Rivian recently announced that it would delay deliveries of the R1T but eager to give its customers a taste of the all-electric pickup, the automaker has hosted a driving experience at its facility in Normal, Illinois.
A video shared to YouTube by Rivian shows a number of pre-order holders testing out the R1T both on and off road, putting it through its paces and getting their first opportunity to see what it is capable of.
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The tests only scratch the surface of what the R1T should be capable of but do show it climbing a steep dirt hill, a rocky hill, and powersliding along the gravel. Rivian chief executive RJ Scaringe was also at the event, speaking with those owners in attendance.
As Rivian is one of many new electric startups, it’s easy to forget just how difficult it is to start a car company from scratch. We have seen many try and many fail, with Tesla being the only one to hit the mainstream and begin mass production and deliveries of its models in recent years. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that Rivian is attempting to cultivate a strong following with events like this before it begins deliveries.
As a reminder, the Rivian R1T comes standard with four electric motors that combine to produce “more than 800 hp and 900 lb-ft (1,220 Nm) of torque” through its quad-motor powetrain. The first variant to hit the market will have a range exceeding 300 miles (482 km).
Note: Rivian has updated the output figures of the RT1 to over 800 hp and 900 lb-ft.