Rivian’s Rally-Inspired SUV Will Reportedly Have 1,200 HP, Could Arrive Late Next Year

Rivian is slowly ramping up production of the R1T and R1S, but they could soon be joined by an all-new model.

According to Motor Trend, the company is working on a “rally-inspired performance SUV designed to be as capable as a Wrangler and Defender off-road and as quick as a Cayenne Turbo on pavement.”

The publication goes onto suggest the model will be called the R1X and be based on a shortened version of the R1 platform, which underpins the R1S. This would reportedly result in the elimination of the third-row, but allow the model to adopt a swoopy fastback-style roof.

Also Read: Could These Spy Shots Provide Our First Look At Rivian’s Rally-Inspired Off-Roader?

The report suggests the model will arrive in late 2023 and feature an all-new battery pack as well as four electric motors. The motors will reportedly be all-new and shared with the upcoming dual-motor versions of the R1T and R1S that are due in 2024. The publication goes on to say this will give the R1X a combined output of 1,200 hp (895 kW / 1,216 PS) and 1,200 lb-ft (1,625 Nm) of torque, which sounds reasonable as the dual-motor variants are said to have a combined output in excess of 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) and 600 lb-ft (813 Nm) of torque.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a rally-inspired model as CEO RJ Scaringe was talking about such a vehicle as far back as 2018. At the time, he said it would have a “lot of ground clearance” as well as a shorter wheelbase than the R1T and R1S. The executive also promised “bananas” performance as well as a mix of on- and off-road capability.

We haven’t heard much about the vehicle lately, but an apparent seating buck was spied at the company’s headquarters in 2019. While the buck was largely obscured and snapped from a distance, it suggested the company was working on a dynamically styled vehicle that features a steeply sloping roof and an upward sweeping beltline.

Spy photo credits: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for CarScoops