Rivian's First Towing Efficiency Test Shows Big, but Manageable, Losses in Range

Rivian Automotive Inc RIVN recently started deliveries of its long-anticipated R1T all-electric pickup truck. The company is the first to put into the market an all-electric pickup, which has an EPA estimated range of 314 miles. It can also tow up to 11,000 pounds.

But both of these specs can't be achieved simultaneously. 

Drive Tesla Canada shares a Rivian R1T owner's test of the truck's towing abilities. Rivian says towing will reduce the range by about 50% on its website, but this tester found the range loss was a bit higher.

Towing is one of the most demanding tasks to ask of an electric vehicle. While the powerful torque will help get you going, the added weight and the increased aerodynamic drag will reduce the range significantly. Other factors such as elevation change, speed and weather will also affect range.

In testing, the R1T owners showed that at 37% battery remaining they had just 44 miles of electric range left. That would put their 100% range around 118 miles, or 62% less than EPA rated while not towing. This towing was also done at highway speeds. The testers expected to make a charging stop every 120 miles approximately, so the energy use was within their expectations. 

While an abundance of chargers makes the owner's trip manageable, if an EV driver is looking to go far off the grid, they will need to keep their energy use in mind. Hauling extremely large items to the middle of nowhere may not be the best option unless charging is available along the way. 

Photo courtesy of Rivian