The Rivian R1T is marketed as an electric adventure vehicle perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. Rivian may or may not want to update their marketing material to include something a little different after a doctor in Texas recently completed a vasectomy powered by the electric pickup truck.
The unusual procedure was completed by Dr Christopher Yang, a urologist in Austin. Dr Yang shared on Twitter this week that his office suffered a power outage just before a patient was scheduled to receive a vasectomy.
According to Yang the patient didn’t want to reschedule because he already had the time off work. That’s when one of his staff members jokingly suggested using Yang’s R1T as a mobile generator to power the equipment necessary to complete the procedure.
“There was no lightbulb moment, but my staff and I were discussing whether to cancel the vasectomy due to the power outage. One of them jokingly mentioned that we should run it off of the Rivian,” Yang told The Drive.
After discussing the pros and cons, the patient agreed to the plan. With an extension cord from one of the R1T’s four 110v outlets, Yang plugged in his electrocautery machine and a small fan and safely completed the procedure, claiming it to be the world’s first Rivian-powered vasectomy (and we don’t doubt it).
I performed what is likely the world's first @Rivian powered vasectomy today. Power in clinic went out, patient didn't want to reschedule cause he already had time off. Electrocautery was normal, procedure went great! #rivianstories #rivian pic.twitter.com/VLDg91r37d
— Christopher Yang (@ChrisYangMD) September 1, 2022
As unusual as a vasectomy powered by an electric vehicle sounds, it really isn’t such a radical idea when you think about. As The Drive points out, the R1T’s four outlets provide exactly the same amount of power that a regular outlet in your home provides (1.5kW at 110v).
Apparently an electrocautery machine doesn’t draw more power than that, so there is no fundamental difference between plugging it into a wall outlet in the office, or in the bed of your electric pickup truck.
