Latest news with #Rivians
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Quad-Motor Rivians Arrive With Wild Power and Wilder Price
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Miami Herald
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Tank Turn Returns: Rivian Teases Long-Awaited Feature
When Rivian first burst onto the EV scene with the R1S SUV and R1T pickup in 2019, few features grabbed more attention than "Tank Turn" – a party trick that allows the EV to spin in place like an off-road ballerina. The system, also found in the electric G-Class, rotates the wheels on either side in opposite directions to pivot the car 360 degrees. The tank turn quickly became a sensation, but before Rivian could make it to production, CEO RJ Scaringe nixed the feature, citing concerns over trail damage. That move was intended to reinforce Rivian's environmentally responsible image, but left early fans disappointed. Now, in a teaser clip posted to social media, Tank Turn appears to be making its long-awaited return. The six-second video shows a second-gen R1S performing a 90-degree turn before revealing the etched launch date of July 8, 2025, written in dust on its side. The feature will debut with the company's most powerful configuration yet: the Quad-Motor R1S and R1T, which are expected to bring this long-shelved feature to life. Rivian announced its second-generation R1 models last year, including overhauled mechanicals, a better electrical architecture, and greatly improved autonomy and infotainment systems. Among those updates was the new Quad-Motor drivetrain, delivering a staggering 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 lb-ft of torque, allowing a 2.5-second sprint to 60 mph for the R1T (2.6 seconds for the R1S). However, at the time, it was only available for reservation, without an exact delivery timeline. That changes next week. The Quad Launch Edition, which will arrive with every update for second-generation Rivians, will finally open for orders. These new Rivians go beyond spec-sheet frenzy; they come with real improvements: zonal electrical layouts that reduce wiring, a redesigned heat pump for range efficiency, a 420-mile Max Pack, and a new Autonomy Platform with 360-degree vision and AI-powered driving assistance. Even the interior experience has been elevated, with Dolby Atmos audio, Apple Music integration, and a new Unreal Engine-based UI. Getting access to the return of Tank Turn – and everything else the second-gen R1S and R1T offer – won't come cheap. Pricing starts at $75,900 for the R1S and $69,900 for the R1T, but the Quad Launch Edition is expected to be priced at around $115,900. We'll know the exact figures soon enough, but for now, know that reservations require a $3,000 refundable deposit. Deliveries are expected to begin shortly after the official July 8 announcement. If you missed the hype the first time around, now's your chance to spin back in. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
New York Post
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
How Rivians became the ‘it' car in the Hamptons: ‘Everyone is dumping their Cybertruck'
Over the past year, a striking shift has occurred in the Hamptons, Palo Alto and other high-end enclaves: Teslas — and being in any away associated with Elon Musk — are out. Rivians and Lucids are in for those looking to signal their environmentally conscious bonafides. 'Everyone is dumping their Cybertruck — they are desperate to find someone to take them away,' Matthew Ammirati, founder of the Bridgehampton Motoring Company which works with high-end car collectors, told me. 3 Rivians have become the favorite of the elite eager to show they support electric vehicles but not Musk. Rivian Rivian's electric trucks are gaining traction among wealthy buyers simply because they have no association with Elon Musk (and by extension Donald Trump). This despite their premium sticker prices: R1T pickup trucks start at $70,000, while R1S SUVs start at $75,000 — roughly three times more than a base-model Tesla. According to Rivian, the company has 114,000 people on waitlist for their SUVs and trucks, with some customers being told they won't get their cars until 2026 — an indication that the cars are about status, not urgently needing a ride. 'On the high end, Rivians have become front and center,' Dan Ives, the Managing Director and Senior Equity Research Analyst covering the Technology sector at Wedbush Securities, told me. 'You're seeing a lot more Rivians in East Hampton.' Rivian has even invested in a new charging station-store combination in the Hamptons, only the second of its kind globally. (The other is in Yosemite, California.) Just a year ago, Rivian faced severe financial struggles, with a declining stock price, deliveries dropping, and Elon Musk posting on X the company would end up bankrupt. Miraculously, the company turned around, thanks in part to a $5 billion Volkswagen partnership. 3 Rivian has invested not just in chargers in the Hamptons — but also an outpost with merchandise. Rivian Adventure Network Tracker / X The embrace of Rivian and Lucid vehicles, however, is really only possible for a handful of wealthy buyers given their penchant for breaking down so frequently. 'Rivians and Lucid are a nightmare from charging, insurance, accident — it would win most likely to get a car stuck on the beach,' Ammirati said. 3 Cybertrucks have gone from coveted — with thousands of people on the waitlist — to something very easily purchased on the secondary market as people ditch their Tesla products. Getty Images Travis Ketchum, who runs a software firm and reviews cars on the side out of Seattle, Wash., switched from a Tesla to a Rivian last year because of the politics rather than the quality of the car. While he doesn't regret it, he acknowledged that it has come with a number of setbacks. This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC's power players (and those who aspire to be). 'It's often months before your car can be seen [for repair at a dealership] and it'll be there days before people start working on it,' he said. He and his family have multiple back-up vehicles for when their Rivian breaks down While Rivian and Lucid appears to have overtaken Tesla in some exclusive enclaves, analysts suggest that Elon Musk is unperturbed by the loss of high-end buyers. It's 'not a bad thing for Tesla,' Ives noted. 'But now the Tesla customer is the masses — they are focused on a more reasonable price point and autonomous cars.' While Elon Musk's recent fissure with Donald Trump seems to benefit his share price, any sort of detente or reconciliation could actually be helpful long-term as Musk tries to get approval for his Robo-taxis and seeks possible government contracts for the vehicles. Send NYNext a tip: nynextlydia@
NDTV
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
End Of Human Delivery Workers? Amazon Testing Humanoid Robots That 'Spring Out' Of Vans
E-commerce giant Amazon is preparing to deliver orders to its customers' doors via a humanoid robot workforce. These robots would "spring out" of the vans and deliver the orders and eventually take the jobs of the delivery workers, according to a report in The Information, as cited by The Guardian. The tech behemoth has already built a "humanoid park" at its San Francisco office to test the delivery robots. An indoor obstacle course, about the size of a coffee shop, is being used to test the agility of the robots. Amazon is hoping that the robots will be able to travel in its Rivian vans and expedite the deliveries. Currently, Amazon has 20,000 Rivians in the US and has placed one of teh vans in the testing maze. Once the robots have aced the humanoid park, they will be taken for 'field trips' in the real world, where the robots will attempt to deliver packages to homes. Amazon is developing the artificial intelligence (AI) software that would power such robots, adding that the company plans to use hardware from other firms in its tests, for now. Robots and Amazon Even with a human driver, a robot could theoretically speed up drop-off times by visiting one address while the human employee delivers to another. The company is also hoping to include Zoox, a robotaxi company it acquired in 2020, to fully automate end-to-end package delivery -- from the warehouse to the customer's front door. The $2 trillion company is already using a variety of autonomous robots in its warehouse operations. It has deployed Digit robot, developed by Agility Robotics, which allows employees to hand off work to humanoids and become a 'robot manager'. Last year, Amazon was given permission to test-fly drones beyond a human controller's line of sight in the UK, paving the way for using the technology in home delivery.
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Amazon ‘testing humanoid robots to deliver packages'
Amazon is reportedly developing software for humanoid robots that could perform the role of delivery workers and 'spring out' of its vans. The $2tn (€1.75tn) technology company is building a 'humanoid park' in the US to test the robots, said the tech news site the Information, citing a person who had been involved in the project. The Information reported that the robots could eventually take the jobs of delivery workers. It is developing the artificial intelligence software that would power the robots but will use hardware developed by other companies. The indoor obstacle course being used for the tests at an Amazon office in San Francisco is about the size of a coffee shop, the report said, with the company hoping that the robots will be able to travel in Amazon's Rivian vans and make deliveries from them. Even with a human driver behind the wheel, a robot could theoretically speed up drop-off times by visiting one address while the human employee delivers to another. Amazon also has an interest in self-driving vehicles through its Zoox unit. Amazon has more than 20,000 Rivians in the US and has placed one of the vans in the humanoid testing zone, according to the report. Once it has tested the robots in the humanoid park, it plans to take them on 'field trips' in the real world where they will attempt to deliver packages to homes. Robot trials Amazon has already conducted trials with humanoid robots, deploying devices developed by the US company Agility Robotics in its warehouses. The chief executive of Agility, Peggy Johnson, told the Guardian last year that the company's Digit robot allowed employees to hand off work to humanoids and become a 'robot manager'. Last year Amazon was given permission to test-fly drones beyond a human controller's line of sight in Britain paving the way for using the technology in home delivery. Prof Subramanian Ramamoorthy, the chair of robot learning and autonomy at the University of Edinburgh, said Amazon had a respected robotics team and its reported focus on 'last mile' delivery was not a surprise. The humanoid robot hardware capable of carrying out such a task is coming available, and the field is developing rapidly, he said. However, he added, the challenge is to achieve reliable performance outside highly constrained environments such as the reported 'humanoid park'. He said: 'If Amazon restricts the scope, which means using relatively clear driveways and standard layouts of doors and surroundings, then the task would be quite a bit simpler. As the environments become more complex and variable, and others enter the picture – such as pets and small children – the problems become harder.' Amazon has been contacted for comment. The Guardian Read More High Court grants TikTok stay on suspension of data transfers to China
