Elite Traveler Fall 2023

INSPIRE TOPCARS

Although the Irvine, California-based startup went public nearly two years ago and garnered investments from both Ford and Amazon — the latter of which also placed a 100,000-vehicle build order — Rivian is still considered a newcomer. The fi rst manufacturer to bring an EV pickup (R1T) to market, Rivian now o ff ers the SUV version, R1S. With three drive systems on o ff er, the most powerful (featured here) includes a quad-motor all-wheel drive that produces 835 hp and a range up to 321 miles. Like many EVs, an impressive 0-60 mph (in three seconds fl at) is achieved thanks to two dual-motor units, one for each axle. Where Rivian excels, however, is in the details. Consider camp mode, a purpose build preset that includes vehicle leveling, fl ood light activation and climate control that can run throughout the night, even when R1S is o ff . There’s a trio of energy use RivianR 1 S Quad-Motor AWD

options that allow occupants to charge items. Likewise, Pet Comfort allows for precise climate control when animals are left inside. Fiveo ff -road modes (drift, rally, soft sand, rock crawl and all-terrain) as well as another fi ve (snow, towing, sport, conserve and all-purpose) encourage owners to make use of the sport and the utility this vehicle o ff ers. Likewise, four types of keys (phone, fob, card and band) create a locking system adaptable to almost any activity. Inside, there’s second- and third-row seating that folds almost fl at, and a front trunk that includes a drain should owners want to rinse it out. Perpetual over-the air updates exist for both the hardware and software platforms. Rivian R1S Quad-Motor AWD from $92,000, rivian.com

NEED TO KNOW Along with the vehicles, Rivian is building more than 3,500 DC fast chargers in North America completely powered by renewable energy