Is a Rivian Super Truck Worth it? 2 Year Review from Owner

Super secret project bensullins.com/secret
Join us as we dive deep into a comprehensive two-year review of the Rivian R1T electric truck. Hear directly from an owner about the highs, lows, and everything in between. We’ll cover performance, range, durability, and whether it’s worth the investment. Whether you’re considering a Rivian or just curious about electric trucks, this video has the insights you need. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment your thoughts below!
// Chapters
00:00 Context
01:16 Durability
02:28 Costs
03:30 Super Secret Project
04:12 Service
05:29 Software
08:00 Charging
11:28 Performance
12:18 Tips for Owners
14:28 Gimmicks
19:30 Buy Again?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Here’s the link to my super secret project! bensullins.com/secret

[@iRyanPena]

Signed up! Loving the hype! ☺️

[@NominalJoe]

"I know I haven't posted a Cybertruck review... I probably won't" I think is a pretty telling review in itself.

[@nettlesoup]

I think it's more of an "I know I'll be slated from both sides in the comments if I do" tbh, since most reviewers seem to have a lot of positive things to say about the CT and yet commenters who don't own one seem so polarised. Enjoyed this long term review of the Rivian though. Owners seem to love them!

[@ItsAlive111]

Specially for a guy that attended Cybertruck’s reveal all dressed up like a Star Wars movie extra

[@ozo1010]

“Rivian super truck” thats the most acurate description of an r1t quad that i have ever heard , like it ! it should be used more 👍🏼

[@Magnus_Magnesium]

Nice review, I got almost 30k on mine. I have a very similar wear and tear. No major issues. My old tonneau cover still works great! Same wind noise too. Tires probably need to be changed at 30k as well, I think I’ll go all terrains on 20s when I need to.

[@openmind6969]

I absolutely love mine as well after one and a half years and yes, I would buy it again. because I don’t need a big truck bed or need something where Ford or Chevy might be better for. it’s the perfect truck for an outdo person, but also daily driver.

[@Crustation]

I have exactly the same truck. 2 years 2 months and 46K miles. My experience matches yours almost exactly with regard to wear and tear and dents etc. Two differences - I have never had any water in the rear storage compartment. My original tires will likely make it to 50K. At 45K I purchased a set of the 22 inch brights with low mileage from a third party. The 20 inch tires just got so very loud at about 30K miles. The 22s have been a revelation for performance and quiet. I do plan to go back to the 20s next winter but once they are done I will replace them with all terrains from another manufacturer that match the diameter of the 22 inch tires so I do not have to change the software. I would definitely buy a Rivian again - I love the engineering, the attention to detail, and the cool little touches. I also really like the quad but I would really have to think about whether the dual motor is good enough for my use. This is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned (my first EV).

[@whamilton]

Great review - thanks so much for sharing, and doing so in such useful detail. Quick thought on the wind noise issue: my sister had a similar issue in her car that turned out to be an issue with the AC vent. Could explain why it sounds like it's coming from the quarter glass but also maybe the windshield. (This was not an issue with her Rivian but with a different car; that said, Rivians also have an AC vent right there so it might be worth checking out.) Thanks again for the great video!

[@iamnid]

Surprised you recommend the max pack which is a $10,000 premium for about 40 miles extra range.

[@oury2442]

Not anymore. Rivian heavily decreased their price to move them out of inventory. 🎉

[@phiz118]

@@oury2442 It's still 10k on their site. 9,100 for large, 19,100 for max.

[@JohnDoe-fz6zn]

@@oury2442 on the website it does still show 10000 more over the standard plus

[@TheDoctorsubie]

@@oury2442 Nope, it's still a $10k extra to go from Large to Max.

[@phiz118]

Other reviews have stated that the max pack provides little value for the cost so I'm surprised to hear that you'd recommend it. 10k is a lot for such a small difference.

[@rcpmac]

Some one else mentioned that the price has dropped

[@nevco8774]

I believe by downgrading from 4 to 2 motors adding extra battery capacity be it called superpack makes sense especially if bought with very low mileage pre-owned since the reviewer doesn't need the performance of 4 motors but prefers the range. I like his suggestion a lot!

[@HernandezJuanPedro]

Cool, informative video! What's the current range? and what did you get at the beginning?

[@fishin4life]

Great review! Very useful thanks !

[@frank118]

Great review

[@jamesony]

Dude you could sell this to an Australian for probably 150k... The ford f150 lightning is selling here for 250k... No I'm not joking. The rivian, isn't available here 😢 we will get them in 50 years 🥲is actually my dream car, but a pipe dream for all Aussies

[@skblut]

Hey Ben thanks for your honest review of this truck .I pre-ordered an R2 within minutes of the reveal of it.I have always liked the R1T to me it is very pretty and after seeing and sitting in the Cybertruck that vehicle is a joke its like a playtoy plus I think it is uncomfortable.As a long time Tesla owner I have been following you for 6 years the EV market sure has changed a lot.I see a lot of the Rivians in Charleston SC especially in the Mount Pleasant area where I own property and have talked to several owners of them with positive experiences appreciate your comments.

[@nacenine]

Great content Ben! Sadly, here in Arizona at least, most of the important Tesla superchargers that are needed for roadtrips are not open to other EVs. Payson, Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Wickenburg, Holbrook, etc are not open to Rivian. Most of the super chargers they did open up are in Phoenix, which doesn't really help most folks.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

That is a bummer!

[@cblue3581]

You do know Rivians can charge on the Tesla network now right?

[@nacenine]

​@@cblue3581 Yes, I know Rivians can charge on _most_ of the Tesla network now. Many people think this means they can charge their Rivian at any Tesla supercharger. Although the majority of Tesla superchargers (numerically speaking) are open to other EV's, at least here in Arizona, the ones we really need access to for road trips are not open to Rivian. They are Tesla ONLY. Your Rivian will not charge at Tesla in Payson, Sedona, Flagstaff, etc as I mentioned above. Folks should take a close look at the Tesla supercharger map before assuming the Tesla superchargers they need will indeed be available to them. Change the filter to show "Superchargers Open to other EVs" and hide "Superchargers". Hopefully these open up in the future, but for now it doesn't help us in AZ much.

[@TestTranslator]

@@cblue3581Only V3 chargers are open to other EVs. I bet the ones that @nacenine are referring to are Older V2 models.

[@Aegisx5]

@@cblue3581 Yes but only some stations, not all of them. Only V3 and future V4 chargers. Many Tesla chargers are V2 and prior, and will still not charge non-Tesla vehicles.

[@bspencersf]

Pardon my pedanticism but your truck I don’t think has any plugs except for maybe the one in the bottom of the storage compartment. The electrical things you are referring to are outlets or receptacles. The plug is what goes into the receptacle.

[@ciabt007]

Beautiful truck 👍

[@cblue3581]

The best deals right now is for the Quad Motor, Large Pack. I just took delivery yesterday for $703/month. Amazing price

[@gotDIBS]

I would love to have one same color too ❤🎉😢

[@Melchirobin]

In previous video you mentioned how going EV is better for most people but you had to have the “disclaimer” about charging a non Tesla. Some of the best deals right now are non-Tesla and I honestly don’t know how much to recommend to people unless they have a predictable commute. It could be just a California thing but for people in Midwest or other places it makes a ton of sense especially with electricity prices starting to go up. Idk just my opinion glad you’re happy with your truck but make sure you know who you recommend too is all I will save. Love the content and his bullish you are on EVs I’m just more skeptical I guess.

[@benleeprop]

Hey - thanks for the review! I like the car, but am hesitant b/c NO ANDROID AUTO! If I use that all the time, would you nix the Rivian?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

I’d recommend a test drive but ultimately using a phone holder like I showed

[@B_r_u_c_e]

Thank you.

[@WHATSINSIDEFAMILY]

Cool drone shots! Is that close to Torrey Pines?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Yessir

[@awparker85]

I hope the smaller R2 frame gives us a smaller/cheaper truck. Divins are really on to something but $80k is silly

[@nickgil1890]

What changed your mind from your year 1 review? At that time you stated that you'd definitely not buy the R1 again and that you'd buy the Ford Lightning instead. This review seems to just the oppisite and I'd be interested what changed your mind. Also you mentioned that the NACS port is the same one Tesla uses which is accurate but misleading right? Isn't Tesla the one that engineered that plug and open sourced it to everyone? I guess what I'm saying is Tesla doesn't simply just use it they invented it or so I thought I heard on your channel in the early days.

[@MiaFin421]

I live in South Florida (extremely hot) - how well does the AC work?

[@KenYnc]

Hi Ben, thanks for the video. I know previously you said you wouldn't get the Rivian again that you would buy the lightning instead. What changed your mind?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Service and software improvements

[@caseycook738]

Really? Max pack for $10K and less than 50 miles range more? that's crazy. otherwise like everything else mentioned.

[@timtroy7246]

Ben-you did a video, you said "If it was my money and I had to do it again, I would get a Lightning". What changed????

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

They fixed a lot of my concerns from the last video. Plus the Rivian fits my lifestyle better. If I had a real job and needed a truck I’d go lightning all day, but I don’t so I think the fun truck is the best one for me

[@timtroy7246]

@@BenSullinsOfficial Maybe a comparison video is in the future? Also you mentioned "EV DECIDE" website. Could not find that, is it still a thing?

[@paulbram2]

You prefer the truck to the R1S?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Yep, check the R1S review for more details but basically we need more storage for stuff (surf boards, kayaks, lumber, etc) than we do seats for people

[@FidencioGarrido]

Where is the link for the project you were referring to?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Just below the like button

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Added! bensullins.com/secret

[@seyi8206]

Hey Ben, what did you use to repair that ding from the EA bollard? I had an unscheduled rendezvous with the edge of my garage door recently, looking for a cost effective solution for the aftermath.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Paintless dent repair

[@seyi8206]

@@BenSullinsOfficial Danke schon.

[@franklong6269]

Tesla's software is the best I've ever used. It beats Google Maps and Google Voice Assistant. Apple Car Play has always been inferior to both Google's and Tesla's software. Tesla's software is simply amazing.

[@therondellsheridan]

I have a Kia k9 and have an upcoming LA/Vegas trip. Where is the super charger station you were talking about? (10:43)

[@therondellsheridan]

should say EV9

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Baker

[@benleeprop]

how do you like the EV9? I'm thinking on it. Kinda liking both EV9 and Rivian R1s

[@therondellsheridan]

@@benleeprop I love it. I had a telluride so this was a perfect upgrade. I also had a deposit for the R1s but since production was taking longer than I thought it would. So I got my deposit back and went with the EV9. It's bigger than the R1s and I believe it has a longer range than R1s. Plus it's got Apple car play. I'm not sure what they have against apple. check out the reviews on KZbin or try a test drive if you can. I dont think you'll be disappointed

[@profkeenan]

2112 nice!

[@karlInSanDiego]

Needing a phone holder is a bad sign that the truck's got an issue. Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple Carplay mean you should be able to use the vehicle displays. Rivian's showing deficiencies because it lacks those and you sound like you don't prefer their nav.

[@paulbram2]

using navigation WITHOUT Alexa would be annoying IMO. That and music is about all I use Alexa for.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Siri + Waze for me

[@MsLonegamr]

Perhaps I missed it. Did you comment on the battery capacity after forty thousand miles. My concern and the reason I leased a Hummer EV SUV is because of the battery towards the end of the warranty. It is if these cars are disposable. At over $100k, they should not be. How did your battery hold up at forty thousand verses when it was new.

[@danielorourke6209]

Do not buy the Parelli AT tires. I have 60k on my R1T. I switched to Michellin Defender LTX Platnum- 70,000 mile warranty and there is NO ride noise! Much better tires for this rig.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Will try this!

[@GiulianoTaddei]

Oooo going to try these next / need to start looking at new tires

[@IronmanV5]

A couple changes I would make: Adopt the headlights from the van. Kyle Connor, Out of Spec, has said the do a better job of lighting up the road. Plus I think they look better. Like you said, a frunk like the Lightning with AC outlets and drainage. And AC outlets in the bed including a NEMA 14-50. Better yet, all that R2 sized.

[@Yanquetino]

Happy for you, Ben. You were fortunate to be able to receive authorization to use J3400 before E'loon axed the Supercharger team. Dunno when (or even if) it will now happen for GM, Stellantis, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Fisker, Aptera, Lucid, Mazda, Porsche, Subaru, Volkswagen, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Toyota, etc.

[@mdruben]

I don't own one yet but I made an order 2+years ago and this is the order of events: Thanks for your order. As soon as we have a delivery date we will update you. It may take 3 months Sorry pandemics have affected supply chain. It may take longer than 3 months but we will update you. We have no delivery date. Supply chain is still a problem. We are not going to honor your initial price. The car costs too much to make. Now costs $15K more. Oops, we saw that you cancelled your order and we are honoring your initial price so you can come back. Production is ramping up but there's no service center near your area. We don't know when your car will be delivered. It would be a mistake to give you a car we can't service. Now we can deliver to your area although we still have no service center near you. If something happens me "may" cover the cost of transportation to the nearest center. Please complete your purchase. Your configuration is not available anymore. Choose form one of our already manufactured models. Please complete your purchase. You are still have not completed your purchase. You have until September of 2024 to complete it at the price your initially ordered it.

[@tontonn9995]

Max means no powered Tonneau cover...

[@Foodmancing]

I actually use the Alexa integration constantly. It works better than the Alexa in my home

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Mine kept getting confused. I'd ask it to play music and it would start playing in my house. It couldn't figure out my home address. Was a mess

[@jcswim95]

Don’t know if it’s just me but I can’t see the beta link!

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

bensullins.com/secret

[@aussie2uGA]

I like the Rivian but how secure is its future? Rivian and Lucid seem to always be on life support, waiting for another cash infusion to keep investors from fleeing. With the medias heavy promotion of EV negativity right now, it seems risky to buy a Rivian.

[@richardcoughlin8931]

Good review. I wonder what would have happened if Tesla had come out with a Rivian-type truck a few years ago rather than putting all their eggs in the Cybertruck basket? My opinion is that Tesla would have had a big win, but obviously Elon thought otherwise.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

I would have bought it

[@robp3431]

Tesla would be in much better shape now. Current CT is a disaster.

[@i6power30]

The only gripe I have with Rivian is its flush door handles. What a hypocrasy to reduce 0.1% of air drag when its overall shape is squre and boxy. For that, it makes painful and unatural to open the doors every time.. Worse in freezing weathers.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Yeah it’s amazing they have the best drag coefficient of any electric truck given the design right?

[@i6power30]

@@BenSullinsOfficial Yeah, its cool that they have the best drag coefficient etc, but how much of that is because of flush door handles? I doubt very little. The side mirrors alone would be 50x more drag than any door handles. I'd say 1 - 2 % realistically worse if it had normal door handles? I'd take that trade off any day for ease of use and not having to deal with frozen door handles in cold weathers.

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

To each their own. I like them flush

[@i6power30]

@@BenSullinsOfficial It's not really a matter of asthetic or personal taste. It's a matte rof pratical consideration especially if you live in a snowbelt. Sure you can always deice it, but it takes time. Even when it's not frozen, it still takes one extra step to open the door, instead of just grab and yank one fluid motion. Why change something so convinient into something that require one extra motion just to open the door? seems like a step backwards, considering the benefit of drag coef. reduction is miniscule, and can be easily overcome, and become increasingly irrelevant as battery range and cost decrease, as well as charging infrasture increase in the future. I hope Rivian fix the door handles to be regular, then I think more people will consider it.

[@DrEarbuds]

@@i6power30 I had the Tesla Model 3 LR RWD it was the perfect car but the Door Handles a few days a year freezing up . Also you had to teach everyone how to open the doors . Not a deal breaker for me but @i6power30 I can understand what you are saying

[@zackattack1188]

no link?

[@BenSullinsOfficial]

Added! bensullins.com/secret

[@richardcoughlin8931]

You said you probably won’t publish a cybertruck review. But you have driven one, right?

[@curtisbme]

He expressly stated he had spent time with ALL of the ev trucks.

[@tinongnjong1305]

Me in Google: "What is the definition of a Super Truck?" Google: "a very large truck used for transporting heavy loads in quarries and other heavy engineering sites, but which is too large for use on public roads."

[@AR-rn8ok]

That’s a nice truck. Only thing that would stop me is tesla offering a similar price for their cybertruck. $60,000 starting price.

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

The problem is that it’s a CyberTruck…

[@johnburr9463]

A truck ain't a real truck until it has battle scars.

[@doodlethebeagle2078]

I-spy more Rivian SUVs in my suburb. Neighbor on next block just got 1

[@refugiopoint]

Dang Ben, you can tell that's not your wife's vehicle, what a mess!

[@themagiceye6723]

No matter which way you cut it, $90k for a car is an absurd amount of money. And now that Biden just threw 100% tariffs on more reasonably priced alternatives, it's only going to get worse. $15k for a BYD Seal would have been a game changer for the average driver, for healthy competition, and the planet.

[@ien2023]

90k helll to tha no.....Remember your with a company that's still in the negatives

[@StarInfinite00]

As a fan of EVs, lets be honest. Its not a SUPER truck. Its just a electric midsize truck that has some off-road capabilities. Nothing too special.

[@coldtesla6212]

Lightning kicks Rivian's butt, Bigger , Nicer, Cheaper, Easy service if needed, 1000% better at truck stuff, only a warm weather person picks the Rivian.

[@davidhancock91]

All these electric trucks are over priced, over rated and will not contribute to saving the planet. The resale is horrendous. Why would you, when you can buy a Toyota that will be good for 30 years with normal maintenance?

[@Radium3D]

Wow lame, the Cybertruck is super cool!! C'mon

[@esquiredan2702]

Dumbest and ugliest vehicle ever conceived.

[@AR-rn8ok]

I like this truck. Even though I like cybertruck better for performance and price, this is still a nice truck.

[@ZipZoomZip]

@@AR-rn8ok Yeah, the Rivian is pretty nice for what it is but I needed a real truck bed so I got the Cybertruck. It's been blowing me away with driving qualities, ease of use and especially maneuvering in tight spaces, overall toughness and resistance to damage, and just plain fun!

[@yellowsnowman9157]

EVs are a scam. Obviously they're not worth it.

[@savethebs]

I love how you talk so good about a 80k $ truck lol 😂 ... But only has 40k miles on it 😂

[@cellphonenut]

This seems more of a review of what a nightmare it is to own an electric truck. Gas truck owner doesn't have to worry about it.