Can You Tow with a Rivian R1T? Here's What You Need to Know
Towing a camper with a Rivian has been the wishful thinking of many folks. However, data on range when towing is not encouraging. Towing a larger teardrop trailer, which is just under 8 feet high, 7' 8" wide, 15-1/2 feet long and about 2,000 lbs, for relatively long distances will cause significant drag. This will result in almost 50% reduction in range regardless of size. Power consumption of the R1T when towing is on the order of 90-plus kWh per 100 miles. With the 1400 lb payload limitation of the few R1Ts available, it may be difficult to replace an ICE TV with a BEV TV.
The Tesla Motor Club can provide some insight into others who tow using the Model X while Rivian claims roughly 50% range compared to driving without a trailer. Videos from TFLTruck on Youtube also show that towing anything that increases drag will severely impact range. The OOS video shows that the R1T's range was reduced to roughly 1.1 miles per kWh when towing a small trailer loaded with sandbags but with a low profile.
At present, there are about 50,000 public EV charging stations in the US, with about 5,000 more in Canada. They are not spread out evenly however, and there are substantial charging deserts throughout North America. Only about 15% of the existing network are DC fast chargers. By way of comparison there are currently 115,000 or more gas stations in the US and about 12,000 in Canada and these are much more spread out than EV charging stations.
Going cross country with an R1T might be impossible due to limited range and charging station availability. It might be possible to go up to 140 miles if one slows down and charges often enough. However, this would require frequent stops for charging which could be inconvenient and time consuming. For shorter trips within North America, an R1T should suffice as long as one plans ahead and takes necessary precautions.
Is it possible to tow a camper with a Rivian?
While there is still not a lot of data on range when towing, what has been seen so far has not been encouraging. Towing anything with a larger aerodynamic profile will likely reduce the range by up to 50%. The power consumption of the R1T when towing is on the order of 90-plus kWh per 100 miles.
What is the maximum range when towing with an R1T?
Rivian is claiming roughly 50% range compared to driving without a trailer, so ballpark, you're probably looking at around 120 miles. This may be increased if you slow down and tow a lighter, smaller, more aerodynamic trailer.
Are there enough charging stations for long distance travel?
At present, there are about 50,000 public EV charging stations in the US, with about 5,000 more in Canada. They are not spread out evenly however, and there are substantial charging deserts throughout the North American Mid- and Mountain West and in places like the Canadian Maritimes. Only about 15% of the existing network are DC fast chargers. By way of comparison there are currently 115,000 or more gas stations in the US and about 12,000 in Canada and these are much more spread out than EV charging stations.
Is it feasible to go cross country with an R1T?
No, it is not feasible to go cross country with an R1T due to the lack of charging infrastructure. The range of the R1T is not sufficient to cover long distances, and there are not enough charging stations in place to make it possible. Additionally, the power consumption of the R1T when towing is on the order of 90-plus kWh per 100 miles, so you would need to plan for frequent stops to charge up.