- Rivian is finally putting the long-delayed Max battery pack into production for the Dual-Motor versions of the R1T and R1S EVs.
- The R1T with the Max pack can go 410 miles on a charge while the R1S with the Max battery is rated at 400 miles, and the Max pack adds $16,000 to the vehicles’ prices.
- Deliveries of the R1T have already begun, while the R1S Max battery will start reaching customers later this fall.
Late last year, Rivian announced that it no longer planned to offer the high-performance, quad-motor, 835-hp versions of its R1T truck with the startup’s biggest battery pack as originally intended. But now Rivian has put the 180.0-kWh gross-capacity unit, called the “Max,” into production for the dual-motor variants of the company’s EVs, boosting their maximum range ratings by a substantial amount. The Max pack costs an additional $16,000.
The R1S Dual-Motor features an EPA-estimated range of 400 miles, up from the 352-mile rating of the dual-motor version with the Large battery. The R1T performs even better with the Max battery, eking out 410 miles of EPA-estimated range compared to Large battery’s 352 miles. The range is unaffected for the Dual-Motor Performance variants. Rivian says the Max pack makes the R1S the longest-range seven-passenger electric SUV on the market, while the R1T takes top honors among electric pickups.
For comparison, the highest range offered in the Tesla Model X is 348 miles, while the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV maxes out at 305 miles. Smaller EVs that offer a cramped third row such as the Tesla Model Y and Mercedes-Benz EQB are limited to 330 and 250 miles, respectively. The Kia EV9, which arrives this fall, won’t travel much further than 300 miles.
Customers can option their R1S or R1T with the Max battery starting today, with deliveries of Max-pack-equipped R1Ts already underway. The R1S with the Max pack will start arriving in customer’s driveways later this fall. The pack will be available on both 2023 and 2024 model year Rivians.
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Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.