Latest news with #QuadMotor
Auto Blog
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Rivian Unleashes Quad-Motor R1 Models With Supercar Power
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Second-Generation Rivian Quad Finally Arrives When Rivian unveiled the second-generation R1S and R1T for the 2025 model year, the upgrades were significant – more power and range, and improved hardware and software. But one thing was notably missing: a Quad-Motor option. Sure, the original R1 lineup had a Quad-Motor variant boasting 835 horsepower, but the newer Rivians have already caught up. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:00 / 0:10 Full screen Rivian R1T delivers on this EV feature that Tesla forgot Watch More Better late than never, as they say, as Rivian has now introduced the R1S and R1T Quad-Motor models for the 2026 model year, and they're amped up for a monstrous power output this time around, worthy of the top-spec designation. However, the California-based startup has also given them eye-watering price tags. Very Capable Electric SUV And Truck With four independently controlled motors, the new Quad-Motor setup delivers a staggering 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 lb-ft of torque. That power shoves the R1S from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds, while the longer-wheelbase R1T does it in 2.5 secs. These numbers are on par with those of supercars, and even quicker than many. But that level of performance comes at a steep cost: $115,990 for the R1T Quad, or $119,990 for the Launch Edition. The R1S starts at $121,990 and climbs to $125,990 for the Launch Edition. Beyond straight-line speed, both vehicles come standard with Rivian's 140-kWh Max battery pack, allowing up to 374 miles of range, depending on tires. There's also a Conserve Mode that disables the rear motors to maximize range up to 400 miles. Go for the 34-inch all-terrain tires, though, and range drops to 325 miles. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Other performance features include torque vectoring via each motor, a new Launch Mode with an integrated Launch Cam, and several software-based drive modes. Among them are a Desert Rally Mode, born from the R1T's Rebelle Rally victory, and a Hill Climb Mode, developed during its Pikes Peak run. Rivian's much-awaited Tank Turn finally becomes available in the Quad models as the Kick Turn, coming via a September 2025 software update. Deliveries Begin This Month Inside, both models have the Ascend interior with quilted upholstery, bronze accents, and three trim themes. The Launch Edition also adds unique paint, badges, and lifetime access to Rivian's Autonomy Platform+ and Connect+ services. Exterior customization options include wheel and tire packages ranging from 22-inch ultra-high-performance tires to 20-inch all-terrain rubbers. Deliveries of the Quad-Motor R1T and R1S begin this month, and all models will come standard with a built-in NACS port for Tesla Supercharger compatibility, plus a complimentary CCS adapter. They're definitely pricey, but are they worth the money? You'll be the judge, but remember that supercar performance in SUV and truck form is a feat that a few vehicles possess. About the Author Jacob Oliva View Profile
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Road Test: The New 1,025 HP Rivian R1S Is a Rock-Crawling Speed Demon
The first production car Rivian ever made was the R1T, an all-electric pickup truck, which rolled off the assembly line in September 2021, followed by the R1S, an all-electric SUV, which was produced in December 2021. Almost four years on, the cars are due for what is traditionally known as a mid-cycle refresh: the R1T and R1S aren't changing how they look, but, underneath, the Quad-Motor now offers 1,025 hp and can zip to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Rivian, in fact, calls the new R1T and R1S the second generation, or Gen 2, version of its flagship products, a sign of how meaty it thinks the update is. Beyond the raw speed and power, there are significant software, hardware, and efficiency updates, and new features, like the Kick Turn, which can make low-degree turns on tight trails and do 360s on a flat surface. More from Robb Report California's Hottest Cult Cabernet Isn't From Napa The Hotel Shakeup That's Changing the Presidential Suite Forever Landmark Homes by Frank Lloyd Wright and Other Famous Architects Are the Latest Status Symbol The R1S Quad-Motor will start at $121,990 when it goes on sale later this year, while the R1T Quad-Motor will start at $115,990, prices that are somewhat expensive compared to its competitors (the Tesla Cyberbeast, for example, starts at $103,490) but, like the Gen 2 name, signal that with these new EVs, Rivian isn't holding back. 'A lot of customers just want the best that we can do,' said founder and CEO RJ Scaringe during a launch event in June in Tahoe. 'The vehicle is on-road and off-road. It can do both of those things, and it allows us to push some of the technical boundaries of what's possible.' Rivian has the smaller R2 up next, which is targeted to be a $45,000 car, with ambitions that, in a decade, it will be selling millions of vehicles a year to customers around the globe, according to Scaringe. If that happens, it will all have started with the R1. The 1,025 hp that the Gen 2 Quad-Motor R1T and R1S delivers is the obvious headline, along with that head-snapping zero-to-60 mph time, though at the launch event, Rivian was more eager to show off its off-road prowess. In that department, there is the new Kick Turn feature, which Rivian insists is not a party trick like the GMC Hummer's Crab Walk, though Kick Turn is certainly a trick that can be performed at parties. The trick is turning the car as one would turn a tank. The effect, as an observer, is impressive and dramatic, especially if there is a lot of dust to be kicked up; as a driver it takes some learning, though the feature can only be activated below 15 mph and, after some experimentation, new drivers will get the hang of it pretty quickly. On the trail, it allows the new R1 to take sharp turns that would otherwise require going in reverse. The Rivian Adventure Department Tuner Mode (RAD Tuner Mode)—or 'nerd mode' as one Rivian engineer called it—allows drivers to fine-tune throttle response, ride height, torque balance, damping, stability controls, and other settings. On the road, a Launch Mode and Launch Cam helps drivers go quick fast and record themselves while doing it, with some statistics presented, perhaps for social media. Not much has changed in the exterior of the R1T and R1S, which still look like Rivian R1Ts and R1Ss. On the inside, there are updates, including lots of plaid in the premium Ascend interior, along with quilted seats and other more elevated touches. There are new wheel options, including 20-inch and 22-inch choices. Tire choices include an all-season, an ultrahigh-performance road tire, and a 34-inch all-terrain tire. Rivian's mascot Gear Guard, an animated, friendly figure, has an expanded role in the car's infotainment system, intended to communicate fun and playfulness in a way similar to, for example, Bibendum, also known as the Michelin Man. The R1 has an electric motor for each wheel making a combined 1,025 hp, though each motor can produce different levels of torque for each wheel, allowing the car to adapt to drive conditions as they are presented, including wet and dry pavement, ice, snow, mud, dirt, and rocks. Rivian says that the new motors are also oil-cooled, which improves efficiency and also keeps temperatures stable in low-speed, high-torque environments, such as rock-crawling. The EPA-estimated range is 374 miles, while Rivian says the Gen 2 Quad can go up to 400 miles in Conserve mode, which mostly shuts off the rear-wheel motors to save battery power and go further. The four electric motors are able to provide frighteningly quick acceleration for a vehicle that weighs around 7,000 pounds. That acceleration is confusing at first, because quickness that snaps your head back is usually only found in supercars or hypercars, but it quickly becomes familiar. The R1s performed well in the rock-crawling tests provided by the company, set up to be challenging enough to show the Gen 2 R1's dexterity on stone, but not overly so, such that a group of automotive journalists, including myself, successfully completed them without incident. The RAD Tuner Mode is well-executed, and driving dynamics change quickly in response to user inputs. Kick Turn is also similarly well-executed beyond the initial learning curve. There was some grumbling among the wave of journalists at the press event that I attended in Tahoe that it is impractical to be selling a $120,000 car that is intended to go off-road. They argued that it's better to simply buy a Jeep Wrangler, perhaps, for a third of that price and not spend your time on dirt worrying about damage. But that misses the point, a little, of what Rivian is trying to do, which is make a truck/SUV that is merely capable of doing serious off-road things, as it is capable of a righteous zero-to-60 mph time, as it is capable of mostly driving itself on many highways, as it is capable of winning the Rebelle Rally. This is a truck/SUV that does many disparate things quite well, in an overall package that tries not to compromise on any of them. It's the very best of what Rivian can do right now in a consumer-focused vehicle, which might justify a price that is high for a car that doesn't pretend to be luxury. For many—surfers, skiers, hikers, overlanders, weekend trippers, Tesla haters, EV disciples, adventurists of all stripes—the second-generation R1 Quad-Motor will be ideal. For everyone else, a more specialized vehicle, or simply a less capable one, might do just fine, and for less money, too. Midsize SUV/Pickup 2021 Four electric motors, 1,025 hp and 1,198 ft lbs of torque Zero to 60 mph: 2.5 seconds Top Speed: 130 mph $125,990, R1S Launch Edition $119,990, R1T Launch EditionBest of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The tech behind Rivian's 2026 Quad-Motor truck and SUV — and that kick turn
As Rivian starts accepting orders for its 2026 Quad-Motor pickup truck and SUV, customers may initially be enticed by the power and tricks the four motors in these rebooted EVs can unleash. After all, four motors delivering a combined 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 pound-feet of torque — and the ability to accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in less than 2.5 seconds — is hard to ignore. But they should also pay attention to the software. 'The quad is really the pinnacle of everything that Rivian has done so far,' Wassym Bensaid, the company's head of software, told TechCrunch, quickly providing a punch list on acceleration, speed, torque, and an estimated 374-mile range. 'Now that we have full in-house motors, we have full control on the stack, hardware and software.' That control has allowed Rivian to introduce several new features, which will roll out via software updates in the quad-motor this September. (Customers can order the quad-motor trim starting today with deliveries beginning as early as next week, according to the company.) The feature that will likely inspire the most TikTok videos and Instagram reels is 'kick turn,' a feature that adjusts the power to the inside wheels and lets the vehicle spin about its center — even as it's moving. Kick turn, which TechCrunch tested during a press drive in June, allows a vehicle traveling under 20 mph on dirt to kick out its back end and swing it to the right or left without moving the steering wheel. The idea is to give off-roaders the ability to make tight turns on trails by pushing a button and without going through the tedious task of a 3-point turn. Rivian fans and followers might recall a promoted, but never released, feature called 'tank turn.' Kick turn, which controls power and tire grip, is the real-world and toned down version of tank turn. Rivian told TechCrunch tank turn was never released because its founder and CEO RJ Scaringe and others worried that tank turn would ruin trails. Not the best look for a company that has made outdoor activities and preserving the environment a big part of its brand. Kick turn could still be abused if the driver stayed in the same spot and continued to spin the vehicle in a circle. However, Rivian has placed some software-powered guardrails on the feature, including limiting the speed and only allowing it to spin in dirt. Rivian first revealed its second-generation quad-motor configuration during a May 2024 press drive in Washington, in a bid to showcase the overhaul of its flagship R1 line. That reboot touched every inch of its insides from the battery pack and suspension system to the electrical architecture, interior seats, sensor stack, and software user interface. The effort, which has led the company to build more of its major components in-house, is aimed at reducing the cost of manufacturing and improving the performance and appeal of its EVs. Deliveries of the new dual-motor and performance dual-motor trims began almost immediately, with the tri-motor configuration following by August 2024. The quad-motor, which is its most expensive and powerful trim, took another year to develop and refine the software features and embedded systems, and how they worked alongside the motors, suspension, and thermal management, according to the company. And the stakes are high that Rivian gets the quad-motor right. Rivian's highly-anticipated and cheaper R2 vehicles aren't expected to go into production until the first half of 2026. Rivian is hoping the new quad-motor, which starts between $125,990 and $115,990 depending on the vehicle trim, will give sales a boost. And the software is a critical piece of its bid. If the four motors (one located at each wheel) are the heart of the second-generation quad-motor, the software is the brain making it all work together. Bensaid pointed to the development of advanced torque vectoring and balancing algorithms that have been introduced in the second-generation quad-motor. 'Think about it as super complex mathematical processing behind the scenes to allow real-time usage and decisions based on information from the four wheels and then the four motors, while obviously keeping safety guards in place,' he said. What this means in practice is numerous sensors on the quad-motor R1S SUV and R1T truck provide information on yaw rate, steering angles, and other inputs, which are then fed into software models to control torque. In other words, Rivian's in-house hardware and software work together in real-time to distribute power at each wheel electronically. That has allowed the EV maker to introduce kick turn as well as other software-meets-hardware features to the quad-motor, including its 'RAD Tuner,' which lets users change the vehicle's driving dynamics via the central touchscreen. The RAD Tuner was developed by a team of engineers, software developers, and designers nicknamed the 'Rivian Adventure Department.' The origin story began several years ago, according to Bensaid. 'Every time we would go and test and qualify version of the software or the car, we have an engineering screen which is hidden with the secret code,' he said. It was here that early Rivian employee and R2 chief engineer Max Koff and R1 chief engineer Luke Lynch would configure the car as they wished — an exercise that often pushed the vehicles to new limits. 'And that evolved into this idea of making this tuner available to customers.' With RAD Tuner, drivers can create their own customized driving mode from scratch or build upon presets like 'Rally' or 'Sport.' 'We really give users full control through software so that they can figure their unique personality of the car,' Bensaid said, adding this particular feature is really meant for expert drivers. Bensaid emphasized this is more than a simple change to the user interface that lets drivers tinker around with balance, stability, and ride height. 'I think what's really important is the technology behind it,' he said. 'For example, this torque balance, the fact that we're able to configure this with a very simple slider — this is years of engineering development to have a very sophisticated torque vectoring algorithm with really a high-precision control that allows us to change values while we're driving. It's technically extremely, extremely difficult to do this type of changes.' The company is also rolling out a launch cam feature, which uses an exterior camera recording to automatically capture so-called 'Launch Mode,' which that can catapult the new R1T quad-motor from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in less than 2.5 heart-pumping seconds. Users can replay the videos, view real-time stats like speed and distance overlays calculated by in-house controls software. Users can also export videos to a mobile device via USB port to save and share. The 2026 R1T and R1S vehicles, including the quad-motor, also come built in with the North American Charging Standard, which was originally developed and popularized by Tesla. This gives owners of the 2026 models access to Tesla's vast network of fast chargers, known as Superchargers. Rivian is also supplying quad-motor customers with a complimentary CCS DC adapter, which was the long-standing EV charging standard until recently, allowing them to plug into other networks. As part of this hardware upgrade, the company has also updated its software, specifically the EV charging trip planner feature. Now, when a customer opens the trip planner and selects a NACS station, the information is updated in the trip planner to reflect that they don't need an adapter. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- TechCrunch
The tech behind Rivian's 2026 Quad-Motor truck and SUV — and that kick turn
As Rivian starts accepting orders for its 2026 Quad-Motor pickup truck and SUV, customers may initially be enticed by the power and tricks the four motors in these rebooted EVs can unleash. After all, four motors delivering a combined 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 pound-feet of torque — and the ability to accelerate from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in less than 2.5 seconds — is hard to ignore. But they should also pay attention to the software. 'The quad is really the pinnacle of everything that Rivian has done so far,' Wassym Bensaid, the company's head of software, told TechCrunch, quickly providing a punch list on acceleration, speed, torque, and an estimated 374-mile range. 'Now that we have full in-house motors, we have full control on the stack, hardware and software.' That control has allowed Rivian to introduce several new features, which will roll out via software updates in the quad-motor this September. (Customers can order the quad-motor trim starting today with deliveries beginning as early as this week, according to the company.) The feature that will likely inspire the most TikTok videos and Instagram reels is 'kick turn,' a feature that adjusts the power to the inside wheels and lets the vehicle spin about its center — even as it's moving. Kick turn, which TechCrunch tested during a press drive in June, allows a vehicle traveling under 20 mph on dirt to kick out its back end and swing it to the right or left without moving the steering wheel. The idea is to give off-roaders the ability to make tight turns on trails by pushing a button and without going through the tedious task of a 3-point turn. Rivian fans and followers might recall a promoted, but never released, feature called 'tank turn.' Kick turn, which controls power and tire grip, is the real-world and toned down version of tank turn. Rivian told TechCrunch tank turn was never released because its founder and CEO RJ Scaringe and others worried that tank turn would ruin trails. Not the best look for a company that has made outdoor activities and preserving the environment a big part of its brand. Techcrunch event Save up to $475 on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $450 on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Kick turn could still be abused if the driver stayed in the same spot and continued to spin the vehicle in a circle. However, Rivian has placed some software-powered guardrails on the feature, including limiting the speed and only allowing it to spin in dirt. Second-generation overhaul Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec Rivian first revealed its second-generation quad-motor configuration during a May 2024 press drive in Washington, in a bid to showcase the overhaul of its flagship R1 line. That reboot touched every inch of its insides from the battery pack and suspension system to the electrical architecture, interior seats, sensor stack, and software user interface. The effort, which has led the company to build more of its major components in-house, is aimed at reducing the cost of manufacturing and improving the performance and appeal of its EVs. Deliveries of the new dual-motor and performance dual-motor trims began almost immediately, with the tri-motor configuration following by August 2024. The quad-motor, which is its most expensive and powerful trim, took another year to develop and refine the software features and embedded systems, and how they worked alongside the motors, suspension, and thermal management, according to the company. Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec And the stakes are high that Rivian gets the quad-motor right. Rivian's highly-anticipated and cheaper R2 vehicles aren't expected to go into production until the first half of 2026. Rivian is hoping the new quad-motor, which starts between $125,990 and $115,990 depending on the vehicle trim, will give sales a boost. And the software is a critical piece of its bid. If the four motors (one located at each wheel) are the heart of the second-generation quad-motor, the software is the brain making it all work together. Bensaid pointed to the development of advanced torque vectoring and balancing algorithms that have been introduced in the second-generation quad-motor. 'Think about it as super complex mathematical processing behind the scenes to allow real-time usage and decisions based on information from the four wheels and then the four motors, while obviously keeping safety guards in place,' he said. What this means in practice is numerous sensors on the quad-motor R1S SUV and R1T truck provide information on yaw rate, steering angles, and other inputs, which are then fed into software models to control torque. In other words, Rivian's in-house hardware and software work together in real-time to distribute power at each wheel electronically. Software meets hardware Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec That has allowed the EV maker to introduce kick turn as well as other software-meets-hardware features to the quad-motor, including its 'RAD Tuner,' which lets users change the vehicle's driving dynamics via the central touchscreen. The RAD Tuner was developed by a team of engineers, software developers, and designers nicknamed the 'Rivian Adventure Department.' The origin story began several years ago, according to Bensaid. 'Every time we would go and test and qualify version of the software or the car, we have an engineering screen which is hidden with the secret code,' he said. It was here that early Rivian employee and R2 chief engineer Max Koff and R1 chief engineer Luke Lynch would configure the car as they wished — an exercise that often pushed the vehicles to new limits. 'And that evolved into this idea of making this tuner available to customers.' With RAD Tuner, drivers can create their own customized driving mode from scratch or build upon presets like 'Rally' or 'Sport.' 'We really give users full control through software so that they can figure their unique personality of the car,' Bensaid said, adding this particular feature is really meant for expert drivers. Bensaid emphasized this is more than a simple change to the user interface that lets drivers tinker around with balance, stability, and ride height. 'I think what's really important is the technology behind it,' he said. 'For example, this torque balance, the fact that we're able to configure this with a very simple slider — this is years of engineering development to have a very sophisticated torque vectoring algorithm with really a high-precision control that allows us to change values while we're driving. It's technically extremely, extremely difficult to do this type of changes.' The company is also rolling out a launch cam feature, which uses an exterior camera recording to automatically capture so-called 'Launch Mode,' which that can catapult the new R1T quad-motor from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in less than 2.5 heart-pumping seconds. Users can replay the videos, view real-time stats like speed and distance overlays calculated by in-house controls software. Users can also export videos to a mobile device via USB port to save and share. NACS charging and more Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec The 2026 R1T and R1S vehicles, including the quad-motor, also come built in with the North American Charging Standard, which was originally developed and popularized by Tesla. This gives owners of the 2026 models access to Tesla's vast network of fast chargers, known as Superchargers. Rivian is also supplying quad-motor customers with a complimentary CCS DC adapter, which was the long-standing EV charging standard until recently, allowing them to plug into other networks. As part of this hardware upgrade, the company has also updated its software, specifically the EV charging trip planner feature. Now, when a customer opens the trip planner and selects a NACS station, the information is updated in the trip planner to reflect that they don't need an adapter.
Car and Driver
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Exterior Photos of the 2025 Rivian R1T Tri-Motor
Total output is 850 horsepower and 1103 pound-feet of torque, which is more than last year's Quad-Motor version on both counts.
