Rivian Electric Truck Could Change Off-Roading Forever

2 December, 2019 by Rose

Many vandwellers come to be living in a van through their hobbies. They are outdoorsy people who love to hike, climb and surf and living off grid in the wilderness has become more appealing than city living. Those living the van life also have love and respect for the environments that they explore and call home, if only for the night. This love can often lead to a sense of guilt for driving their petrol, or diesel, guzzling camper to these beautiful locations. Well, today we are going to be looking at something that could change all of that: The Rivian Electric Truck.

The Rivian Electric Truck is a new, fully electric off road truck that could change adventuring forever. This vehicle is a four-wheel-drive truck that has the ability to drive almost anywhere without needing to rely on environmentally damaging fuels. This electric truck is different from any other electric vehicle on the market as it has the ability to drive for 400+ miles on a single charge. On top of this, it also features a slide-out kitchen, plenty of space for gear and an area to mount a truck tent to turn this beast into an off grid home for the night.

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Off-Road Capabilities

Rivian Electric Truck on a dirt road

While the Rivian Electric Truck can be turned into a pop top camper by adding a tent to the truck bed, the primary function of this compact camper is its off-road capabilities. Rivian have created one of the most epic off road trucks that we have ever seen here at Van Clan. This beauty will be able to take you anywhere you want to go.

The Rivian Electric Truck features quad-motors, this means that each wheel has its own motor so instant power can be sent to each wheel independently. The quad-motor maximises traction in even the worst conditions, minimising the risk of getting stuck while over-landing and ensuring you have a safe and smooth journey. The quad-motor is what makes the Rivian Electric Truck a dependable 4×4 vehicle, suitable for even the roughest of dirt roads.

A low centre of gravity due to the energy dense battery pack sitting low on the vehicle anchors the truck to the ground when travelling at speed and around corners. The battery pack’s weight is distributed evenly between the wheels of the car, further ensuring the driver’s safety when tackling the dirt roads. This truck has been designed with safety and true off-roading in mind and offers brilliant possibilities to the user.

The Rivian Electric Truck can drive through water at a depth of three feet so wading through streams and puddles shouldn’t be a problem. On top of this, the truck can tow up to 11,000lbs. This large towing capacity means that you would be able to bring a camper trailer on your adventure with you. Paired with a pop-up tent on the truck bed, you could easily bring the whole family along. The one problem with towing when using the Rivian Electric Truck is that this reduces the amount of mileage the vehicle is capable of in one charge from 400 to about 200 when pulling the full 11,000lbs.

The Rivian Electric Truck Batteries

Rivian Electric Truck in front of rocky mountains

The Rivian Electric Truck features an impressive battery bank that sits under the body of the truck. This battery bank allows up to 400+ miles of driving before needing to be re-charged. This is a similar capability to that of the average diesel or petrol-fueled vehicle and is a groundbreaking distance for electric vehicles. This range means that over landing in a Rivian Electric Truck could be a real possibility as you have enough miles to reach the wilderness and back before needing to charge.

Each battery pack unit features clever technology called the battery management system that allows your batteries to send and receive data in real-time. The battery management system also allows your battery bank to continuously learn how you drive and charge your vehicle. This feature will optimise battery cell performance and extend the life of the battery meaning your vehicle will last for longer.

The use of electric vehicles is a practice that is gaining in popularity as it is essential to protect our environment and look after our world. Driving a battery-powered car is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this as it dramatically cuts down on fuel consumption. Being able to drive an electric four by four truck is going to be a massive win for the outdoor community as it allows you to get outside, into nature while reducing your carbon footprint.

Going Camping

Using the slide out kitchen in the truck at a campsite

This truck has been made with the outdoors in mind, not just in terms of its four-wheel drive and off-road capabilities. The Rivian Electric Truck comes with a ‘gear tunnel’ in the body of the vehicle. This lockable space allows you to safely and securely store any gear that cannot fit in the truck bed or roof racks. The door to this gear tunnel flips down and is at the perfect height to be used as a seat, a handy addition for changing boots and getting ready for a hike.

If you plan on adding a rooftop tent to the bed of the truck, then one feature of the Rivian Electric Truck that is worth getting excited about is the pull out kitchen that can be fitted into the gear tunnel. This kitchen features a dual burner induction cooktop, sink with a 19-litre water tank, plenty of drawers for storage and a countertop for preparing food. This kitchen will feel like a luxury to any regular campers who are used to faffing around with a gas bottle and portable tables. Best of all, the usage of the cooktop for a whole week will only deplete the batteries by about 11%.

As well as a flexible crossbar system that allows you to mount gear on the roof, truck bed and truck bed floor the truck bed also features three 110v outlets, compressed air and peace of mind when locking up gear with the gear guard system. By having charging outlets on board, you will be able to charge your gadgets while on the road and sleeping in a rooftop tent, and the compressed air is excellent news for any outdoor enthusiasts who love to get out there on bikes or inflatable paddleboards.

Rivian Design

inside and dashboard of truck

American company Rivian is a new kid on the block and is yet to prove its worth to the masses. Having said that we absolutely love the design and idea behind their vehicle and are excited for its release in 2020. Although a new company, Rivian have managed to create an eye-catching design that is different from the look of competitor vehicles. Much of this is down to the stadium headlamps. Shaped like a stadium these headlamps not only look cool but also use less power and cast a wider beam for better visibility- key for an excellent off-roading vehicle.

The great outdoors has inspired the interior of the Rivian Electric Truck with sustainably sourced wooden accents giving a stylish and sophisticated look. The colours and the textures used on the interior are also reminiscing of nature, providing the vehicle with a cool, fresh look. As this truck is designed to be taken off-roading and to be used by adventures all materials are strong and durable to ensure the longevity of this premium design.

The digital dashboard inside the Rivian Electric Truck is designed to simplify navigation, keep you connected and entertain on demand. This all in one unit can do everything you need and much more. Rivian is also planning on bringing out their own collection of off-road digital maps to be used with the digital dashboard. These maps will allow you to explore not just the route that you will be taking but also the types of terrain you will encounter to make sure you are as prepared as possible for your road-trip.

Final Thoughts…

The Rivian Electric Truck is yet to be tested, but we love what we see so far. This truck looks powerful, comfortable and stylish and is beneficial to the environment. The truck is available to pre-order now with prices starting at $69,000 for a truck with a 230-mile range or under $90,000 for a truck with the full 400-mile range. The Rivian Electric truck will begin deliveries in the latter half of 2020, and we can’t wait to see how it performs. Head over to the Rivian website to find out more details about their upcoming vehicle release. Let us know what you think of the Rivian Electric Truck, and its camper add ons by joining Van Clan over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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