Rivian R1S compared to Tesla's X model

Tesla wanted the competition. That's it.

Tesla has the 100% electric SUV market since the launch of its X model a little over three years ago. Although he'll now see some Competitors such as the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron, this Rivian R1 recently unveiled, with a range of up to 410 km, is the first to put to death. Their outer dimensions are also extremely close. Although there are still a few years before production, it is not too early to see how they compare.

The X model is distinguished primarily from its potential competitors by its ability to carry 7 pbadengers and its autonomy. The R1S, which also includes three rows (excluding the version with the largest battery pack), mainly corresponds to its pbadenger carrying capacity. However, the newcomer far exceeds Tesla's reach, with its larger 180kWh battery option offering a range of 410km. Impressive!

As one would expect, the range depends mainly on the size of the battery. The Tesla Model X is available with two different package options: a 75 kWh pack with a range of 237 miles, or a 100 kWh pack capable of running 295 miles. The Rivian R1S would have a choice of three battery sizes: 105 kWh offering over 240 km of range, 135 kWh for more than 310 km and a monster pack of 180 kWh offering over 410 km.

Available, with a little luck, in 2021, the price of the Rivian SUV has not been announced yet. Its R1T pickup, based on the same platform, is expected to start at $ 69,000 for the smallest battery pack, but we would not be surprised if the basic R1S costs a little more. For comparison, the 757 model, with a length of 237 miles, starts at $ 87,000. On a per kilometer basis per dollar of purchase, we think the Rivian could be a bit cheaper, but it's pretty speculative.

Sport utility vehicles are all for the transportation of families and their belongings. Storage is therefore an important consideration. The Rivian offers a storage capacity of 330 liters (11.65 cubic feet) and 6.36 cubic feet. ft. (180 l) in the back bin, adding up to 18.01 cu. ft. (510 l) in total. Tesla, which does not break down storage, indicates that Model X offers 88 cu. 2,492 l (ft.) Of cargo space with the third row folded. Obviously, the wide gap that exists here means that both companies do not offering space figures of apple apples. We believe that the R1S will offer more space overall, as its roof line does not descend and do not impinge on the rear as it does in the Model X, and its lower part at least looks cavernous .

In terms of performance, these two vehicles offer the type of acceleration ever seen in gasoline vehicles of the same size. The slowest Model X zips up to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds, which is the slowest R1S, which also takes 4.9 seconds. Here's where it gets more interesting, though. The fastest X model, the P100D can perform the act in 2.9 seconds, but at a significantly higher cost. The 135 kWh version of the Rivian SUV is the fastest of this brand at 3.0 seconds. The variant with the largest battery, that of 180 kWh, adds a few tenths to 3.2 seconds. This means that even though Tesla can keep its title in competition, the R1S of 135 kWh fits it quite for a significantly lower cost. It should be interesting to see how all this will happen when the rubber touches the drag strip.

One of the areas in which Tesla seems to retain its advantage is efficiency. Its X 75D model handles 3.16 miles per kWh, the 100D, 2.95 miles per kWh. The figures published by Rivian suggest that the 105kWh and 135kWh R1s yield 2.29 miles per kWh, while the 135kWh version is slightly worse at 2.28 miles per kWh. We believe the actual results are somewhat different, but we expect them to improve enough to help the California company reach its goals.

As we said, there is still a lot of time before we can make reliable comparisons between the two vehicles in terms of their different performance measures. Depending on the needs of a potential buyer, one or the other could clearly offer advantages over each other. That's why it's good to see another competitor show up on the 100% electric SUV scene. Variety is the spice of life and Rivian R1t and Tesla Model X still offer somewhat different flavors.

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