ELECTRIC car producer Rivian has taken to New Zealand’s Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) for essential winter testing of its R1S Enduro SUV and R1T pick-up,
Noticed testing on and across the South Island’s high-altitude take a look at facility exterior of Queenstown and Wanaka, the electrical fashions are understood to be within the closing levels of cold-weather testing forward of the beginning of gross sales in Europe early subsequent yr.
These can be Rivian’s first manufacturing fashions with dual-motor drivetrains developed in-house, in distinction to the primary batch of quad-motor fashions that relied closely on parts and experience purchased in from Bosch.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shared photos of the automobiles being examined in snowy situations on social media, confirming that the fashions present process winter testing have been packing the brand new Enduro drivetrain.
In line with earlier statements from Rivian, the R1S and R1T can be provided in each left- and right-hand drive.
The US-based producer’s chief engineer, Brian Gase, stated the fashions’ underpinnings are designed such that shifting the steering meeting and first controls from one aspect of the all-electric car to the opposite is less complicated than with a combustion-powered automobile.
Mr Gase stated that growth of each configurations was occurring concurrently, making each a superb match for the Australian market.
“The truck is smart within the Australian market. We see vital worth, significantly with the SUV in right-hand drive markets, and we have commonised every thing on the automobiles ahead of the B-pillar, so by default, getting a right-hand drive truck is a low barrier, as a result of I’ve acquired a right-hand drive,” stated Mr Gase.
Rivian says the R1S and R1T can produce as much as 588kW from quad electrical motors, which ought to see them able to accelerating from standstill to 100km/h in lower than three seconds – whereas additionally having the ability to tow as much as 5000kg. Battery packs vary from 105kWH to 180kWh translating to a practical driving vary of between 400km and 650km respectively.
With vital funding from Amazon ($A980m) and Ford Motor Firm ($A500m), Rivian was initially meant to launch its R1S and R1t in late 2020, however confronted delays acquainted to the huge automotive trade all through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The delays precipitated Rivian to up the asking worth of its unrelased fashions in the beginning of this yr, including over $US12,000 ($A16,300) to the asking worth of entry-grade variants. Rivian reversed its choice to use a worth improve to prospects with present orders shortly after the announcement was made and prospects cancelled their orders en masse.
GoAuto understands that Rivian is presently solely providing its costliest quad motor R1S and R1T variants on the market and can supply extra inexpensive twin motor variants sooner or later.
In line with Rivian’s US on-line configurator, the quad motor all-wheel drive R1T Discover (base spinoff) is now priced from $US79,500 ($A107,800) with the 314-mile (505km) long-range battery pack or $US89,500 ($A121,400) with the 400-mile (640km) Max battery pack.
The high-spec R1T Journey’s pricing now begins at $US73,000 ($A98,990) and will increase to $US85,000 ($A115,260) and $US95,000 ($A128,800) with the identical respective modifications.
As for the R1S electrical SUV, the quad motor all-wheel drive Discover entry mannequin is priced from $US84,500 ($A114,600), whereas the top-grade R1T Journey jumps to $US90,000 ($US122,045).
Rivian made headlines final November when it listed on the Nasdaq; on the shut of the opening day of buying and selling, Rivian was the sixth Most worthy carmaker with a valuation of slightly below $US100 billion ($A135.6 billion).
The corporate has since been affected by manufacturing delays which have seen its inventory worth fall by greater than 60 per cent.
