MotorTrend Group’s media brand has named the electric Rivian R1T ute (aka pickup truck) as its 2022 “Truck of the Year”.
As the first mass-produced electric truck to hit the US market, the Rivian R1T would win praise if it were merely a credible pickup truck, but it’s proven to be far more, MotorTrend says.
“Rivian re-examined what a modern pickup could be and the result is the most remarkable truck MotorTrend has ever driven, making it arguably the worthiest recipient of the ‘Golden Calipers’ in recent history,” it adds.
Rivian ramped up ute production after getting substantial pre-orders in the US and Canada for the R1T and also the R1S SUV, the ute expected to eventually arrive in New Zealand and Australia.
New Zealand winter testing of the two models and an electric van was reported in June.
“MotorTrend’s 2022 Truck of the Year announcement may be our most significant since 1949,” MotorTrend Group editorial head Ed Loh says.
“The Rivian R1T is a monumental achievement and astonishes with a quality of design, engineering, materials, and technology unmatched in trucks today, while providing a driving experience like that of a high-performance luxury car.
“As the first all-electric pickup truck to market, the R1T manages to achieve all of this without offending historic truck-buyer sensibilities.”
The Rivian R1T excelled in each of MotorTrend’s six key criteria – safety, efficiency, value, advancement in design, engineering excellence, and performance of intended function.
MotorTrend says Rivian’s electric drivetrain technical sophistication is unparalleled, as the R1T is the first production vehicle to bring to market the concept of individual motors for each wheel and the traction and stability advantages they provide, underscoring its engineering excellence.
“On a winding road, the R1T’s instantaneous torque vectoring makes it handle better than any other pickup on the market and more like a high-performance luxury car. Off-road, it digs through sand, sloshes through mud, and climbs over rocks as well as a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, but with better ground clearance, breakover angle, and departure angle.”
At 800kg (1764 pounds) payload, it falls squarely between the best midsize truck and entry-level full-size truck, just like the R1T’s dimensions, MotorTrend adds.
Its 4989kg (11,000-pound) towing capacity is on par with today’s top full-size trucks, and its stability, acceleration, and braking while towing up to 4082kg (9000 pounds) in MotorTrend’s testing are unimpeachable, the company says.
“None of this would matter if it didn’t have the range to get the job done. Rivian’s 135-kWh large battery pack delivers a full 314 miles (505km) of range, far more than enough for most road trips and off-road adventures.”
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