[Logan]

Hello, brand new here. My wife and I live in SLC, UT, have 5 little kids and we do just about everything active outdoors that we can with them. We look forward to ski trips, hiking, canyoneering, touring national parks, and camping in the R1S! We reserved the R1S after following with great interest for many years. It will replace our premium-gas-guzzling 2014 Audi Q7. We heavily considered the Model X but it just does not fit our needs. Trunk space is minimal and it isn't exactly built for adventures, to say the least. For one, you can't put a box on top of a car that has gull wings!! We have followed the Model Y's development but it has been plagued with quality issues and while the 7-seat model has been promised and anticipated and prototyped, it has yet to become available and would be a very tight squeeze for our family of 7. I might get a Tesla for my daily commuter, some day. But their off-road capability would be a joke compared to the R1S and I would have to take the R1S if I'm answering a hospital call during Snowmageddon.

Why did we commit to the R1S? I believe in this company's vision, culture, and commitment. I believe the car will deliver on its promise to be dependable with minimal maintenance needs, extremely safe, and extremely capable. Most days, we just need something to cart the kids around from point A to point B on hilly roads sometimes in the snow. (I love that RJ and his kids are giving the R1T a thorough beta test as we speak). But when we're ready for an adventure, we want to be able to pack all 5 kids into the car plus gear and access remote hiking and canyoneering trailheads on sandy dirt roads in Southern Utah and access backcountry skiing (and resort skiing) locations around Salt Lake City.

The design and appearance of the R1S to me is the reincarnation of a Swiss Army Knife as an SUV. Every little nook and cranny has hidden functions and features for your next adventure. Come across a fellow EV in the wilderness with 1% battery? Oh, let's just hook you up with a little juice. Camping with the kiddos and the toddler won't stay in their bag and it's 2am and 35 degrees out? Oh, let me just plug in our mini space heater to the car with an extension cord for a bit. Driving down a narrow dirt road that "feels" like the right path to that canyon you're trying to find and it dead-ends? Oh, let's just turn on tank mode and flip this rig around. And, of course, I can't wait to try putting groceries in the frunk!

Although a lot of competition has suddenly sprung up during Rivian's long, slow, methodical development, I doubt any of these other companies will deliver a more capable or respectable option. In my opinion the only other practical consideration at this time is Tesla, but the culture and feel at Tesla is so different. They are so focused on software and self-driving; in my opinion, Tesla is perfect for the daily commuter who wears a suit and tie and doesn't wander off road, ever, while Rivian is perfect for those of us who choose to live closer to the places we play than the places we work. The idea of Tesla building a truck just doesn't seem to fit the company's image and I don't think Elon Musk would connect with the customer base that Rivian is rapidly building. Yes, I believe Rivian's self-driving software will lag behind Tesla for years, but they have all of the hardware for Level 5 self-driving capability and the over-the-air updates will add functionality. I'm sure RJ and the others have big dreams but they aren't going to over-promise and under-deliver (think Robo-taxis). Instead, he will "let the results speak for themselves."

I would love to hear others' stories. Why did you commit to a Rivian?

 

[Wildabeest]

Welcome Logan! As a Tesla Model S owner (and also a Utahan - Park City) for 5+ years, I totally agree with all of your points above. I was an early EV adopter when I lived back east and the Tesla served my needs fine. But after moving to the Rocky Mountains, I needed something more offroad capable and ended up having to add a 4Runner to my garage. I’ve been anxiously waiting ever since for the day I could do a 2 for 1 replacement. I was very early on the reservation list for a Bollinger, but when they upped the price from $65-80k to $125k at their official reveal, I bailed and immediately preordered a Rivian R1T. I also looked at the Nikola Badger, but was concerned about hydrogen viability and infrastructure, as well as some of the corporate shenanigans at Nikola. I also really like the new Hummer, which was revealed long after I reserved my Rivian, but the $112k sticker and longer wait has me set on the Rivian. I’m guessing I’ll get my truck in the Oct/Nov timeframe. Can’t wait! I’m hoping they put a service center and experience center in SLC, but I’m guessing that won’t be in the first wave. But we can always hope (and lobby them!).

My needs are comparable to yours except I’m past the kid phase. I have off grid properties in UT, WY, MT and NM that are 5-20 miles down dirt roads. I’m an avid outdoorsman and hunter. I also like to play around on the trails around Moab and the rest of the desert southwest canyons - both in my 4Runner and my SxS. Bottom line is the R1T check’s most if not all of the boxes for me. The biggest concern for me is the lack of 400 mile battery on the LE, and lack of DCFC charging infrastructure in many of the places I need to go. I’m hopeful the latter improvEs quickly to alleviate the issue with the former.

 

[lefkonj]

I chose my R1S because I utilize the space in an SUV routinely. Whether that be for home projects, kids going off to college, scuba diving or any other number of things that a car just won't cut it. I wanted to leave ICE behind me, but the Audi e-tron just doesn't have the range and I am not a fan of the Tesla X or Y. Rivian fits my needs and I am excited to see what happens with all EVs over the next 5 years.

 

[eHauler]

R1S is what I'll get simply for the reason that there's nothing like it.
Where else can we find an all-electric utility that does many traditional SUV things?

 

[KenJ]

Hello, brand new here. My wife and I live in SLC, UT, have 5 little kids and we do just about everything active outdoors that we can with them. We look forward to ski trips, hiking, canyoneering, touring national parks, and camping in the R1S! We reserved the R1S after following with great interest for many years. It will replace our premium-gas-guzzling 2014 Audi Q7. We heavily considered the Model X but it just does not fit our needs. Trunk space is minimal and it isn't exactly built for adventures, to say the least. For one, you can't put a box on top of a car that has gull wings!! We have followed the Model Y's development but it has been plagued with quality issues and while the 7-seat model has been promised and anticipated and prototyped, it has yet to become available and would be a very tight squeeze for our family of 7. I might get a Tesla for my daily commuter, some day. But their off-road capability would be a joke compared to the R1S and I would have to take the R1S if I'm answering a hospital call during Snowmageddon.

Why did we commit to the R1S? I believe in this company's vision, culture, and commitment. I believe the car will deliver on its promise to be dependable with minimal maintenance needs, extremely safe, and extremely capable. Most days, we just need something to cart the kids around from point A to point B on hilly roads sometimes in the snow. (I love that RJ and his kids are giving the R1T a thorough beta test as we speak). But when we're ready for an adventure, we want to be able to pack all 5 kids into the car plus gear and access remote hiking and canyoneering trailheads on sandy dirt roads in Southern Utah and access backcountry skiing (and resort skiing) locations around Salt Lake City.

The design and appearance of the R1S to me is the reincarnation of a Swiss Army Knife as an SUV. Every little nook and cranny has hidden functions and features for your next adventure. Come across a fellow EV in the wilderness with 1% battery? Oh, let's just hook you up with a little juice. Camping with the kiddos and the toddler won't stay in their bag and it's 2am and 35 degrees out? Oh, let me just plug in our mini space heater to the car with an extension cord for a bit. Driving down a narrow dirt road that "feels" like the right path to that canyon you're trying to find and it dead-ends? Oh, let's just turn on tank mode and flip this rig around. And, of course, I can't wait to try putting groceries in the frunk!

Although a lot of competition has suddenly sprung up during Rivian's long, slow, methodical development, I doubt any of these other companies will deliver a more capable or respectable option. In my opinion the only other practical consideration at this time is Tesla, but the culture and feel at Tesla is so different. They are so focused on software and self-driving; in my opinion, Tesla is perfect for the daily commuter who wears a suit and tie and doesn't wander off road, ever, while Rivian is perfect for those of us who choose to live closer to the places we play than the places we work. The idea of Tesla building a truck just doesn't seem to fit the company's image and I don't think Elon Musk would connect with the customer base that Rivian is rapidly building. Yes, I believe Rivian's self-driving software will lag behind Tesla for years, but they have all of the hardware for Level 5 self-driving capability and the over-the-air updates will add functionality. I'm sure RJ and the others have big dreams but they aren't going to over-promise and under-deliver (think Robo-taxis). Instead, he will "let the results speak for themselves."

I would love to hear others' stories. Why did you commit to a Rivian?

I was interested in the R1S until, in the fine print, they noted the 7 seater would not have the larger battery. So far all claims of mileage have been deflated by 10-15% so my guess was the 400 mile range was going to be closer to 350 not bad but I think the magic number will be a true 450 mile range. So when finding out the R1S seven seater would not have the 400 range I was justified the R1T but again that 400 mile range truck will not be out till 2022. So back to waiting and we will see. Rivian is the best looking EV and has awesome capabilities which I love but as already been said they are behind in autonomous driving but so are many other car manufacturers. Tesla is significantly ahead of everyone in that area and if they chose to build a vehicle more comparable to a R1T or R1S Tesla would be able to make one of those much quicker than all the other manufacturers would have in catching up to the Tesla technology, soon to be battery domination, and there charging grid. Tesla’s biggest facility will be in the heartland of the pick-up truck world. Basically a mid size truck like Rivians and a truck like a F-150 would cover (guessing) about 75% of truck sales and that with this quote from CNET
“In April, more buyers purchased trucks than passenger cars for the first time ever in US history. Bloomberg reported on data from Autodata Corporation on Monday that showed pickups outsold cars by just over 17,000 units.May 5, 2020”
would basically be the market to go after in the truck world which would make the company the dominant force in that segment and have a powerful force in vehicle sales all together.
Tesla has the most difficult aspect of the EV market sorted out (technology, charging stations and possibly the battery production with the 48/60 cell). I like Rivian and will wait and see but as of now I think they have a long way to go in the autonomy world and hopefully they are able to get the 48/60 cell type battery (which would greatly help for the room they need to fit in a R1S so it can still be a 7 seater with 400 plus mileage range). So in the end I will buy a Tesla Model X (albeit none of their vehicles look good and that model is the worst design because of the falcon wing doors, but since I rarely need the back seats it is the best one for a midsize CUV/SUV) and will buy a R1T when the 400 mile battery is available and grow with that car as it matures technology wise. If Tesla were to make a normal looking truck or SUV seven seater I would be interested in something like that but then again by that time Rivian could be caught up enough on the technology side to be perfectly happy to stick with that brand. All in all I love the EV model approach and had test drive a model X for about a week and wanted to buy one so bad but back a couple years ago refuse to buy it because of the falcon doors. Looks like I will have to jump that hurdle and move on 🙂

 

[Wtitus3]

I have a 2013 Chevy Volt I bought new. Have 95,000 miles on it. Only trouble it has given me is couple of flat tires -- there is NO spare so basically you need a tow with a flat. What a pain. But truly, other than that, have put a bit of fuel in it, changed the oil in the generator and that's it. I have been waiting for the 300+ range for an EV. As I was evaluating some of the Korean manufacturers, given that I live in Plymouth, Michigan, heard about Rivian and knew that I wanted an R1S with the extended range pack. Reading the forum...learned that they don't plan this for the 7-seater. Hope they change the config before I finalize my options!

 

[Logan]

I envy your 95k miles of experience with an EV. I would've gone electric years ago but I absolutely have to have 4wd where I live. I too have been wondering if I'll want the extended range pack but the drawback to me is the massive weight of that 180kV battery that honestly you will not need unless you're regularly doing road trips.

For example, the 100kWh Tesla battery weighs 625 kg or 1377 pounds. A 180kW battery at the same energy density would weigh 1125 kg or 2480 lb (1.24 tons).

 

[travwill]

Tesla S and X owner here but got rid of them due to quality issues. Never had cars in the shop so much so am going to avoid that brand. Stupid crap like the driver seat coming unbolted right after delivery, leaks, MCU failures, so many things. Prob an aggregate of 100+ days in shop between them.

Like Rivian here due to the size (R1T but comfy for 5). The range (going with max pack). And the what I hope will be strong known quality.

Words of wisdom:
1. Model Y seats 6-7 are utterly unusable.
2. Model X seats 6-7 are almost unusable and not too comfy. Better if you do the 6 seat version at best, but then you lose all of 2nd row fold down cargo utility which sucks.
3. Compared to Rivian, Teslas are actually overpriced.
4. Tesla’s are delicate cars. Won’t last.

 

[eHauler]

Tesla S and X owner here but got rid of them due to quality issues. Never had cars in the shop so much so am going to avoid that brand. Stupid crap like the driver seat coming unbolted right after delivery, leaks, MCU failures, so many things. Prob an aggregate of 100+ days in shop between them.

Like Rivian here due to the size (R1T but comfy for 5). The range (going with max pack). And the what I hope will be strong known quality.

Words of wisdom:
1. Model Y seats 6-7 are utterly unusable.
2. Model X seats 6-7 are almost unusable and not too comfy. Better if you do the 6 seat version at best, but then you lose all of 2nd row fold down cargo utility which sucks.
3. Compared to Rivian, Teslas are actually overpriced.
4. Tesla’s are delicate cars. Won’t last.

I've heard so many stories like that about Tesla, so much that I project conquest sales from them to brands like Rivian will be strong. Rivian might not even have to offer a "conquest incentive" to lure people in. It might also be why Tesla/Musk are finally publicly acknowledging these issues.

In Epically Nerdy Interview, Elon Musk Discusses Build Quality Problems With Engineer Who Compared Model 3 To 'A Kia In The '90s'

Elon Musk is taking accountability for Tesla’s manufacturing failures. He recently sat down with one of Tesla’s biggest build-quality critics, manufacturing expert Sandy Munro, founder of the benchmarking consultancy Munro & Associates. Here’s what Musk had to say about large panel gaps and...

jalopnik.com

 

[Hotchocol8babydoc]

I went electric for grins and giggles A birthday present for me (fiat 500e) My very first car was a 76 Beretone X1/9 so I figured why not just to see.... Although the range wasn't that great with my fiat I knew I had become a EV fan and that there would be specifics that I would be looking for in my next EV. 3 hours to charge only to get 88 miles was a bummer. I was looking at a Tesla, but Im not too impressed with the car or the company anymore and that's why I decided to take a harder and longer look at Rivian. This didn't help control the kid in me either....

Watch Rivian's electric SUV climb an insane 45-degree slope like it's nothing

In a new video, we can watch Rivian’s latest R1S electric SUV prototype climb an insane 45-degree slope like it’s...

electrek.co

I'm prior military, so I LOVE to travel, cook, hike, and wake up in wonderful places, countries, towns and cities far off the beaten path. The mission statement of Rivians' company falls right in line with my ideals so, This vehicle seems like it's going to be perfect! I'll be placing my order December 31! Now I have to decide what color I want! And upgrade my life insurance policy!

 

[Spare Time Toys]

I went with R1T because we need a truck about 2/3 times a month. My son took my Tundra and I don't like asking him to borrow it. We have a Highlander for my wife that only gets about 10000 miles a year so we will keep it and have the truck so our fuel bill will be next to nothing since chargers at work are free.

 

[JimmyEV]

I went with R1T because we need a truck about 2/3 times a month. My son took my Tundra and I don't like asking him to borrow it. We have a Highlander for my wife that only gets about 10000 miles a year so we will keep it and have the truck so our fuel bill will be next to nothing since chargers at work are free.

What kind of highlander do you and your wife have? Is it a hybrid?

 

[@Boise]

Why I chose and am sticking with Rivian R1T:

• Great design - perfect size and looks great
• Performance and features
• Environmentally Responsible
• No dealership involvement

 

[Spare Time Toys]

What kind of highlander do you and your wife have? Is it a hybrid?

2020 Limited. Didn't think the extra cost for a hybrid was worth it for the little bit we use it. The truck goes 70+ miles a day to work and back.

 

[Wandering42D]

At the time I reserved the R1S (02/2020) it was the most likely "full sized" electric SUV to get to into my garage. My only real requirement is all the back seats/rows fold "flat." Don't need a 3rd row. For various reasons the minimum usable range is good enough for me to abandon ICE. At the time of this posting, it's still the most likely all electric SUV to get in my garage first (Q4 2022) and so nothing's changed.

 

[jbowen]

I chose Rivian because it hits a sweet spot in vehicle size, performance and price. The other EV truck options don't really have the performance or range of the Rivian and are really revisions of their current trucks. I don't really need the full size of the regular trucks and this filled the bill. It was a tough choice between the T and the S. In the end chose the R1T though the R1S looks like a phenomenal vehicle. I will keep my brand new Durango SUV and the R1T fills the space created after trading in my Ram 1500. I ordered the Max Pack for the range as we plan some long road trips with it and anything to minimize stops works for me.

 

[paulcoble4827]

I was interested in the R1S until, in the fine print, they noted the 7 seater would not have the larger battery. So far all claims of mileage have been deflated by 10-15% so my guess was the 400 mile range was going to be closer to 350 not bad but I think the magic number will be a true 450 mile range. So when finding out the R1S seven seater would not have the 400 range I was justified the R1T but again that 400 mile range truck will not be out till 2022. So back to waiting and we will see. Rivian is the best looking EV and has awesome capabilities which I love but as already been said they are behind in autonomous driving but so are many other car manufacturers. Tesla is significantly ahead of everyone in that area and if they chose to build a vehicle more comparable to a R1T or R1S Tesla would be able to make one of those much quicker than all the other manufacturers would have in catching up to the Tesla technology, soon to be battery domination, and there charging grid. Tesla’s biggest facility will be in the heartland of the pick-up truck world. Basically a mid size truck like Rivians and a truck like a F-150 would cover (guessing) about 75% of truck sales and that with this quote from CNET
“In April, more buyers purchased trucks than passenger cars for the first time ever in US history. Bloomberg reported on data from Autodata Corporation on Monday that showed pickups outsold cars by just over 17,000 units.May 5, 2020”
would basically be the market to go after in the truck world which would make the company the dominant force in that segment and have a powerful force in vehicle sales all together.
Tesla has the most difficult aspect of the EV market sorted out (technology, charging stations and possibly the battery production with the 48/60 cell). I like Rivian and will wait and see but as of now I think they have a long way to go in the autonomy world and hopefully they are able to get the 48/60 cell type battery (which would greatly help for the room they need to fit in a R1S so it can still be a 7 seater with 400 plus mileage range). So in the end I will buy a Tesla Model X (albeit none of their vehicles look good and that model is the worst design because of the falcon wing doors, but since I rarely need the back seats it is the best one for a midsize CUV/SUV) and will buy a R1T when the 400 mile battery is available and grow with that car as it matures technology wise. If Tesla were to make a normal looking truck or SUV seven seater I would be interested in something like that but then again by that time Rivian could be caught up enough on the technology side to be perfectly happy to stick with that brand. All in all I love the EV model approach and had test drive a model X for about a week and wanted to buy one so bad but back a couple years ago refuse to buy it because of the falcon doors. Looks like I will have to jump that hurdle and move on 🙂

I'm new the forum and to placing my preorder, so I've a lot to learn.

But I think it might help to use Rivian terminology when speaking of batteries for the R1S.

insofar as I understand it, the smallest range battery is the "Standard Battery", which is LFP and has an estimated range of 260 miles. The next battery up, in the Adventure trim, is the "Large Battery", with an estimated range of 316 miles. The biggest battery is called the "Max Pack "and will when available have an estimated range of slightly more than 400 miles; but, is a $10,000 add on and won't be available until 2023. Standard, then Large and then Max Pack. Thus, "Large" doesn't mean the biggest, but "Standard" means the smallest.

Though I'm not sure the Max Pack will be offered in the R1S, even if it would be I'm not inclined to pay $10,000 for an additional 84 miles of range. That's about $130 pretax per mile of additional range.

Now you old timers who've been in the que much much longer than me please correct me if I got this all wrong. And I appreciate that the additional range may be attractive or even necessary for you rock crawlers out there. Godspeedd and go for it.

 

[sciencegeek]

Looks like you have just about everything right in your post. Which pack to choose is a personal preference; for my balance of price, availability, and functionality, the large pack is perfect. I don't want to wait longer and pay more for the max pack, and the standard's range is not quite what I'd like to have. So it's the large for me.

 

[paulcoble4827]

I was interested in the R1S until, in the fine print, they noted the 7 seater would not have the larger battery. So far all claims of mileage have been deflated by 10-15% so my guess was the 400 mile range was going to be closer to 350 not bad but I think the magic number will be a true 450 mile range. So when finding out the R1S seven seater would not have the 400 range I was justified the R1T but again that 400 mile range truck will not be out till 2022. So back to waiting and we will see. Rivian is the best looking EV and has awesome capabilities which I love but as already been said they are behind in autonomous driving but so are many other car manufacturers. Tesla is significantly ahead of everyone in that area and if they chose to build a vehicle more comparable to a R1T or R1S Tesla would be able to make one of those much quicker than all the other manufacturers would have in catching up to the Tesla technology, soon to be battery domination, and there charging grid. Tesla’s biggest facility will be in the heartland of the pick-up truck world. Basically a mid size truck like Rivians and a truck like a F-150 would cover (guessing) about 75% of truck sales and that with this quote from CNET
“In April, more buyers purchased trucks than passenger cars for the first time ever in US history. Bloomberg reported on data from Autodata Corporation on Monday that showed pickups outsold cars by just over 17,000 units.May 5, 2020”
would basically be the market to go after in the truck world which would make the company the dominant force in that segment and have a powerful force in vehicle sales all together.
Tesla has the most difficult aspect of the EV market sorted out (technology, charging stations and possibly the battery production with the 48/60 cell). I like Rivian and will wait and see but as of now I think they have a long way to go in the autonomy world and hopefully they are able to get the 48/60 cell type battery (which would greatly help for the room they need to fit in a R1S so it can still be a 7 seater with 400 plus mileage range). So in the end I will buy a Tesla Model X (albeit none of their vehicles look good and that model is the worst design because of the falcon wing doors, but since I rarely need the back seats it is the best one for a midsize CUV/SUV) and will buy a R1T when the 400 mile battery is available and grow with that car as it matures technology wise. If Tesla were to make a normal looking truck or SUV seven seater I would be interested in something like that but then again by that time Rivian could be caught up enough on the technology side to be perfectly happy to stick with that brand. All in all I love the EV model approach and had test drive a model X for about a week and wanted to buy one so bad but back a couple years ago refuse to buy it because of the falcon doors. Looks like I will have to jump that hurdle and move on 🙂

I chose the R1S for many of the reasons expressed by Ken J.
I have waited the better part of five decades of my driving life for this car to come along and get me away from ICE. Earlier EVs were not very roomy and had grocery store range. And I was really impressed when I cautiously introduced my wife to Rivian as heretofore she would not for a momententertainn the notion of an allelectrict vehicle. After I walked her through all the features of the R1S she said that we should enter our preorder right away.
And forgive me if I offend, but Tesla design is just too weird looking for me; what Tesla calls an SUV is just a lumpy pregnant looking sedan. And I don't trust Mr. Musk any further than I could throw him.
I've been an SUV driver for 20 years and the R1S is for us a hand to glove fit.
I like the range of the large pack at EPA 316. Not huge, but on longer trips I need to get out of the car every couple of hours anyway. We already make three stops driving from the Sacramento area to L.A. (about 500 miles), so having to recharge along the way really doesn't alter our trip experience. And having to put some forethought into a trip plan is always a good thing, so doing that now to hit necessary charging stops is just part of the mix of well thought out travel.
And, please, I do not mean to denigrate you hard core rock crawlers who need the extra range and are willing to pay $10,000 for it sometime next year. If you need that, then it's nice Rivian can offer that.
The performance offered is astounding to me and is a big draw. Even hybrid SUVs we've looked at would void our warranty if we so much as drove on an unpaved road, and herewe havee the R1S not only allowing off road driving but building specifically for it. I'm not a rock crawler, but I do some photography and fly fishing where it will be nice to leave the pavement for a while.
Also, the interior space and appointments look to be appropriately comfortable and luxurious.
I know that EVs aren't totally green; carbon emission from mining battery ingredients, generating electrical power for the grid, etc. But damn it, this is a move we have to make sooner rather than later. Those ancillary impacts are alreadystartingg to be mitigated and will get better over time. But I don't have that many driving years left, and I want it to be in this car. For that I'll take a "Greener" car, even though perhaps not yet "Deep Forest Green".
Yes, Rivian is having it's issues and has made some bad decisions. Show of hands, please, from all of you who've never fucked up. Despite the fits, starts and stumbles, this Company is moving in the right direction. I mean if someone in a business management class in 2019 had made up a hypothetical that mirrored the last two years of disruption from COVID and now from Czar Putin's invasion, everyone would have said, "Oh, come on now, get real; that would never happen". Yet it has happened to us and so it's happened to Rivian.
Remember that the measure of character is not found in the absence of error, but in the acknowledgement of one's error, ownership, correction, and a resolve not to repeat that mistake. Rivian did that within a single day following the price increase debacle. And Rivian had exactly no legal obligation to have done that. Name the corporations that have done this following even mistakes that were crimes.
Could circumstances arise that would make me pull out of this deal? I can never say never. But I can say that I'm in and that I intend to stay the course, even knowing I won't see my R1S before the second half of next year.

 

[EaglesPDX]

Drive to PC from PDX every year. The bikaneering rig that seems most popular is my friend's kid's Tacoma. Usually 20 somethings, some with a kid or two but FIVE kids in a Tacoma or Rivian seems to be pushing it. Bikes on a hitch, gear on the roof. And then the range issue with a full load and all that wind resistance on top, probably 40% of rated range leaving a 10% reserve, with no charging at remote areas. Just don't know how practical that would be for a big (and growing fast) family. Best compromise would be an e-Tron for the daily and local ski trips and have Suburban for the trekking. You'd be cutting your emissions by 50%.

You could fit everyone in the RS1 with personal gear and get one of those EV travel trailers for gear. They have a 50kWh battery and power to the wheels plus solar to power at the sight and give you full range in the EV since there's no tow load. Those are just starting to come out, mostly in EU where the small trailer tow is common.