Rivian electric truck

[giant_mtb]

It probably "needs" the torque for towing (not really, but recreational towers are a bunch of pussies), but the nature of AC electric motors is such that that also leads to stupid acceleration times.

Everybody's fine with a Tesla rocketing around, but as soon as it's a truck it's not acceptable...?

[Soup DeVille]

Everybody's fine with a Tesla rocketing around, but as soon as it's a truck it's not acceptable...?

Actually, a lot of "normal" cars are stupid fast now and the only reason people are OK with it is they are increasingly dependant on traction and stability control.

[BimmerM3]

Everybody's fine with a Tesla rocketing around, but as soon as it's a truck it's not acceptable...?

And when did a bunch of car enthusiasts start thinking that excessive power is a bad thing?

Even if the nature of electric motors didn't make those acceleration numbers so easy, if you're gonna be a successful company, you've gotta bring something new and exciting to the table. We've already established that the tech isn't cheap enough yet to make this a viable work truck, so if you're gonna compete against the big name luxury pickups, speed seems like a pretty good way to make yourself stand out.

[MrH]

I don't know what it is, but everything the CEO of this company says makes him sound like a professional huckster.  I'll believe this truck when I see it...but my spider senses tell me this is somewhere between vaporware and invent n' run scheme.

Their board is full of quite a few automotive big dogs.  This is way more legitimate than Elio, Carbon Motors, or Faraday Future ever was.  In fact, I'd say it looks a whole lot more legitimate than Tesla

[12,000 RPM]

Says the guy who used to brag about driving like an asshat on the street.

You OK sis?

[RomanChariot]

Or that could be genius. It would be like a choo choo train. You can drive it in any direction. Pull forward into a spot, then pull forward out. No worries about backing your trailer up, just spin your seat around and push the trailer. Twice as many pickup beds. One can have a cap for doges.

Don't you mean pull backwards into a spot and then pull backwards out of the spot. You're going to need backup cameras on both ends.

[giant_mtb]

You OK sis?

Yeah?  Just find it odd/contradictory that EVs being lightning quick is suddenly a concern because it's in the shape of a truck.

[12,000 RPM]

Yeah?  Just find it odd/contradictory that EVs being lightning quick is suddenly a concern because it's in the shape of a truck.

Most EVs aren't this fast, and the ones that are are holistically designed for performance driving. A truck with a high center of gravity, truck tires and design concessions for towing/hauling is not. My driving history has nothing to do with that

[CaminoRacer]

It probably "needs" the torque for towing (not really, but recreational towers are a bunch of pussies), but the nature of AC electric motors is such that that also leads to stupid acceleration times.

Yup!

And +1 about a lot of normal cars being stupid fast now too. Used to need quite the hot rod to go 0-60 in 5 seconds.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Actually, a lot of "normal" cars are stupid fast now and the only reason people are OK with it is they are increasingly dependant on traction and stability control.

This is made increasingly obvious when you drive something like a 70 HP pickup from 1986. Even though it always accelerates to 5-10 over the speed limit in a reasonable amount of time, nobody in a modern car can stand to be "stuck" behind something the isn't going 0-60 in six seconds. But then nobody can seem to keep up on a highway on/off ramp that has a curve to it.

[AutobahnSHO]

This is made increasingly obvious when you drive something like a 70 HP pickup from 1986. Even though it always accelerates to 5-10 over the speed limit in a reasonable amount of time, nobody in a modern car can stand to be "stuck" behind something the isn't going 0-60 in six seconds. But then nobody can seem to keep up on a highway on/off ramp that has a curve to it.

"I can only go fast if the road is straight" drivers drive me nuts.

[giant_mtb]

Most EVs aren't this fast, and the ones that are are holistically designed for performance driving. A truck with a high center of gravity, truck tires and design concessions for towing/hauling is not. My driving history has nothing to do with that

High center of gravity?  You've seen the chassis of this thing, right?  And how the weight of the batteries is pretty low (virtually at/near axle center level)?  You do understand that to tow 11,000 pounds, you need power?  Ergo, unladen, it will be quick...?

[FoMoJo]

They should make the body swappable; that is, when you buy the platform/drive assembly, you get one pick-up body and one SUV body with a mechanism that allows you to detach one body and attach the other.

[12,000 RPM]

High center of gravity?  You've seen the chassis of this thing, right?  And how the weight of the batteries is pretty low (virtually at/near axle center level)?  You do understand that to tow 11,000 pounds, you need power?  Ergo, unladen, it will be quick...?

IT still has a higher CoG than an EV car

And plenty of trucks can tow 5.5 tons without being able to accelerate to 100 in 7 seconds

Just seems stupid to me... no need to get bent out of shape over an opinion

[giant_mtb]

IT still has a higher CoG than an EV car

And plenty of trucks can tow 5.5 tons without being able to accelerate to 100 in 7 seconds

Just seems stupid to me... no need to get bent out of shape over an opinion

EVs deliver their power entirely differently than an ICE.

What truck doesn't have a higher CoG than a car...?

[heelntoe]

They should make the body swappable; that is, when you buy the platform/drive assembly, you get one pick-up body and one SUV body with a mechanism that allows you to detach one body and attach the other.

Kinda like the Hy-wire concept.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Kinda like the Hy-wire concept.

Does that include a quick-change, universal battery pack that can be stocked at battery stations?

[heelntoe]

I'm not sure, but I think the Hy-wire was a Hydrogen fuel-cell concept car. I've seen some electric scooters in India that had quick-chance batteries though. Those were pretty nifty.

[Laconian]

The GM Autonomy?

[CaminoRacer]

Does that include a quick-change, universal battery pack that can be stocked at battery stations?

I've always thought that was a good idea, but just realized that the amount of storage space needed at each station would be massive.

[heelntoe]

The GM Autonomy?

Yep. From the early 2000s

[Morris Minor]

Yes please.

https://youtu.be/QMfxJEfb4lw

[giant_mtb]

400 mile range, I'm sold.  That's farther than Taco will go on a full tank (250/300 cty/hwy ).

[Payman]

EVs deliver their power entirely differently than an ICE.

What truck doesn't have a higher CoG than a car...?

100% of torque available from rest.

[Submariner]

a.) that front end is dreadful

b.) still skeptical that this is a production ready vehicle.

[Payman]

a.) that front end is dreadful

b.) still skeptical that this is a production ready vehicle.

a) agree
b) like everything else, probably "for sale in 2 years!"

[BimmerM3]

They're taking pre-order deposits, and their pre-order page currently says "Production will begin in 2020."

(Not personally voicing an opinion either way - just providing that info.)

[BimmerM3]

Yes please.

https://youtu.be/QMfxJEfb4lw

Just actually watched this. If it's anywhere near as good as they say, this ought to be a great vehicle. I'm not gonna sign up to be their guinea pig, but if they're still around in 10-20 years, I could see myself going for something like this (finances permitting).

[Morris Minor]

Just actually watched this. If it's anywhere near as good as they say, this ought to be a great vehicle. I'm not gonna sign up to be their guinea pig, but if they're still around in 10-20 years, I could see myself going for something like this (finances permitting).

If you're into renewables & EV crunchiness, that's a really good channel.
Not so much if you're a gasoline & sparkplugs sort of person.

[MrH]

This company is interesting. They've existed for 9 years now. They're much closer to production than something like the Tesla Model Y or pickup.