Rivian R1S Review: Better Than Tesla?

[@NBTJacklyn]

Happy Friday NBT community ☺️ Thank you for being here!!! A few exciting behind the scenes updates 1. Next week I’m flying to a secret tech project - the video will be epic and I’m very excited to share it with you!! 2. We hired our first full time team member 🥳🥳 he’s amazing and I’m so stoked!! We’re about to jet fuel and make everything we’re doing infinitely better 3. I joined CES’s advisory board to share the creator POV with them and it’s been great!! So many NBT videos planned for that event ☺️ - will be an energizing week of content!

[@SIRICKO]

LMFAO Tesla don't really give A fuck A cars anymore it's all about Robots now catch up.

[@Michael-e9s2x]

Can I ask you to do a 80% test? Charge to 80%, drive as you do for a day or 3 and below 25%. Note the miles you drove since 80%. Top back up to 80% and calculate the miles per Kw. That is a true gauge I have an offer to buy the R1S for $91k but I don't want to trade for a Kw hog. Thanks!

[@Michael-e9s2x]

​@@SIRICKOI agree. My Tesla X has been in the SC since Elon was elected Assistant President and still not fixed. Herein Houston, there are 50+ Cybertrucks parked next to the SC waiting on buyers. Seems people ordered but backed out.

[@davidphantom7350]

I'm definitely buying the R2 when it comes out.

[@JerryRigEverything]

I love my Rivian!

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@JerryRigEverything loved all ur vids about it!!:) thank u for checking this out!!!

[@Rx100Vx]

Love the brand and the R1,R2 and R3 and also those Rivian Amazon delivery vans !!

[@Raventerp01]

Wow! I thought maybe it would be years before I'd see you review an EV but great to see it already! You did it so flawlessly too! Definitely would love to see you interview RJ! If you could review the R2 when that comes out that would be great too. Very nice job, you have pretty much reviewed every kind of major product a tech reviewer could do. By the way, I'm working on a very interesting project right now and I'll share it with you and your community on discord next month 🙂

[@NBTJacklyn]

Ah wow thank you so much 🥹🙏🏻 means the world you liked this one!! And that sounds epic I’m so excited to hear more

[@badtoro]

It was horrible. Left out so many facts

[@Annette_Hons]

I’m currently a 2024 Mach-E owner and LOVE it. However, before purchasing it we test drove the R1S and LOVED it but was slightly out of our budget at the time. I am definitely leaning towards purchasing a R1S in a year or so (but plan to keep my Mach-E also). I love everything about the R1S and Rivian as a company! This is a great video! Thanks!

[@BullfrogHikes]

When the car slows down from regen braking, it's so satisfying for some reason. Makes me not want to drive a gas car anymore 😢

[@NBTJacklyn]

Fully agreed!!! So interesting you said that

[@xiaoxiongtian]

Same! One pedal driving just feels so natural and intuitive. As for gas car, it felt almost like you are fighting to get the car stop. Every time drive a gas car, I immediately misses my R1S.

[@johnidiaquez1303]

Nice review. I love my Nissan Ariya and it is a nice setup for charging in South Florida. We are in the infancy of development as we transition. Wish I was younger and had the cash for a Rivian

[@James-wz5qo]

Probably one of the best things about Tesla and especially Rivian that was not specifically mentioned is their ability to deliver so many over the air updates to the software, which has improved the navigation, sound system, driving modes, etc., etc. etc.

[@riskyroy]

Packed with features! It deserves a part 2 from you ✨

[@PrajwalDSouza]

Glad you are doing car tech reviews too. Loved some of the technical insights in the video.. I was hoping you could have different channels for different topics/video lengths. Just a suggestion. I started following your work after Adam's recommendation on Waveform Podcast for the deep dive into all apps on Vision Pro. That was a master's thesis level report of the Apple AR space. I hope to see more of that. :)

[@dbf876]

Let’s go RIVIAN!!! 👍🏻

[@MelissaAtwell]

Thanks for creating your video! I learned some new things about these vehicles.

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@MelissaAtwell yay so happy to hear this thank you so much for watching and taking the time to tell me!

[@faisalanwar6530]

Great review. You did miss, at this price point - audio system isn't particularly good. The self driving system can't navigate by itself like Tesla's full self driving.

[@RouterRelated]

@faisalanwar6530 the audio has been greatly improved with the new software update. rivian does not market self driving... I have 2 x 2025 and it's only automation is the auto lane change... they did one up tesla on the auto lane change graphics

[@muathmahmoud509]

Also, tesla suck… at evey level. I like the pilot mode in highway but i never ever used the fsd mode while having the car for 4 years. I only used for long distance trips for lane keeping while i have my sandwich or juice. Your talking like your gonna sleep and walk up at home its a useless over priced feature

[@faisalanwar6530]

@@muathmahmoud509 You are absolutely right - no one is dozing off and waking up at home (unless someone has got magic Tesla firmware we all missed). That said, Tesla's self-driving tech is not about napping; it is about reducing the grind of long commutes and heavy traffic. When is the last time you tried a Tesla with FSD? On v12.5+ with Hardware 4, especially in a Model X, it is an entirely different game. I am talking buttery-smooth lane changes, air suspension soaking up the bumps, and that uncanny ability to almost make you believe the car could fetch you a coffee. Take my weekly grind: 300+ miles (100 miles round-trip - 3 times a week, Queens Village, NYC to Morristown, NJ). Barely any interventions (hands on wheel, eyes monitored-Tesla is not messing around), and it is like having a personal chauffeur. Bonus points for it being able to park itself too! Sure, if your trips are just to the corner store for milk or grabbing a coffee down the block, FSD might feel overkill. But then again... for those trips, do we even need a car? Maybe just hop on a bicycle?

[@faisalanwar6530]

@@RouterRelated That sounds amazing - pardon the pun! I would love to give it a listen and see (or hear?) the difference firsthand. Maybe we could compare notes: your R1S with its improved audio and slick lane-change graphics vs. my Model X. Are you in NYC?

[@stillhere153]

@@faisalanwar6530I’m 60 miles north of NYC… note I traded a 23 model x with fsd for the r1s… trust me the lane change graphic is much nicer than the blue line

[@NepuniLokhoInst]

This was fun. All the best, Jacklyn. 👏🏼

[@89ayobami]

Great review Jacklyn❤ Do more of these

[@ThaJSter14]

I want one! Great review

[@srosevandyke]

Thanks for your review! I am debating on whether to wait for the new Rivian R2 or getting the new Tesla Model 3 next year. I am leaning towards the R2-looks great! I like that I am seeing more of them on the freeway.

[@RouterRelated]

I love both my rivians... this video was great, loved the info and walk through

[@NBTJacklyn]

Which ones do you have:) and thank you so much!!

[@stillhere153]

⁠@@NBTJacklyn2025 r1t trimotor bright package and 2025 R1s trimotor dark out package (both glacier white) - ascend trim

[@cadenchurchill4296]

The bird's-eye view while parking is a KILLER feature. My family's 2014 Nissan Leaf has that feature and it makes parking stupid easy. Honestly, I would gladly choose to have this over Apple Carplay (we don't have that) any day. Really miss it whenever I drive a car without it.

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@cadenchurchill4296 totally agreed it’s changed the game for me with parking!!:)

[@cadenchurchill4296]

@ Glad to hear! I’m actually kind of surprised that so many new cars still somehow don’t have that feature.

[@crAZNimal]

I agree, i work at Rivian, I use that feature all the time , I never liked that feature before when I worked at Honda

[@craigwoodgate7120]

Im from the ukbut the part of the im from doesn't have many charging stations nearby or that are actually finished being connected to the electric and the ones that are need a subscription or you only get to use it for 30 minutes

[@taofeekob]

Great review

[@doncross967]

navigation is a major problem... but as long as the front led battery indicator works right? :)

[@kriss.8535]

Awesome vid!

[@NBTJacklyn]

Thank you so much ☺️🙏🏻

[@BryanA3115]

Love Rivian! Can't wait to get my R2!

[@enriquemendezroger7132]

I love Rivian, some day I have to buy the R1S. But the best was your Jacket, what brand it is?

[@NBTJacklyn]

Ahhh thank you so much!! The rain coat? I will check and report back!!

[@somethingelse25]

Nice review! I wouldn't mind such a thing but I'd probably get a Subaru EV until Rivian sorts out the map thing. I need maps badly! haha But the inflating of the tires without a pump? Very nice. That's something to consider since a software update or two will fix the maps. Very nice car! EV is just starting but they're making advances!

[@Eshcole]

More car reviews! This was great.

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@Eshcole yay so happy you liked it!!!! More to come

[@Jcesare09]

Wellcome to Ev's world glad to see your video 👌✌️👍😊

[@cascaderetriever7618]

Love Rivian! So much tech and beautiful cars

[@insansiregar6158]

Better than Cybertruck for sure

[@Michael-e9s2x]

Cybertrucks get about 1.2 to 1.7 miles per Kw. My Tesla X gets 2.6 miles which includes all the drains... Battery Management, Security, HVAC and wind resistance. Don't be fooled by the 348 miles touted by Elon, that is full charged sitting still but drops like a flight coming into landing.

[@Rapido20]

That’s not what the market says the cybertruck massively outsells the R1s

[@insansiregar6158]

@@Rapido20 coz they got brainwashed by Tesla branding, just like Apple. Or they just haven't been exposed to Rivian R1S yet

[@Bobby-King3]

@@Rapido20 “better” wouldn’t equate to “more popular “ - those are separate ideas. Tesla had well over a million pre-orders that they have quickly exhausted through in less than a year for the Cybertruck. The vast majority of people who reserved a Cybertruck over 95% don’t believe it is worth purchasing yet.

[@Nimbus_2k]

@@Bobby-King3YES I can attest to that…. Not taking delivery of the Cybertruck I’m an OG Tesla fan for more than a decade before MAGA existed lol 😂 but it’s not worth it RN, it’s not meeting any promised key features that interested me back then and I preordered on the same week when announced!! Tesla is not the same sadly!!! I have now my R1T and preordered the R2 💕 I’ll get a Tesla again when it’s worth getting one….. ✌️

[@JpXRoss]

Wow!!! ⚡⚡Love it.

[@JasonRaneses]

Late review, the new model has been out for a while. If you frequent the Rivian forums you’d think twice on buying one. All cars have issues, however Rivian’s support and service centers are starting to rival Tesla’s for long wait times. Even if you have one close to you, which is another thing. I don’t see how they deploy the R2 at scale and more affordable models until they get this figured out + and deploy more capital. Which from a runway perspective is a challenge.

[@JasonRaneses]

Otherwise I’d hands down go Rivian over Tesla for an EV in 2026 onward. Also don’t sleep on BMW, the iX is fantastic.

[@laviska71]

I love the Rivian, its by far the best electric car and the one I want

[@rmkep]

No it isn't other than judgement rendered by emotion over logic.

[@Michael-e9s2x]

Can I ask you to do a 80% test? Charge to 80%, drive as you do for a day or 3 and below 25%. Note the miles you drove since 80%. Top back up to 80% and calculate the miles per Kw. That is a true gauge showing all the behind screen battery drains. I have an offer to buy the R1S for $91k but I don't want to trade for a Kw hog. Thanks!

[@roshinsoni]

nice vid jacklyn

[@SkywhiteChannel]

“Better” as long as it doesn’t leave you stranded like it did for me, or you need service, or you need a replacement part. Then is sucks ass. Because when the motor breaks it’s. Dangerous situation when the wheels lock. If you want/need service it’s scheduled months out. If you need a repair the parts will take months. Good luck with that.

[@BerlinGonzalez]

Yes 👍🏽

[@patricka4965]

Is the R1S the same price as the X?

[@jeffhale1189]

Thanks for sharing. Nice vehicle. Blessings on your day.

[@chrisw443]

I love EV's so much tech and car crossover, wish cars werent all so huge though lol.

[@BradfordSparks]

What's the real range on this Rivian in cold windy weather?

[@MrPatonMarshall]

This specific model interests me most out of all that exists today. When I'm ready to move on from my XC90 this will for sure be THE electric contender. I'm just unsure of my willingness to adopt electric yet.

[@ShoMac]

im going with the lucid gravity suv

[@ReluctantSpirit]

The charging speeds are critical I don't see evidence Rivian beat Tesla in that section

[@chisss]

Unfortunately she went to a slow charger. It’s a very different story if you go to a DC fast charger. It will charge much faster than that ChargePoint station.

[@crAZNimal]

​@@chisssi work at Rivian, each lift has a regular charger, outside the building has the fast charger and it's pretty fast

[@chisss]

@@crAZNimal Define fast, because unless it's a DC charger where you connect the CCS adapter, it's no different than a Level 2 charger which is what that ChargePoint is. Granted, those level 2 chargers they use can do 6KWh which is far better than a 15A wall socket, but it's no different than my home charger, actually my home charger is 10KWh since it's on a 60A circuit. it's still a Level2 charger. The RAN network and Tesla network use DC Fast charging which can charge at the max speeds the vehicle can support (200KWh thereabouts) that's what it charges from 10-80% in 30 mins or so. Again, Chargepoint does have these DC fast chargers with the CCS connector, but this on the video wasn't it.

[@crAZNimal]

@@chisss its level 3 , after i replaced front Hydraulic lines and a few FSAs the R1 had about 15% soc so I had to charge it up before a road test, i plugged it in about 20 minutes its almost full already, you can tell by the different plug , the cable and plug is thick ass hell, the one she using is the slow one, the fast charger is like a double barrel shotgun

[@chisss]

@@crAZNimal that's what I mean, in the video she's showing the slow chargers with ChargePoint Level 2 charger. kind of an unfair point to make when you're showcasing "charging speeds"

[@JustSomeTechie]

The Rivian does have some nice features with it. I feel EVs are still very much early adopter status, especially with the range and how fast/slow it charges, then of course the price of one. I do understand new products have to start from somewhere and it will get better with time, but if EVs in general get much better with range, charging, and pricing is more competitive or cheaper than gasoline vehicles, I feel they would be no brainers at that point. I also do appreciate the competition in the EV space and even veteran car makers doing their takes on EVs. Hopefully the competition leads to more innovation.

[@danielprice5540]

Nice job!

[@NBTJacklyn]

Thank you so much!!

[@ZipZoomZip]

Rivian sales were down sharply in Q3 2024. Why are you cherry-picking sales data from way back in Q1? The best selling electric vehicles in the US are (in order of #1, #2, #3) Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Cybertruck. The Rivian R1s is further down the list. The Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in the world, gas or electric and it's currently outselling the Rivian R1S by a factor of almost 100 to one. It just offers so much more value to a new car buyer.

[@iPeter-ky3zs]

Just curious...does the purchase price include a raincoat same color as car? Or just coincidence....hehe

[@hovelad]

Sadly these cars are too big for the UK roads! Great review!

[@ian2487]

I really love Rivian ❤

[@gr0wnup5]

Jacklyn dipping her toes in Automotive Reviews 🤗 color me interested 😇

[@NBTJacklyn]

Yay so happy you’re interested:)

[@robp3431]

fixing the slow-charging issue should be Rivian's #1 focus

[@ronaldmjmr]

Nice! We have moved to vehicles now! 🧡🍂

[@TheOnlyTaps]

💪🏿👊🏿🔥 dope watch

[@RaavMedia]

Wow!! I don’t think any UK parking spaces can fit this. You need to use up like 4 spots to correctly fit this! 😄

[@T3CHGY007]

I see You are playing some T-Swift in the car!

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@T3CHGY007 always :))))

[@pepesilvia4564]

Rivian is leagues above Tssla in everything, (so are most manufacturers' EVs). When I bought my Tesla years ago I couldn't believe how poorly made it was, panels never aligned, it rattled like a 10 year old car and constantly smell like a wet rug due to poorly sealed doors/roof. I was so disapointed that I thouhgt I was never going to buy another EV from a "pure EV manufacturer". But then gave Rivian a try and oh boy, that really feels like a "good quality car" that happens to be an EV. The build quality and materials are comparable to my Land Rover, and has been solid reliable for 2 years. So much so that we also put a deposit for a R2.

[@badtoro]

Um ok do you even have a Tesla?

[@ZipZoomZip]

You don't have a clue what you are talking about (or you are just trying to create a false impression of Tesla). Why do you feel the need to do that?

[@Garythefireman66]

I think excluding both Android Auto and CarPlay is a mistake, but yeah, you can always open Waze on your phone

[@RonLeedy]

There is now a few startup companies that are creating accessories specific to the Rivians.

[@richiy86]

Exctited by the progress of EV infrastructure and vehicles. But 20 miles per hour of charge is insane. Who would ever opt for that over a Supercharger if they're out in public/on a trip (versus at work or a hotel where you leave your car for many many hours)

[@milescoleman910]

All Rivian vehicles are incredible. They cost more than 200 thousand dollars to build. Some more than others. Buy them before they go bankrupt.

[@cheeseburger9232]

Congrats on the Ev

[@DirtyBeemer1]

they are fine until you need service. my service center is literally 4 months out for appointments. ask me how i know

[@philrosenn]

Such smart analysis as always. Rivian is now on my radar.

[@NBTJacklyn]

@@philrosenn thank you so much!! You’re the best as always 🥹🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@badtoro]

You’re comparing a model to a 100k product? Give me a break. So what about the charging curve? It sucks. What about the premium audio? It sucks. You listed some of the built in charging, but left off the other two. You didn’t mention there is only one supported CCS to NACS per Rivian. You didn’t even talk about NACS going to be the default later 25. FFS this was the most juvenile review yet on this car. Please do research next time FFS

[@jasonnorton3217]

Like it overall, but that headlight design looks like eyeballs staring at you. I’d be 100% with the headlights redesigned

[@dnldnl4880]

Can you stream Disney and Netflix?

[@daviotkelly1267]

Based on that charging port map, if you're in big sky country, forget it😂 definitely better than the cybertruck tho.

[@realdjroberto1]

Rivian looks and feels like a true SUV. Unlike Cybertruck.

[@MrRubme]

As awesome as these cars are, sadly Rivian hasn’t made a penny of profit on these cars. I hope they turn it around quickly.

[@dylansousa5571]

Good video

[@mattashman4040]

But they don’t sell outside the US. There are people outside the US.

[@mil546]

Give a demo in the snow

[@f1b1777]

Electric cars only works if you have a good charging infrastructure. For me electric motors powered by Hydrogen end result lighter car more Environmentally friendly in making the car coz don’t need batteries…..

[@MovedbyTruth]

I really like it, just can’t afford it.

[@HansMilling]

Where do you get your stats? Rivian is one of the worst cars according to auto consumer reports and it’s not even on top 25 of the global or US BEV sales lists. Their sales dropped 27% in Q3 this year. Also all other Tesla models than Model X sells better than Rivian. Sounds like you were paired for making an advertisement for this car, more than you did any fact check. Anyway, great review of the car with pros and cons.

[@rewmole]

Thanks so much for this great review. Was think about going electric and did not like Tesla. I’m going to research Rivian now and give them a try.

[@headyhere]

Can’t afford R1. Waiting for R2.

[@RB-uw6ez]

it's a brilliant car but, The charging curve sucks on the r1t gen 2, and te people that are buying a rivian are most of the time people who don't like the Tesla ceo and what he says, but if i would have to choose i would always go for a tesla, in my view tesla is just a better car for the things i need to do.

[@pandatactical4530]

Be warned Rivian has never even been close to making a profit on any of their vehicles and the company has a mountain of debt. No doubt they are great quality but how long can the company stay in business?

[@jideveloper1164]

Looks great! AND if Rivian doesn't suck up to MAGA like Elon does it's even more appealing!

[@Shopsmith10er]

Thanks for the review. But reality sets in. Search online Charging The Electric Rivian R1S Was More Expensive Than Filling Up Some Notorious Gas Guzzlers by David Tracy from December 3, 2024. Also, the charge port door location is terrible. Definitely prone area to minor bumps and that'll hinder any charge. In this day and age, zero excuse for both poor to inop nav system and that flakey business while phones are sitting in the console.

[@seabrookmx]

Rivian loses nearly $40k USD per vehicle. The product looks great but I am very skeptical they will go the distance as a business.

[@wydryfly]

Think they’re losing 100k now per vehicle, so I’ve read. They also have not updated their charging capability. Very slow even in the new gen.

[@Speedlimitreviews]

Sounds like folks back in the early Tesla days. “They won’t make it” it’s losing business” this or that. They will be fine. This is coming from a guy who has owned 8 Teslas.

[@seabrookmx]

@Speedlimitreviews Rivian doesn't have Musk to bankroll them 🤷‍♂️

[@garyyang3485]

They have the us government, Amazon and Volkswagen for the cash

[@deanerichan7284]

This is a stat that is misunderstood and misstated. I usually question the motivation on why people would misread this even though the product is very well received and only in production a couple years. The fact that companies such as Amazon and VW have decided to rely on Rivian in a customer role should speak volumes to the capabilities of the technology and the longevity of the company.

[@mrjim1973]

Not a good company!!! Workers at Rivian are dealing with some really nasty safety concerns at its Normal, Illinois factory. They’ve suffered injuries from cracked skulls and foot fractures to back lacerations that require surgery and amputated fingers. One person even said she complained to doctors last year about vomiting bile with a “Rivian blue” hue after painting R1s without a respirator. Despite the fact that Rivian has just one factory, it has racked up more “serious” U.S. safety violations than any other automaker since the start of 2023. That is... not great. Workers at the plant say there are plenty of incidents that don’t make it onto government reports, too.

[@rmkep]

Welcome to BEV world. The Rivian is a very nice vehicle but (and it's a big one) Rivian loses $35K or more on every vehicle they sell. Also, the software and road tripping and charging are vintage Tesla 2014. Until they can make a profit on their vehicles they are not a real company and that is a fact that all potential buyers should take into consideration. Tesla is the only American car manufacturer making money selling BEV's and it's likely Tesla's profit margins are higher than China or Korean BEV's. Forget Elon and buy the most American made BEV's in the world. Oh and they are great cars to drive and own.

[@marksullivan6017]

Rivian is in a financial death spiral. . .just took a massive federal loan out from the DOE who is famous for making poor decisions. Cash burn at Rivian is killing them. It costs $39K more to build than its average sale price, and that’s just the cost to build, does not include admin, marketing and other SGA. . .not sustainable. Enjoy while it lasts. Just shopped this and bought the X due to the stability of Tesla. That said, Rivian product is great. It’s just going the way of the dodo or will have to be bought out by some seriously deep pockets.

[@TurfSurf]

Yes, it’s better than Tesla, but it’s too big for me, waiting for the R2 and R3.

[@saulramos79]

Did I miss your Tesla review????

[@BrandonToy1]

Needs Google Maps integration

[@lawrencedorn6041]

its a cool car, HOWEVER.... its a company on verge of bankruptcy as it cost way more to build then sell price.. What happens when the company is gone... i know the Fisker EV owners are hating life right now sine fisker just went bankrupt.

[@KP-xi4bj]

Too bad Rivian won't be around in two years. They're bleeding money and they're going the way of Fisker.

[@jigs8437]

I am sorry to say this car maybe good looking and spacious however it's the worst car out of all EV cars charging wise . It has the slowest charging speed and has the worst thermal pack on its battery cause it just never warms up the battery. Furthermore it's the least efficient EV out of all electric cars sold to date . If you don't believe me try checking out the video by Kyle from out of spec on his review on the new Rivian GEN 2. I would go with Tesla anyday on a dime

[@deplorablechump8758]

Tesla EVs are still 10 years ahead of other brands.

[@namcojr]

Why do reviewers insist in comparing great products with Tesla which is one of the (if not the) worst EV manufacturer? Tesla quality is inferior to just about anything out there, this is an insult to Rivian, among others.

[@davidjackson3221]

🏁🏁🏁🚙😁👍🎥

[@iSucrose]

Steve-O is the CEO of Rivian? That’s quite surprising! jk 😅

[@mike_realityi]

Opening your wallet is because you are using an apple and that is where an android can use the NFC App Key which Apple is not allowing 3rd party developers from accessing the NFC hardware.

[@tyeduong1263]

Good luck to u guys loving rivian they don’t even have a single super charger for clients and will will go bankrupt soon well great car for collection it’s might worth millions in 20yrs from now😅 it would be funny when ic a rivian charge next to my tesla supercharger 🤭 bet u guyz voting for kamala 🤯

[@jorgerangel2390]

Beating Tesla in sales is not that impressive now