Rivian has started production of R1T trucks equipped with their new in-house developed Enduro dual-motor drive unit. The first deliveries of these newer, more affordable electric trucks are scheduled to begin in June.
Production of the Enduro drive unit first started in February, but at the time was limited to the automaker’s electric delivery vans. Now the R1T is the next Rivian vehicle to receive the Enduro drive unit, with the first dual-motor R1T rolling off the production line this week.
The first customer Dual-Motor R1T rolled off the line this week, helping us continue to ramp Quad-Motor and our commercial van line. Deliveries start in June. https://t.co/E7Q5w5MCZo pic.twitter.com/LmH6b4dD7X
— Rivian (@Rivian) May 25, 2023
The introduction of the Enduro powertrain makes the R1T more affordable, now starting with a base price of $73,000 USD. The new lower price means the R1T now qualifies for a partial US EV tax credit of $3,750.
Delivery of the dual-motor R1T models are scheduled to begin in June, although the exact configurations of the first batch of vehicles to be delivered was not disclosed.
“I’m unbelievably proud of what all our teams have accomplished. Introducing our Dual-Motor variants is a major milestone in ramping our facility to its full capacity, and they have done a great job working across so many functions to make this happen,” said Tim Fallon, Rivian VP, Manufacturing Operations
Rivian announced their decision to adopt the Enduro powertrain for R1T trucks and R1S SUVs due to supply constraints with the more powerful quad-motor powertrain. While the more powerful variant will still be offered, the addition of the Enduro dual-motor variant will help Rivian address production delays they have been struggling with since their launch.
The Enduro dual-motor system on the R1T delivers a still impressive 600 horsepower, while an Enhanced options pushes that to 700 horsepower. In comparison, the quad-motor delivers 835 horsepower. Rivian claims the Enduro powertrain will offer a range of up to 400 miles (644km), although these figures are yet to be officially confirmed. The quad-motor setup, without the optional max battery pack, provides a maximum range of 321 miles (517km).
