Rivian drops price $3,100 on R1T, R1S EVs

Rivian has cut the price on its R1T and R1S electric utility vehicles and introduced a new mid-range battery pack, the electric vehicle automaker announced on Thursday. 

A $3,100 price cut means the R1T pickup truck now starts at $71,700, and the R1S three-row SUV now starts at $76,700. All prices include an $1,800 destination fee.  

The Standard has a 106-kwh (usable) battery pack, good for 270 miles of range. The Standard pack could be reserved prior to this, but now Rivian has enabled customers to build the truck with it from the configurator.

The new battery pack is dubbed Standard+, and it’s rated at 121 kwh with an EPA-rated range of 315 miles. It brings the price to $74,800 for the R1T and $79,800 for the R1S. Since the related utility vehicles cost below $80,000, they qualify for the federal EV tax credit, which is up to $3,750 for Rivian. 

Both vehicles with the Standard or Standard+ packs come with Rivian’s base powertrain, the 533-hp Dual-Motor AWD setup. They ride on 21-inch wheels and can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. 

The Standard+ pack can be upgraded to the 665-hp Performance Dual-Motor AWD grade for another $5,000 in both the R1T and R1S. The Performance model adds Sport and Sand driving modes, and it can hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. 

The Standard and Standard+ join the Large and Max battery pack sizes to give shoppers a wider range of options. Both the Large and Max packs can be equipped on the Dual-Motor models, but the top Quad-Motor AWD model can only be had with the Large pack. 

The 135-kwh Large pack now carries more range than when it first launched, with up to 352 miles of range from 314 miles in 2022. Models with this pack ride on 21-inch wheels with street tires, though all-terrains are available for a price ($3,850) and a reduction in range (down to 307 miles). The Large pack is the only pack offered on all three grades of the R1T and R1S; just add $9,100 to the base price of each. 

At $81,800, the Large pack and its 352-mile range in the Dual-Motor AWD just misses the cutoff for the tax credit. 

The 149-kwh Max pack that launched last year has a 410-mile range with the R1T and a 400-mile range on the R1S. That big pack adds $19,100 to the base price. The R1T with the Max pack and Performance Dual-Motor AWD costs $95,800, whereas the R1S in the same configuration tops the lineup at $100,800. 

The new battery pack offering as well as the cost structure previews the possible pack sizes for the forthcoming Rivian R2, a smaller and more affordable electric vehicle from Rivian set to debut on March 7.