When it comes to electric and electrified trucks, much of the attention has been on the upcoming Tesla pickup, the Workhorse W-15 plug-in hybrid, and the Bollinger B1 SUV. They aren't the only ones pursuing go-anywhere trucks, though. A company called Rivian, which has been around with one name or another since 2009, is also working on a pickup truck and an SUV built for at least mild off-road duties, and one of our spy photographers spotted a prototype in California.
Obviously, this prototype isn't using a body designed by Rivian, but rather an extended cab Ford F-150 body. But it's easy to see that the chassis and powertrain are completely different. You can see the chassis that Rivian plans to make modular for both its truck and SUV, and it has a long, low, flat section that likely contains the batteries. You can also see that it uses independent suspension at each corner. Our friends at Engadget paid a visit to one of Rivian's facilities and learned that the company is aiming for 14 inches of ground clearance and the ability to ford about 3.6 feet of water. While we can't say anything for the water fording, this prototype does look on the low side for over a foot of ground clearance. It also seems that the spring perches are especially low and in potentially vulnerable spots. On the plus side, the chassis does seem to have some very thick skid plates that should be helpful on dirt trails.
Rivian says that its first model will be the pickup truck, which will be a five-passenger vehicle. Engadget reports it will be called the A1T. A seven-passenger SUV called the A1C will follow. The company plans to have the A1T on sale in 2020, but we will see what it looks like at this year's L.A. Auto Show. The news outlet further notes that the truck will be available with ranges between 200 and 450 miles, and the top-end model will produce 800 horsepower. Supposedly it will accelerate to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. The company is also aiming for Level 3 autonomy and a price range between $50,000 and $90,000. These are all fairly bold claims, so we'll just have to wait and see if Rivian can deliver. And stay tuned for the design unveil this fall.
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Obviously, this prototype isn't using a body designed by Rivian, but rather an extended cab Ford F-150 body. But it's easy to see that the chassis and powertrain are completely different. You can see the chassis that Rivian plans to make modular for both its truck and SUV, and it has a long, low, flat section that likely contains the batteries. You can also see that it uses independent suspension at each corner. Our friends at Engadget paid a visit to one of Rivian's facilities and learned that the company is aiming for 14 inches of ground clearance and the ability to ford about 3.6 feet of water. While we can't say anything for the water fording, this prototype does look on the low side for over a foot of ground clearance. It also seems that the spring perches are especially low and in potentially vulnerable spots. On the plus side, the chassis does seem to have some very thick skid plates that should be helpful on dirt trails.
Rivian says that its first model will be the pickup truck, which will be a five-passenger vehicle. Engadget reports it will be called the A1T. A seven-passenger SUV called the A1C will follow. The company plans to have the A1T on sale in 2020, but we will see what it looks like at this year's L.A. Auto Show. The news outlet further notes that the truck will be available with ranges between 200 and 450 miles, and the top-end model will produce 800 horsepower. Supposedly it will accelerate to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. The company is also aiming for Level 3 autonomy and a price range between $50,000 and $90,000. These are all fairly bold claims, so we'll just have to wait and see if Rivian can deliver. And stay tuned for the design unveil this fall.
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Featured Gallery 2020 Rivian A1T spy shots
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