Motortrend Rivian R1T First Drive

[MickeyAO]

In the last 8 years, I've had to put my truck in 4x4 for a total of 7 days, with 5 of those coming in February 2021 during the deep Texas freeze.

Sponsored

 

[astricklin]

In the last 8 years, I've had to put my truck in 4x4 for a total of 7 days, with 5 of those coming in February 2021 during the deep Texas freeze.

I feel like most people can say the same thing for how often they use it. Most could have made due without the 4x4 and saved a lot on initial cost and maintenance and also saved fuel.

 

[sotek2345]

I feel like most people can say the same thing for how often they use it. Most could have made due without the 4x4 and saved a lot on initial cost and maintenance and also saved fuel.

I use it a lot more than that up North, but then snow will do that.

 

[Villageidit]

I use it a lot more than that up North, but then snow will do that.

Moved from Northern New York to Tennessee last year. Put my truck into auto 4 wheel a couple of times all winter. Needed 4H and 4L all the time in NY.

 

[greenne]

I use it a lot more than that up North, but then snow will do that.

Amen. We've been getting a few days of deep snow the past few years. My awd wagon is great for the slippery stuff..will be good to have something for the deep stuff.

 

[fitek]

Early testing on Direct Current Fast Charging ((DCFC) since Level 3 is actually for 240 VAC and has not been set in standards yet) from several years ago showed a devastating effect on the cells harvested from a Tesla Model S when following the recorded DCFC profile. Most of the damage from DCFC comes from lithium plating.

I built ebikes back in the 2000s and was an EAA member (where folks were converting cars to EVs) and with lead acid I recall depth of discharge and rate of charge/discharge affected cycle and calendar life. Does this not matter with EV lithium ion packs? I suppose the discharge rate is probably relatively low given how big packs are these days (e.g. my Makita batteries, since they are so small, need to charge at 20C and discharge rate is even higher). But sizing a lead acid pack where your daily drive knocked it down to 20% meant a lot less life then if you went bigger and only ran it down to 50%. This assumed the battery gets topped off at the end of the day.

 

[MickeyAO]

I built ebikes back in the 2000s and was an EAA member (where folks were converting cars to EVs) and with lead acid I recall depth of discharge and rate of charge/discharge affected cycle and calendar life. Does this not matter with EV lithium ion packs? I suppose the discharge rate is probably relatively low given how big packs are these days (e.g. my Makita batteries, since they are so small, need to charge at 20C and discharge rate is even higher). But sizing a lead acid pack where your daily drive knocked it down to 20% meant a lot less life then if you went bigger and only ran it down to 50%. This assumed the battery gets topped off at the end of the day.

Depth of discharge, discharge rate, and all the other worries about lead-acid battery performance also applies to Li-ion packs, just with more devastating consequences if you get them wrong, but for very completely different reasons that I really don't care to get into. For most of the latest chemistries out there, think C/3 for a standard charge rate and C/2 discharge rate. Very few chemistries could handle 20C rates nowadays (but I have tested them in the past 10 years and still have some of those A123 cells in-house for special purposes).

 

[MickeyAO]

I feel like most people can say the same thing for how often they use it. Most could have made due without the 4x4 and saved a lot on initial cost and maintenance and also saved fuel.

Yes, I could have saved money by forgoing the 4x4, but with the knowledge I might need it once every 3-4 years and how important it will be for my job, I will gladly pay the price.

 

[Maxx]

Yes, I could have saved money by forgoing the 4x4, but with the knowledge I might need it once every 3-4 years and how important it will be for my job, I will gladly pay the price.

I feel the same. Even though my old front wheel drive sedan got me through some rough stuff without missing a beat, my wife's outback is our go to vehicle in winter.

With EVs things may be a bit different than a traditional 4x4, especially with Rivian with a motor at each wheel. Shift in power delivery to different wheel could be much more frequent than once every 3-4 years. Even if you don't go off road and use drift mode or tank turn, on a regular road trip on asphalt on a turn, it could send appropriate amount of torque to each wheel to keep you planted. I believe Tesla uses different motor in front and back. One more efficient at highway speed and the other provide more power. It decide to use how much of each based on what is needed. Granted there is more things that could go wrong but avoiding complications in this day and age is fighting an uphill battle.

 

[astricklin]

I feel the same. Even though my old front wheel drive sedan got me through some rough stuff without missing a beat, my wife's outback is our go to vehicle in winter.

With EVs things may be a bit different than a traditional 4x4, especially with Rivian with a motor at each wheel. Shift in power delivery to different wheel could be much more frequent than once every 3-4 years. Even if you don't go off road and use drift mode or tank turn, on a regular road trip on asphalt on a turn, it could send appropriate amount of torque to each wheel to keep you planted. I believe Tesla uses different motor in front and back. One more efficient at highway speed and the other provide more power. It decide to use how much of each based on what is needed. Granted there is more things that could go wrong but avoiding complications in this day and age is fighting an uphill battle.

Even with 4 motors there are way way way fewer moving parts than an ice powertrain

 

[fitek]

Depth of discharge, discharge rate, and all the other worries about lead-acid battery performance also applies to Li-ion packs, just with more devastating consequences if you get them wrong, but for very completely different reasons that I really don't care to get into. For most of the latest chemistries out there, think C/3 for a standard charge rate and C/2 discharge rate. Very few chemistries could handle 20C rates nowadays (but I have tested them in the past 10 years and still have some of those A123 cells in-house for special purposes).

I'm into RC airplanes+drones now and Lipo packs are often 80-120c I'm sure most are over-rated by the Chinese mfgs. But I charge at 1-2C for all of them.
Those A123 cells were what all the DIY ebikers (there weren't really any commercial options at the time) were trying to get a hold of. Breaking apart DeWalt battery packs...

 

[fitek]

Even with 4 motors there are way way way fewer moving parts than an ice powertrain

It's a lot easier to control an electric motor than an ICE engine and transmission, from a control systems standpoint. Mountain bikers would refer to this as better modulation...

Sponsored