Rivian has introduced the second generation of its flagship vehicles, the R1S SUV and R1T pickup, with reengineered hardware, software experience, and in-house drive systems with performance upgrades. While the overall design inside and out is the same, updates were made to some design elements, trim, and tire choices, and there are new motor configurations, zonal electrical architecture, and compute and autonomy platforms.

“We continue to evolve our flagship R1 vehicles, offering quality and performance without compromise,” said RJ Scaringe, Rivian CEO and Founder. “Our revamped R1S and R1T push the technical boundaries further, creating our most capable products to date.”

Rivian says it updated over half the vehicles’ hardware including a range of engineering improvements to the body structure, battery packs, wiring harness, electrical system, and closure systems. Much of the body structure now uses a 50% more efficient manufacturing process. All of this contributes to the next generation R1 vehicles delivering a substantial cost reduction that will be key in achieving “necessary unit economics.”

 

The same, but different

Rivian’s first vehicles have not been around for very long, with the R1T launching in 2021 and the R1S in 2022. The main dimension differences are in length, with the R1T being longer at 217.1 vs. 200.8 in (5514 vs. 5100 mm) and having a longer wheelbase at 135.8 vs. 121.1 in (3449 vs. 3075 mm). Widths (w/mirrors) are the same at 87.1 in (2212 mm), and maximum heights with air suspension are close at 78.2 vs. 77.3 in (1986 vs. 1963 mm).

The second generation has many new features and options including exterior paint and blackout trim options, wheel and tire choices, and an electrically tinting glass roof. New inside are two premium interiors, in-cabin storage compartments, interior lighting themes, digital interfaces across every screen, and a much improved wireless phone charger.

A redesigned climate system delivers enhanced efficiency, especially in cold weather. Core to the design is a new heat pump, enabling the cabin to heat more quickly and remain quieter while consuming less energy.

One key exterior design change was to lighting systems, which were redesigned with added dimensionality and functionality. The front and rear lighting now include RGB LEDs in the horizontal light bar for a range of new features including charging status.

Adaptive Drive Beam technology automatically adjusts the headlight beam pattern to reduce glare for oncoming drivers while maximizing forward lighting and maintaining optimal visibility. The technology will be available later this year via a software update.

Applying customer feedback from the first-generation R1S, the second generation delivers a smoother ride while minimizing on-road performance and off-road capability compromises. The advancements are achieved through new air springs with recalibrated front and rear spring rates, new adjustable dampers, and a new hydraulic roll control system optimized for the R1S.

New wheels and tires are available across the R1 lineup. Standard is a new 20-in wheel with ADV tire by Goodyear offering balanced all-around capability. A new 22-in aerodynamic wheel design gets a tire developed with Pirelli to increase range. For the highest performance, a new 22-in wheel and ultra-high-performance Michelin tire will be available on the top Quad-Motor version.

 

New two-motor drive unit and batteries

All electric drive motors are now designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house, enabling accelerated speed to market and increased production efficiency, reducing cost. All motors are oil-cooled, significantly improving thermal performance during high-torque, low-speed driving such as rock crawling while improving efficiency during low-torque, high-speed cruising.

The lineup—with two, three, or four electric motors—delivers more power, performance, and range.

A new two-motor drive unit is used on the rear axle of the Tri-Motor and the front and rear axles of the Quad-Motor. In the Quad, the two-motor front drive unit is smaller and optimized for efficiency at cruising speeds. The rear application is larger and geared to maximize torque at the tires’ traction limit. Early collaboration of product and manufacturing engineers meant that the larger rear and smaller front-drive units could be manufactured on the same line.

In both Tri and Quad variants, while operating in Conserve mode, an automatic disconnect cuts off the rear axle if driving demand doesn’t require it, helping to maximize range.

The Dual-Motor, with one motor per axle, delivers all-wheel-drive capability. With 533-665 hp (397-496 kW) and 610-829 lb·ft (827-1124 N·m), 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in as quick as 3.4 s for the Performance variant.

The Tri-Motor, with 850 hp (634 kW) and 1103 lb·ft (1495 N·m), has two rear and one front motor. In this configuration, the R1T accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 s. Its estimated range of 380 mi (612 km) can be increased up to 410 mi (660 km) in Conserve mode.

The top Quad-Motor, with 1025 hp (764 kW) and 1198 lb·ft (1624 N·m) in Launch Mode, in the R1T delivers 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 2.5 s, a quarter-mile time of 10.5 s, and 60-80 mph (97-129 km/h) acceleration is 1.5 s.

Three battery pack sizes continue, but more efficient manufacturing processes across the lineup mean they are less complex to assemble and easier to service.

The new 92.2-kW·h Standard pack now features LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry and provides up to 270 mi (435 km) of EPA-estimated range.

The re-engineered 141.5-kW·h Max and 109.4-kW·h Large battery packs deliver estimated ranges of up to 420 and 330 mi (676 and 531 km), respectively, with substantial improvements in reducing manufacturing costs. The updated battery packs continue with 2170 cylindrical cells, but the enclosure now uses large high-pressure die castings to simplify manufacturing and reduce mass.

All Rivian vehicles can add up to 140 mi (225 km) of range in as quick as 20 min and are compatible with all major public high-speed charging networks including the Rivian Adventure Network and Tesla Superchargers.

 

Zonal electrical architecture and compute platform

The new generation features a new electrical architecture and compute platform developed by the in-house hardware and software teams. These updates are said to make the vehicles more robust, less costly to produce, and easier to service while improving customer experience.

“While the exterior of the R1 looks similar, the electrical system is completely redone, providing a significant increase in features as well as a dramatic increase in sensing and compute capability,” said Vidya Rajagopalan, Rivian’s SVP of Electrical Hardware.

Core to the new system is a substantial reduction in the number of vehicle ECUs (electronic control units), down from 17 to 7. Infotainment, autonomy, vehicle access, and battery management systems have their own ECU, while all other vehicle functions are controlled by three other ECUs. This was achieved by shifting to a zonal architecture, significantly increasing the computational capabilities of each ECU.

The change enabled the removal of over 1.6 mi (2.6 km) of wiring and 44 lb (20 kg) from each vehicle while greatly improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing production costs. Fewer components needing to be installed during assembly allow for building vehicles more quickly and with better quality. Vehicles are easier to service and require fewer parts to stock.

 

Unreal user experience and connectivity

The second-generation R1 introduces the most extensive update to the Rivian UI (user interface) since its launch. While many of the software-defined features will be sent to first-generation vehicles, enhanced capabilities in the new vehicles enable even greater functionality.

“The new technology platform gives us the foundations to take our refined and connected vehicle experience to the next level with our in-house Rivian software stack,” said Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s Chief Software Officer.

With the new R1, Rivian has expanded its use of Epic Games‘ Unreal Engine for the driver’s display and the full infotainment center.

“Every pixel of the dynamic interface helps Rivian owners feel that the software in their car is bespoke for them, with real-time renders reflecting the exact spec of the vehicle being driven,” said Bensaid.

The experience comes in nine different modes, from the mountains to the desert—and even features an updated camp mode complete with the Rivian tent and softly flickering campfire.

“Rivian has been able to push entirely new artistic boundaries with Unreal Engine to redesign this user experience in a bespoke illustration style,” explained Jeff Hammoud, Rivian’s Chief Design Officer. “The level of craftsmanship for the look and feel, running in real-time, in the vehicle, was in large part thanks to the tools and performance targets that only Unreal Engine can achieve today.”

Ultra-wideband technology is used to enhance the digital key experience. Owners can use car keys in Apple Wallet on iPhone and Watch, or with select Google Pixel devices, to unlock and start their vehicles and share keys digitally with family and friends.

With the standard no-charge connectivity package, owners can enjoy regular software updates, live navigation, digital key functionality, and remote vehicle commands. A new Connect+ subscription supports streaming video through Google Cast and provides access to more than 3000 apps, bringing entertainment into the R1’s center display from an iPhone or Android phone or tablet.

A new Rivian-developed Premium Audio system features Dolby Atmos for an immersive sound experience with more depth, clarity, and details. Rivian worked closely with Apple to deeply integrate into the R1’s software platform access to Apple Music’s catalog of over 100 million songs and 30,000 playlists ad-free, with Apple Music’s Spatial Audio.

With Connect+ customers also have access to Spotify, Tidal, and Amazon Alexa and can share a WiFi hotspot with up to eight devices. Continuous feature updates with more entertainment, experience, and security features are planned.

 

Autonomy Platform+

The Rivian Autonomy Platform, standard on all first-generation and now second-generation vehicles, offers a suite of over a dozen safety and driver assistance features including Highway Assist, which automatically steers, brakes, and accelerates on select highways while engaged.

The premium Rivian Autonomy Platform+ available on second-generation vehicles features enhanced capabilities. To start, premium features will be available at no charge. The first will be Lane Change on Command, available by software update this summer, followed by Enhanced Highway Assist, coming later this year and with expanded road coverage to follow.

Rivian’s in-house developed autonomy platform is powered by new perception hardware and software, the system performing over 250 trillion operations per second for “an industry-leading level of compute power.” The multimodal-sensor approach majors on cameras and radars.

The 11 high-resolution cameras, including new 4K HDR units, provide 360-degree visibility and can see three times farther than the previous system—up to 10 s ahead at highway speeds. With the most claimed camera megapixels of any EV in North America, the improved dynamic range is said to enable better vision in high-contrast scenarios like tunnel entrances and exits and in low-light conditions such as fog or nighttime.

A camera in the rearview mirror is designed primarily to detect driver fatigue and distraction when the vehicle is in the Enhanced Highway Assist mode.

Five advanced radars, including a front imaging radar, detect objects up to 1000 ft (305 m) away in challenging weather and lighting conditions. Corner radars, in particular, serve as a vital backup to the cameras, particularly in situations where dirt or grime could obscure a lens.

The autonomy compute module features dual Nvidia Drive Orin processors running Drive OS, delivering 10 times more compute performance than our previous system.

“For most customers, their R1 Gen 2 will be the most powerful computer that they own,” said James Philbin, Rivian’s VP for Autonomy and AI.

The new system uses AI software to anticipate, plan, and react in real-time. Large language models are used to perceive and understand surroundings, predict the behavior of others, and prepare your vehicle for what might come next. Using end-to-end training, the system constantly learns and enhances over time.

 

Reduced carbon emissions

Rivian says its commitment to reducing carbon emissions underpins the design of the next-generation platform.

Based on comprehensive lifecycle assessments, the new vehicles achieve a 15% lower standard lifetime carbon footprint than the first-generation R1 platform, thanks largely to manufacturing and operating efficiencies and improvements in the materials supply chain. With about 50% less CO2 emissions from manufacturing compared to model-year 2022 vehicles and other optimizations, these vehicles further Rivian’s ambition to accelerate widespread EV adoption.

 

Base pricing from Dual-Motor Standard Pack to Tri-Motor Max Pack for the new R1S ranges from $75,900 to $105,900 and the R1T from $69,900 to $99,900, with Quad-Motor Max Pack pricing to come. Dual-Motor configurations are available immediately, with Tri-Motor expected in late summer and Quad-Motor to follow.