 2 automobiles nonstop, I did not anticipate to see the right time, because the battery SOC wasn’t optimum when my flip got here up. Nonetheless, breaking three seconds in a 0-60 run is spectacular.

As for the quarter-mile runs, I did 11.28 seconds within the R1S and 10.81 within the R1T. That was the primary time I had ever damaged into the 10-seconds in a quarter-mile run on a observe, and I’ve pushed many fairly quick automobiles. 

The 0 to 100 mph instances have been equally spectacular as each the R1T and R1S achieved the feat in below 7 seconds. It wasn’t too way back when hitting 60 mph in below 7 seconds meant you had a extremely quick automobile. 

Rivian Gen 2 R1 automobiles observe outcomes

Electrification has allowed automobile producers to push the boundaries of acceleration means past what was thought-about potential with combustion automobiles. The brand new R1 automobiles will smoke any inventory combustion pickup truck or SUV on the dragstrip, together with the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, the Lamborghini Urus, the Hennessey Ford F-150 Venom 775, and the Jeep Grand SRT Cherokee Trackhawk; all of ’em. 

Do we want this type of efficiency from 7-seat, family-hauling, soccer mother mobiles? Definitely not. However life is not solely about what you want, what you need is far more vital – and enjoyable.