Rivian recently previewed the hardware for the dual-motor powertrain it plans to begin offering for its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV alongside the existing quad-motor setup in the coming year.
The company tweeted a short video “progress report,” in which principal drive unit design engineer Mason Verbridge said components were undergoing final validation testing. Production is scheduled to start in a few months, and a production line for these drive units is currently being set up at Rivi an’s Illinois factory, Verbridge said in the video.
Progress report: When our Dual-Motor AWD system is introduced for R1T and R1S next year, you’ll be able to choose a standard version capable of 600 hp and 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, or an enhanced version that increases horsepower to approx. 700 hp and 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. pic.twitter.com/Lz4FE06tIe
— Rivian (@Rivian) December 26, 2022
Each drive unit has a single motor, and one unit will be installed on each axle to create a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain. In the tweet, Rivian said it will offer a “standard version” with 600 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque capable of 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which matches previously-mentioned specs. But the company now says it will also offer an “enhanced version” with 700 hp and 700 lb-ft, bringing the 0-60 mph time down to 3.5 seconds.
Rivian also recently made the 180-kwh Max Pack battery the only one available with the dual-motor powertrain in R1T pickups. It’s expected to start building vehicles in that configuration later in 2023.
Rivian single-motor drive unit
Rivian has rejiggered its build combinations and pricing various times, and in March 2022 confirmed some initial details about its in-house-developed dual-motor technology. That was after price hikes in February and March of 2022—when it raised prices up to 20% from what was originally suggested, and introduced dual-motor versions as a substitute for the quad-motor trucks that were suddenly substantially costlier. The company eventually backtracked to lock existing reservation-holders in with the original pricing.
Rivian is also making running changes to its vehicles, mostly via software updates. It recently confirmed that quad-motor trucks will get a range boost after an EPA retest. The anticipated new 328-mile range for the R1T makes it the range leader among electric pickups for now, if you don’t count the GMC Hummer EV’s 329-mile EPA result, which is unofficial as it isn’t a light truck.
Rivian single-motor drive unit
Rivian’s trucks were developed around a 400-volt battery pack and system voltage. But as CEO RJ Scaringe told Green Car Reports
The company also plans to use the dual-motor components as part of its plan to emphasize affordability, economics, and efficiency with its second model line, the R2, set to be built at its upcoming Georgia plant.