Rivian R1S

Generation by generation

1. Gen. 12022–2024 · R1 Gen 1

   Four motors and seven seats on a skateboard

   

   What changed. It was the first R1S. It shared the skateboard platform with the R1T pickup, with the battery in the floor and one motor per wheel (147 kW each in the 2018 announcement). At the 2018 reveal Rivian spoke of 105, 135 and 180 kWh packs and 240 to more than 410 miles of estimated range; the August 2022 report published a $78,000 base price for new orders, $8,000 more for four motors, and a larger battery raising estimated range from 260 to 320 miles. The base Dual/Standard configurations were still future offerings; those figures do not equal the price paid by every early buyer with a protected existing preorder.

   The innovation. Per-wheel torque control: the Quad architecture announced in 2018 uses an independent electric motor at each corner to deliver instant torque and control each wheel. The reviewed sources describe that solution; this does not assert an absolute first across every three-row production SUV in 2018.

   If you buy one usedNHTSA lists several campaigns for 2022–2024 R1S. The main ones: the fastener joining the front upper control arm to the steering knuckle could be loose and separate (22V744, October 2022); front seat belt anchors could be improperly attached to the B-pillar (22V641); the accelerator pedal could fail to detect that the driver released it (23V883); curtain airbags with improperly secured fasteners (23V159) and reverse lights that were hard to see (23V233). Some first-generation campaigns include OTA software, such as the 23V783 defroster update. The 23V883 pedal campaign requires software and pedal replacement; suspension, belt, airbag and reverse-lamp work requires physical service. Confirm the exact campaign, VIN and completed remedy. Rivian repairs all of them at no cost; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov and ask for the service history.
2. Gen. 22024–present · R1 Gen 2

   In-house motors and 1.6 miles less wiring

   

   What changed. Rivian introduced the second-generation R1S and R1T on June 6, 2024, with immediate deliveries of the initial lineup as a 2025 model from $75,900. The family announces dual-, tri- and quad-motor versions designed and built by Rivian; it includes Enduro and Ascent, and Quad reaches 1,025 hp. Large and Max packs were redesigned: the R1S with Max and 22-inch wheels reaches up to 410 miles; the joint announcement’s 420-mile figure belonged to the R1T pickup. The lithium iron phosphate Standard pack was announced with up to 270 EPA-estimated miles. It also adds a heat pump, 22-inch aero wheels with a quoted drag coefficient as low as 0.297 depending on configuration, and a standard assistance platform with 11 cameras and five radars.

   The innovation. The zonal electrical architecture: electronic control units dropped from 17 to 7 and about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of wiring were removed per vehicle, with a driver-assistance compute module 10 times more powerful than before.

   If you buy one usedFor 2025-and-later R1S, NHTSA lists: an improperly grounded connection inside the high-voltage distribution box that could cause loss of drive power (25V537, remedy: repair the joint or replace the battery pack); low beams that might not light in cold weather (25V085); front turn signals that could fail (25V387, expanded in 26V508); and over-the-air updates for Hands-Free Highway Assist (25V585) and for exterior lights with the Car Costume feature (24V827). It shares with the first generation the recalls for front seat belt bolts (25V370), the rear toe link on cars with prior service (26V003) and second-row retractors (26V009). All are repaired at no cost; confirm by VIN. These are selected campaigns for certain vehicles: most early second-generation entries concern model year2025;26V508 extends the turn-signal issue to2026. The toe-link campaign requires the specified prior-service history, and software recalls use exact version conditions.

How it got here: the history of the automobile →