Rivian tests its electric pick-up in the hottest place in the world | The NY Journal

The Rivian R1T is without a doubt one of the pick-up expected in the market, as it has everything to become the favorite, even on the Cybertruck from Tesla. And although it has already been seen showing its capabilities throughout a trip throughout the American continent from south to north, now, the firm seeks to demonstrate what the limits of this truck are, if it has them, but above all, what is your towing capacity.

To carry out this task, the Rivian R1T was transferred to a terrain in extreme temperature conditions, in the state of Arizona, specifically to a section of Route 68 known as Davis Dam Grade. This area is an area established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) as the standard to determine the towing classification of a vehicle, since it has a route that starts from about 168 meters above sea level to reach 1,067 after 18.3 km of travel, and adding extreme heat in the place that rises to 37.8º C.

But the tests for the Rivian R1T did not stop there, as it was also transferred to the famous Death valley, considered to be the driest corner of the planet, where the model was driving with almost record heat that is a challenge for the batteries of an electric and that also took the model through a route that included important changes in level and steep slopes , according to the Car and Driver portal.

It should be noted that the Rivian R1T It overcame the challenges with excellent marks and proved to have a towing capacity superior to that of its rivals, however, achieving that towing capacity is reflected in the autonomy capacity, which will have a considerable cost according to the firm.

“The final range will always vary depending on the load and external conditions, such as wind and grade. We generally see a 50% reduction in range when towing at full capacity, ”explained a Rivian representative.

These tests seek to further refine the R1T’s systems and software to improve interior comfort, torque control and efficiency.