2023 Rivian R1T Twin-Motor Efficiency Sacrifices Little

Rivian burst onto the scene with the R1T Quad-Motor, an 835-hp supertruck that can tackle gnarly off-road obstacles and match sports cars to 60 mph. Now there’s a more sensible 533-hp Dual-Motor variant, which can be bumped up to 665 horsepower by means of a $5000 Performance package. The R1T Dual-Motor Performance isn’t as extreme as the Quad-Motor, but it retains the same composed driving demeanor, well-appointed interior, and clever packaging, with nearly a Corvette Z06’s worth of power still bringing gut-punch acceleration.

The cheapest Dual-Motor models start at $74,800, but the Glacier White Performance version we tested came in at $92,850. The Dual-Motor tipped our scales at 6914 pounds, 122 fewer pounds than the Quad-Motor. Most of that weight loss can be attributed to the Dual-Motor having a tire-inflation kit instead of a full-use spare. The 128.9-kWh “Large” battery—a $6000 add-on required with the Performance pack—provides up to 352 miles of range, but the 22-inch wheels (shod in Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season Elect rubber) on this example drop the EPA’s rating to 341 miles. Available all-terrain tires cut range even further to 307 miles. Our 75-mph highway test revealed the Dual-Motor can travel 280 miles on charge—a bit of a letdown considering the Quad-Motor rolling on the same tires returned an identical number and that the number is significantly shy of the Dual-Motor’s EPA estimate.

The separate eco-minded Conserve mode from the Quad-Motor is folded into the Dual-Motor’s All-Purpose mode, which disconnects the rear motor around 20 mph in the majority of driving scenarios to boost efficiency but will reconnect it at low speeds or when more power is needed.

Sport mode keeps the Dual-Motor in all-wheel drive and unlocks the full power output, with the two electric motors combining for 829 pound-feet of torque, 79 less than the Quad-Motor. That’s enough shove for the R1T to leap to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, putting it 0.4 second behind the Quad-Motor. The quarter-mile flashed by in 12.0 seconds, trailing the Quad-Motor by 0.5 second. The All Season tires helped the Dual-Motor record 0.82 g on the skidpad, the same as the Quad-Motor wearing that identical rubber. Braking performance from 70 mph improved by three feet to 173 feet.

The main difference versus the Quad-Motor is how the torque is dished out. Instead of precise torque delivery to individual wheels, the Dual-Motor splits the output across the front and rear axles. From there, brake-based torque vectoring routes the torque to the wheel with the most traction. This reduces the R1T’s ability off-road, where the four-wheel vectoring is key for sniffing out every last bit of traction. In daily driving, you won’t notice the difference, with the front/rear system still keeping the truck balanced when you’re zipping down a two-lane road.

The Dual-Motor is otherwise identical to more powerful R1Ts, with excellent body control and accurate steering. The ride can feel jittery on bumpy roads at lower speeds, but on the move, the air-spring suspension is well damped. This R1T emitted some loud thuds over broken pavement around town and a slight clunk from the rear when the motor disconnects. The R1T’s whisper-quite operation—recording just 68 decibels at 70 mph—might have made these noises more apparent.

Indeed, the cabin remains a pleasant place to be—full of rich-feeling faux leather and open-pore wood—even if too many functions are buried in the screen. The Dual-Motor also remains a practical choice with the sizable frunk and a nifty gear tunnel with 12 cubic feet of space.

The R1T Dual-Motor Performance is a pricey proposition but provides nearly all of the same mind-bending on-road capability. If you don’t care about winning stoplight drag races, skipping the Performance pack will save you $5K while still providing the ability to sprint to 60 mph in a Rivian-estimated 4.5 seconds. So, you can skip the Quad without much loss of muscle.