From the looks of this photos of the R1T's 21 inch wheels it looks like the Aero Inserts can be removed. Anyone going to try this on their truck?
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle Tread]()
Aero Inserts for 21-Inch Wheels Are Remvable
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I was sold on going with 22's as well. My plan was always to get a second set of 20's with off-road tires to have when I need them, or simply to change up the look once in a while. Of course, the 20's will take the biggest hit in efficiency as well. I too didn't care for the 21" wheels, but this looks much better. I was going to get black wheels, so could easily have them painted / powder coated and would look almost the same anyway, and for a lot less money, being that 21's are included at no additional cost.
Plus, the 21's were designed for this vehicle particularly, so will produce the best range of any option. After seeing the EPA ratings and considering the $3,500 premium for the upgraded wheels (20's or 22's), am now considering saving the money. Then still buy a custom set of 20's for the off-road tires. Heck, saving the $3,500 up front, maybe I'll get a custom set of 22's as well, for the times when I might want to do more spirited road driving and again, for the look. I love the look of the beefy 4x4 tires as well as the Sport Truck look of low profile tires with a bigger wheel and was struggling with which look I wanted to go with. So, probably was going to do both either way. Now, I could actually at three sets for less than it would have cost me for two sets before and I'll have the best possible range for any long road trips. There are plenty of good deals on wheels and tires in the $2,000 to $2,500 range. So, for $4,000 to $5,000 (for two sets), plus the free set of 21's, would have every aspect covered and the luxury of being able to change up the look to keep it fresh throughout my ownership. Would have spent closer to $7,000 for just two sets originally. And if I ever sell the truck, would sell it with the original wheels and be able to sell the two other sets separately and recapture a chuck of the $4,000-$5,000 spent.
I'm glad to have seen the EPA ratings as I'm now 95% convinced with getting the 21's.
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Thank you for posting this. I just found out some information about the wheels/tires from customer service that may help shed some more light on this topic: See below (I apologize if some of this information is not relevant). They did verify that removing the aero caps will have a negligible effect on range.
"1. The aero caps come only on the 21” Road wheels, and these covers have been designed for easy application and removal without requiring additional tools!
2. If you were to remove the aero caps on the 21” Road wheels, it would have a negligible effect on the range. For comparison, current estimates show a range reduction of 5-10% for the 22" Sport wheels and a range reduction of 10-15% for 20" All-Terrain wheels.
3. Our recommendation is to find the wheel and tire package that fits your lifestyle the best! The 21” Road wheels will provide you with the best range efficiency and come wrapped in an all-season tire. The 20” Terrain wheels are the best option for the adventurous off-roader looking to take on extreme conditions, but they are less range efficient. The 22” Sport wheels are built for performance and specialize in on-road handling and grip around curves. These different options all have special features, and it comes down to user preference."
I think I am sticking with the standard 21" wheel/tire set due to the east coast climate and 90% of our driving will be on the road/highway .... I may possibly get the wheels painted all black after delivery.
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21's would be a lot more attractive as an option, imo, if there was more confidence that replacement tires would be readily available and affordable.
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21's for me with a custom set of off-road 20's and a custom set of performance 22's. Will have three sets for around $5,000 instead of just two sets for $6,000 if I paid for one of Rivian's $3,500 upgrades.
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Which 20s and 22s are you planning on getting for your truck?
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So, based on the picture if you remove the aero inserts the wheel is nicely finished (that is the inserts do not cover up unfinished metal).......at least from what I can tell......would you all agree? I just ordered an R1S and was still undecided over the 21" or 22" wheels. The main concerns were: A) could not see brake calipers with 21" B) 22" would be rougher ride, C) 22" likely had better handling D) Live in northeast and 21" seemed better suited to weather and road conditions.
It looks like A is moot now. I currently drive a Yukon Denali with 22" wheels, but the vehicle has an air suspension that really works well to dampen hard bumps. Are there any current Rivian owners that can say how the Rivian rides with the 22" wheels?
It looks like A is moot now. I currently drive a Yukon Denali with 22" wheels, but the vehicle has an air suspension that really works well to dampen hard bumps. Are there any current Rivian owners that can say how the Rivian rides with the 22" wheels?
^ sad to say, there are zero current Rivian owners (posting anyway) on this forum. Rivian has so far delivered vehicles to company employees and insiders.. and maybe a handful (if that many) non-employee buyers.
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Interesting. I was going east on the Belt Pkwy in Brooklyn NY late summer 2021 and saw a R1S going west. Of course if you know the Belt traffic usually moves slow so I had time to recognize it. So, I guess I thought there was a good number out there already.
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Only 2 production R1S have been delivered, to date. One to the CEO, and another to the CFO, I believe.
The R1T has more production deliveries -- somewhere between 600-1200, afaik.
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So, did I see an R1T? I recall clearly the front, but now I am having doubts as to what the back end looked like. Or, did I see the CEO or CFO motoring around Brooklyn?
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The two R1S deliveries occurred in December 2021 -- so you didn't see either of those units.
It's possible you saw a pre-production R1S test mule. It's also possible you saw a pre-production R1T or one of the earliest production R1Ts.
Can I borrow some extra space in your garage and maybe store some extra wheels too?
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Do you know where (address) in Brooklyn. I could visit it in the next couple of weeks.Rivian has a Service Center located in Brooklyn, so you might have seen one of their demo/tour trucks in the area.
The Belt Pky would definitely be a good torture test/proving ground for the mechanical suspension elements that's for sure
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