Rivian’s Principal Drive Unit Design Engineer, Mason Verbridge, has provided another glimpse at the company’s upcoming dual-motor all-wheel drive system.
Set to go into production in a few months, the dual-motor powertrain is in the “final steps of validation” and has been undergoing testing for about a year and a half.
We’ll learn full details next year, but the dual-motor all-wheel drive system will be offered in the R1T and R1S. There will be two different versions including an entry-level variant that produces a combined output of 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) and allows for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 4.5 seconds. Customers can also get an “enhanced version” that develops approximately 700 hp (522 kW / 710 PS) and lowers the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time to 3.5 seconds.
Also: Rivian Won’t Fulfill R1T Or R1S Orders Combining Quad-Motors With Max Pack Battery
Those numbers fall short of the 835 hp (623 kW / 847 PS) quad-motor all-wheel drive system, which allows for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of three seconds flat. However, opting for the dual-motor setup will save customers $8,000 and enable them to purchase Standard, Large, and Max batteries on the R1T. The Standard battery is slated to give the pickup 260+ miles (418 km) of range, while the $16,000 Max battery should increase that distance to 400 miles (644 km).
The R1S is slightly different as the company’s configurator shows the dual-motor version will only be offered with Standard and Large batteries. More importantly, the dual-motor variant is slated to begin at $78,000, which is significantly less than the quad-motor version that retails for $92,000.
