One-two Punch: Rivian Debuts Seven-seat Electric SUV, Promises 410 Miles of Range

Having just unveiled a rather impressive all-electric pickup for the LA Auto Show, Michigan-based automotive startup Rivian is following up with another model. Rivian’s second vehicle will be a seven-passenger SUV, called the R1S, that uses the same platform as the R1T e-pickup.

That results in the pair playing host to nearly identical specs. This isn’t a problem, as the automaker vows to provide between 300 and 562 kW (402 and 753 hp) in combined output. Range is similarly good. The company is also promising figures that would make most other electric vehicles of this size blush, especially if you opt for the bigger battery.

As with the pickup, the R1S can be had with a 105 kWh pack capable of about 240 miles of range, a 135 kWh version good for around 310 miles, and a 180 kWh unit rocking 410 miles. Those range estimates are slightly better than those cited for the pickup; they’ll surely fluctuate a bit when traveling with a full load in either vehicle.

Visually, the R1S resembles an EV concept from Land Rover with a dash of Ford Flex for taste. Interesting, considering it looks identical to the pickup from the front. But we didn’t really notice the R1T having so much in common with other models when we first laid eyes on it. Meanwhile, the R1S instantly makes us think we’ve seen it somewhere before.

Rivian’s SUV should be capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, according to the manufacturer. Higher-spec models should be able to shave at least a full second off that time. The R1S will have the same quad-motor setup as the R1T. Working together, the motors will yield around 400 horses on the base model, 750 hp when attached to the 135 kWh battery, and 700 hp with the 180 kWh unit.

The R1S also has the same frunk as the pickup, providing an additional 11.7 cubic feet of storage space where you’d normally find an engine. It also has a bin at the rear intended for a spare tire, but you can chuck whatever you want into it if you’re feeling bulletproof. The R1T’s “gear tunnel” does not carry over onto the SUV, however.

Less utilitarian and work-focused than the company’s pickup (towing capacity is down from 11,000 pounds to 7,700), Rivian claims the R1S will still be able to tackle bad roads and handle its business. There remains a clear emphasis on luxury, though. The SUV’s interior has a massive 15.6-inch touchscreen that’s impossible to miss. A second, 12.3-inch screen serves to provide meaningful data to the driver while a third 6.8-inch screen has been installed in the center console for rear passengers. According to the manufacturer, the model will come pre-equipped with sensors capable of some self-driving assistance at launch and upgradable over the air, like on a Tesla.

Scheduled for assembly in 2020 and on display at the LA Auto Show now, the R1S will be slightly more expensive than R1T pickup truck when it goes on sale. The base model starts at $72,500 (before the EV tax credit). If you’re interested, preorders begin this week via a refundable $1,000 deposit. Rivian has said both the SUV and pickup are both “extremely close” to what it plans to put into production.

[Images: Rivian, © 2018 Tim Healey/TTAC]