Rivian R1T Off-Road: The Good and The Bad

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I took the Rivian R1T off-roading! It's fast and exciting, but it's also very capable off-road -- and I drove the Rivian off-road to show you what it's like. Here's my review of the Rivian R1T off the pavement doing some off-road trails.
RIVIAN REVIEW!
• The Rivian R1T Is the ...
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[@DougDeMuro]

For those asking about range off-road, I didn't see a HUGE depletion of range when doing off-road stuff, though it did go quicker than on-road. I'd say range depleted maybe 30 percent faster off-road than on road. Interestingly I only lost a mile or two going up and down the rock hill.

[@mierdevries9643]

That is interesting considering TFLs test of the Tesla showed their Model Y was using almost the same amount of power off-road as it did when it was towing. Perhaps this is a mistake by Tesla that Rivian didn't make in their off-road mode. I'll be interested in seeing more tests.

[@GuestUser18]

@@mierdevries9643 yeah more tests would definitely say more.

[@CookiePepper]

About brake heating up down hill. You are going so slow (you are converting potential energy to heat) so no problem about brake heating.

[@davidkirinic9463]

You're so hot when onlyfans ?

[@gexystanks5762]

@@davidkirinic9463 bro 😱

[@hotshtsr20]

As a guy who's tortured his Jeep through the Rubicon, Johnson Valley, Dusey, and every trail at Shaver Lake, Big Bear and Ocotillo, I know exactly where that hill is, and it's a legit hill that requires a lot of patience. The fact that Doug was able to do it just by pointing it uphill is a testament to the engineering that went into this.

[@hotshtsr20]

@@yungboicontigo9278 lol, no Minivans here. What’s left of a Jeep XJ (basically just the body is sorta OEM)…

[@sam_s_]

What trail is that? I live near Poway and I am always looking for good trails within an hour or two of home.

[@hotshtsr20]

@@sam_s_ Otay Truck Trail, near the Pio Pico side. Better side is off of Marron Valley Rd. Lots to explore back there and more open because it’s BLM land

[@sam_s_]

@@hotshtsr20 Thanks for the reply. I have been out there before but never hit any of the side trails. I will have to head back there.

[@hotshtsr20]

@@sam_s_ Head in on the Barrett side. Lot more to explore there, including some that make me shift from 2LO to 4LO. :)

[@9990dah]

One awesome benefit Doug didn't mention there at the end is off roading in near silence with a full electric. Going up that monster hill would have made huge engine noise normally. Just imagine cruising around through mountain trails with the birds chirping etc. You could be pretty stealth and not disturb wildlife. Pretty awesome :)

[@davidtelllez2876]

💯👏

[@JakeTerch]

That’s true, but this rocky hill had a lot of tire noise haha

[@BigfootUnibrowMan]

Nah, I put a louder exhaust on my old truck so I can show nature who is boss! HEAR THE GLORIOUS NOISE OF V8 POWWWEEERRR💪😤

[@Racing2Learn]

One of the biggest benefits indeed, enjoying nature

[@dudeonbike800]

Methinks Racing2Learn was being sarcastic. Or not? But you motorheads need to think of your place in the outdoors. Lots of pressures to ban you. Electric may be a really great way for you to preserve your access. No more smoke-belching, gasoline burning, revving engines. Nor any more cracked engine and transmission oil pans or differential cases dumping oil all over the place. I think of the Southwest where you'd me more welcome in an electric vehicle than one that "rolls coal." Just a thought.

[@drifter503]

Rivian has to love you for doing this, even with the drawbacks discussed

[@mcky_msh]

His worst criticism is basically "add some off-road-specific software and better tires". Otherwise, he's gushing. It's really very good for them.

[@car9472]

Rivian seems like the kind of company to learn from criticism. At least in my opinion

[@dorhocyn3]

That place is gonna be flooded with cyber trucks , Rivans and Ford F150s from now on

[@juggernautAA12]

I had seen them in the news but never even remotely paid attention to them because I assumed they were just another investor hype company that wasn't going to make anything substantial at even a remotely affordable price. However, if I was buying a truck at this price I would absolutely buy this

[@KD2HJP]

Love this

[@zoltore23]

I think that it is AMAZING that Rivian let you borrow this truck and test it to the extreme. You done good, Sir. You done good!

[@defyyourlogic487]

It actually is a great move for them to see what they can improve early on.

[@krane15]

@@defyyourlogic487 It still needs a lot of work.

[@krane15]

A to ugh course, but hardly extreme. I didn't notice any articulation.

[@bolt5564]

And not on their own course but let Doug take it where he wanted to.

[@jaraldoe]

@@krane15 for their very first vehicle, it is very impressive and even gives vehicles that have been around a while (like the big 3’s 1/2 ton trucks) a run for their money. I wouldn’t say it needs a lot of work (as of right now since we haven’t seen any long term tests yet) but there are some kinks to work out.

[@ethananderson3429]

Rivian actually added a TPMS for all 4 wheels in a recent update after hearing the customer demand for it! Stoked to see that they listen to what the people want!

[@d.bcooper2271]

😂😂😂

[@matthewelliott2213]

I love the impression Doug uses for his fans... That said, "my Ford Escort could do that hill with mere tires chains and an anti-gravity machine."

[@yusufffff]

Taurus*

[@Reddsoldier]

Let's be real though, the most capable off road vehicle is a beat up Citroën BX in the hands of a French Farmer who lives up a mountain.

[@matthewelliott2213]

@@Reddsoldier there's a James Bond movie that would agree!

[@ToolkiT73UK]

I'm pretty sure a rental Mustang V6 would make it at least half way up that hill ;)

[@Passportbros8]

HOW DO YOU BUY A RAVIAN. ?I KNOW THEY HAVE A WEBSITE, BUT DO YOU PAY FULL CASH OR DO THEY HAVE A OPTION FOR MONTHLY PAYMENTS? I WANT TO BUY ONE. IF SOMEONE ANSWERS MY QUESTION I WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

[@Gearbhall]

I feel like the individual TPMS readout, hill descent control, and hill hold assist are things where the hardware is clearly present and could probably be added with a software update. It might be worth contacting them to request that.

[@Wurzberger]

I was thinking the same thing. I would be surprised if these weren't added in an update in the future.

[@Jimpank90]

Agree completely, the only potential problem I can think of is that it might potnetially need different TPMS sensors or management system, because some of them dont keep track on what sensor is in what corner, it only checks if all 4 sensors are in spec or not and turn on a warning light when one of them is low. I have no clue how advanced the rivian system is, but at the price point and general tech level I would assume that its not the most cheap simple system.

[@mcky_msh]

100% what I was thinking. Hill climb assist would be nice, too. Like simulated locking differentials, keeping the wheels moving together would give a lot of confidence.

[@TheJohnboyhunter]

@@Jimpank90 My car, that's coming up 4 years old, that is a fwd MPV and cost a hell of a lot less than a Rivian gives me the pressure of each tyre and came as standard.

[@nicobrouwer4598]

Yeah a locking diff would also just be an update, plus there’s no buttons inside so you would just lock it through the screen.

[@jakeberg6758]

Can you just picture the executives in the board room at Rivian, laughing hysterically and high-fiving each other over the success of this video. Some of them probably even now have Doug DeMuro tattoos. Drawbacks excluded, what an insane first run success. I Love they had the balls, to let Doug go to town on it. GREAT video!!!!! Thank you.

[@Cammac8]

Especially considering Doug clearly didn’t remove a single PSI from those tires before heading off-road! 😆

[@HwangInhoBooNam]

Dafuq?

[@danielwillias6380]

​@@Cammac8 He mentioned airing down and up again. The truck weighs so much it needs 48psi. Minimum is 31. That's a drawback. My question is would you guys go lower than "recommended" 31? Maybe not on these rocks. IDK I would on soft sand.

[@jaaj7381]

even cutlery has a bigger benis 🙄

[@houseofno]

@Jaaj Post the video and prove it.

[@supercarMOMcbrtkk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5ixap-Mf8dohJo

[@JohannGambolputty22]

@@houseofno Did you not watch the video? Lol

[@DougDeMuro]

You son of a

[@mileslemon]

@@houseofno watch the video then delete this comment

[@qx4n9e1xp]

A tip for recording steep hills & off-road stuff: Keep the camera in-line with the horizon, or lined up with a tree. Trees always point up, the horizon shows flat or unflat ground. Don't "look down" or "up" with the camera. Be at the same elevation as the off-road vehicle, and record it from the side view while holding camera level.

[@Josh-179]

Good point. That's why so many off road videos don't show the actual steepness, and therefore difficulty, of trails.

[@shred1]

Yeah the steepness is really only told by the people on foot climbing.

[@zipobob1]

That is very good advise! thank you

[@tomokokishi3066]

Nice advise from a rather crazy avatar😂

[@約翰-d7x]

Nice tip thanks

[@RobertShrimpton]

Great video of a terrific vehicle! Cheers Doug! Regarding the bad stuff: * Hill descent control * As others have mentioned, this could be an extension of the SinglePedal/EV mode, where the vehicle moves extra slowly with little to no pressure on the accelerator pedal. Possibly just requires a software update. Would use a combination of regenerative braking and regular braking. Side note: like all electric and hybrid vehicles, regenerative braking becomes ineffective once the battery is full (there's typically nowhere else to send that converted energy). * Hill hold assist * Sounds like it could be a software update. Essentially don't allow the wheels to turn while there is no pressure on either the accelerator or brake pedal. * Locking differential, etc. * This really needs a little bit of thought. A "virtual locking differential" is really not what is needed. The intent of a locking differential is to prevent the "normal differential" feature of one wheel spinning freely while the other wheel (which has grip) receiving no turning force. None of this applies in a vehicle propelled by 4 separate motors. Instead, we want the system to apply suitably high force/torque at the wheels which have grip, and to apply no torque to those wheels with no grip. More specifically, to Doug's complaint, ensure that no wheel spins fast when there is no grip e.g. limit rotations to say 30 RPM (or some other low number) when off-road climbing. That will overcome the concern of applying high throttle pressure, which normally could cause high spin rates on non-gripping wheels. Further thought: the traditional accelerator pedal is used to both increase torque AND speed. In a hill-climbing scenario you really only want torque (at low speed). So perhaps a software update to add a hill-climbing mode that allows the accelerator pedal to apply torque (to wheels with grip) but limit rotational speed to say 30 RPM (to prevent wheel spin). * Tire Pressure Monitor * Agreed, would be good to have for convenience, although far from a show stopper. If the sensors are already installed, then maybe this is just a software update. It does at least have a built in compressor. * Camera system * Unfortunate. Sounds like this will be a hardware upgrade.

[@leadfoot8593]

The good thing about its shortcomings drivability wise is the fix is just a download away. I think a way to sync all four motors would greatly improve its trail ability.

[@2aprogressive626]

Nailed it

[@patrickmartin3322]

I can’t even imagine how well this thing would do with some beefier tires

[@rvboyett]

Totally agree. It has Pirelli Scorpion ATs. I don't think they are terrible, but Pirelli says they are still oriented for EV range. I bet some Falken AT3Ws or MTs would have just walked up that hill. The only other downside is that the truck is on 20" wheels. The tires are 34s but that is quite limiting in the amount of sidewall.

[@theironemald8779]

@@rvboyett Fr they should get smaller wheels and better tires and that thing would be a monster

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

Maybe he could let some air out of them too.

[@jerrycomo2736]

I'm not an "off-roader" but I noticed the wrong tires for the purpose too.

[@storm4710]

@@theironemald8779 can't go much smaller, Big brakes limit the rim size.

[@johnshellenberg1383]

Considering it has pretty entry level AT tires, that's a damned impressive showing.

[@slavplaysgames]

this truck is trash xD toyota hilux 300 times better ...

[@GinsuChikara]

@@slavplaysgames This isn't a competitor to the fucking HiLux, lmao.

[@bobsagit10]

@@GinsuChikara that shit went right over your head huh

[@paulstandaert5709]

Honestly guys, as long as a Subaru CVT transmission torque limitation doesn't cause it to not be able to climb this, it looked a lot like how a Subaru climbs stuff. It sits and spins a wheel for awhile before the computer transfers the torque to another wheel. Put those exact same tires on another vehicle with lockers and then it'll make this look easy. The same applies for downhill braking. I would have to see how Rivian determines wheel speed, but traditional anti-lock systems don't work at 2-3 mph. They could increase the resolution of the system by using a gear reduction at the motors to improve resolution, but when you need to back down something, and all your brake proportioning is to the front wheels like they are probably are in the Rivian.... its NOT a pretty thing without having the front and rear wheels connected. That being said, I wish my Jeep had a center of gravity like that of an electric vehicle. I don't think he would have rolled that Rivian if he was on that hill sideways.

[@SammyTheSituation]

I just read that the CEO had never done off-roading until the R1T was done.. That's is insane!!

[@RedlineGaming007]

Who else noticed the new Tundra

[@oscarzt1652]

the red truck?

[@JoeTirone]

For real! I’m glad I’m not the only one!

[@ChrisParayno]

I wonder if he took it up too 🤣🤣

[@scuffediceposeidon9178]

I saw the red truck but couldn't figure out the brand

[@mrwintry1]

Reviewed and borrowed both trucks during the same week.

[@peterfinaldi3251]

Not sure what I'm more excited for. Your Hummer EV review or your Lucid Air review.

[@top10cars2]

I'm more excited for the Hummer EV review!

[@doctorgrover2287]

Doug is the type of guy to spend his Black Friday on the trails and then shaming Ferraris with a truck 👌

[@Firebolt1729]

I missed these “Doug the type of guy” jokes

[@oldskool1979]

If you tube didn tpay him hed be working a real job.

[@doctorgrover2287]

@@oldskool1979 Be sure to check out Cars & Bids for cool cars from the modern era.

[@oldskool1979]

@@doctorgrover2287 no

[@RB-pr2ly]

@@oldskool1979 who cares if KZbin isn’t quite a “real” job, he does more than 99% of KZbinrs and he’s really good at what he does. Even if KZbin somehow doesn’t work for him, I’m sure many companies would be willing to pay for him to test or review their cars.

[@supersimon126]

Being an electric it surprises me that it doesn't have some sort of hill decent control that uses regenerative braking as a means to avoid using the conventional brakes as much. This would also be a useful feature to replace an engine brake if you were towing because i can imagine that towing with this thing in particular could become fairly heavy pretty quickly

[@mitchellgreen6685]

It does...there are plenty of videos showing regen set to max and it holding the truck on a steep incline. It can certainly act as HDC.

[@michaelmaas5544]

@@mitchellgreen6685 Doug said in the video it doesn’t 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mitchellgreen6685]

@@michaelmaas5544 He likely didn’t have max regen on. He missed the mark on that but is spot on about the four motors and the need for too much application of pedal.

[@supersimon126]

@@mitchellgreen6685 That would work. Even if not quite a hill decent feature it still helps.

[@supersimon126]

@@mitchellgreen6685 It doesn't sound improbable to me that we on electrics will see some sort of artificial locking diff if you will. A system that'll match the wheelspeed on the rear wheels through a computer to act locked. I wouldn't be surprised if that's already a thing actually

[@egolli2158]

Landcruiser guy : “what are you talking about? I never off-road this thing, its for instagram only”

[@randylgrep]

Lol pretty much 90% of USA LC owners 😥

[@CasualStarlord]

I feel like this could all be wildly improved with software updates, even a pseudo locked diff option where it just spins all of the motors in sync as if they are locked together.

[@Playingwithproxies]

Yeah or just a more response computer adjusting to small sliding of tires much faster.

[@albersondh]

@@Playingwithproxies Shocking how much slip is needed before it starts to spin up the side with traction...

[@ChrisBLong]

Yeah, I can see 'all-wheel-drive software tuning' being a big thing for the off-roaders of the future.

[@markplott4820]

Starlord - RIVIAN has SHIT Software , there will be NO UPDATES, they LIED.

[@CasualStarlord]

@@markplott4820 bit of a hot take for a car that only just hit the market... What gives you the impression they will never update it? Honestly I'm not sure we will even see them in Australia for a few years sadly.

[@todtod6212]

Have to say that was of the best reviews of the operation/driving of a vehicle Doug had made. Some really good technical advice that you can use and a whole lot for the manufacturer to think about. But have to say that for their first vehicle ever, I’m pretty amazed of the rivian and what it can do!

[@rambobannana]

Maybe an off-road package is in order. Hill descent, hill lock, and a “locking diff” mode can be programmed to all Rivians. But the off-road package could come with better cameras, knobbier tires, onboard air, even more adjustable lift, aggressive styling, and maybe a winch hidden in the bumper

[@cenciende9401]

Implying the styling isn't already cool AF, no thanks to making it look lame aka generically 'aggressive'

[@Jack_Of_Some_Master_Of_None]

I don't think it should be a package, I think it should be default with it. Shoot my 2020 Hyundai Palisade has hill decent control, auto hold, Front camera view and 360 top down under 8 mph. After owning it one month we went camping and on the way out, we found ourselves on a dirt road that turned into a very steep shale road. We got passed by people driving razors saying "You didn't know what this trail was did you?" Nope! Without the Hill Decent control, the wheels would just lock up and I would slide. HDC would keep me at around 2-3 mph and IN CONTROL. Definitely not the right trail for a $50k vehicle with barely 8" of ground clearance. But, it handled it extremely well.

[@GraceAloneThroughFaithAlone]

Cool, but what happens if you run out of charge? With my Jeep I carry extra fuel for such occasions.

[@rambobannana]

@@GraceAloneThroughFaithAlone that’s the big downfall of electric. You can’t just refuel it enough to get out of a park or something like a gas car.

[@anthonydotb]

@dougdemuro did you enable rock crawl mode?

[@cameronfox2750]

I feel like Dougs gonna get a Rivian

[@TRADvler]

Definitely

[@manaspradhan8041]

Maybe if he sells the defender? The defender is really cool though

[@classiccarson9760]

@@manaspradhan8041 he won’t sell the old defender it is to sentimental but I’m not sure if you talking about the old one or the new one

[@classiccarson9760]

I said the same thing in the last vid

[@manaspradhan8041]

@@classiccarson9760 the new one, ofc he won't sell the old one lmao

[@chadbaptiste4227]

This is legitimately the best press Rivian could hope for.

[@bamb4boy271]

Doug : "on camera its never looks like its in person" Me : "holly sh*t that looks freaking scary"

[@GuestUser18]

lol good job on the heart

[@bamb4boy271]

@@GuestUser18 yeah im so happy haha

[@jasonmcelroy1938]

Ahhhh Holly. She was a good time back in the day.

[@hf7188]

Me too, when he said he wanted do to that, I thought he lost his marbles down that hill. Truly impressive he and the truck made it.

[@jayforerunner965]

Finally Doug got a hold of the Hummer EV can’t wait for him to release that video

[@supercarMOMcbrtkk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5ixap-Mf8dohJo

[@syxepop]

@@Devogor - that video was SPAM for getting views into his video....

[@sbs-0055]

@@Devogor please don’t click on these links.

[@bonzobonanza]

Doug said that he recorded 6 EV reviews. So far, the F-150 Lightning and Rivian were uploaded. The next one is the Hummer EV, Lucid Air, Rimac Nevera, and Mercedes EQS.

[@sbs-0055]

@@bonzobonanza Porsche Taycan?

[@thomasmartin5384]

It sounds like he was driving it in the "normal car" pedal configuration where the gas and brakes were separated. From what I've heard, when you have it in the "ev" pedal configuration where you push in the gas to go and back off the gas to regen brake, it basically has built in hill descent control. And you wouldn't have to switch pedals to go from stop to go like he talked about with hill stop assist. Plus the Rivian has variable regen braking modes, and I've heard the maximum regen is super aggressive and slows it down rapidly without having to use brakes.

[@dorhocyn3]

Definitely needs a “simulated” locking differential mode. With most likely a very limited top speed like 5 or 10 mph (that would also allow them to program maximum tire rotation speed to prevent crazy spinning of a tire that is not touching the ground) and a warning screen letting you know your range and efficiency would be dramatically decreased. So people wouldn’t just use it on a 6 mile dirt road to their campsite for no reason.

[@dragospahontu]

It doesn't need that

[@littlejackalo5326]

It wouldn't affect range. It needs some way to stop you from having to floor it if the wheels are spinning. Because if you're doing that, and the wheels stop spinning, and it cooks up, it's going to shoot forward before you can get off the gas and onto the brakes. It's a terrible way to implement traction control. ICE cars that cut fuel instead of using the brakes, like my accord, are horrible. You should be able to give the Rivian 10% throttle while the wheels are slipping and it should shut of the motors to the wheels that are spinning, in just 45° of rotation.

[@dragospahontu]

@@littlejackalo5326 it won't shoot up because the car knows what is happening. But yes they need something else.

[@knoblis]

It does have. The problem is that with no actual mechanical connection between wheels, keeping them spinning at the same speed is not as easy or linear as it seems, because all you can do is supply current to the electric engines and pray the resulting torque will provide x speed, but you know it's not how it works. All it can do is monitor wheel speed all the time and regulate torque as.. well.. it can.

[@dragospahontu]

@@knoblis they just need to fine tune the software. The possibilities are endless with this setup.

[@LegatoStudios]

I love seeing you and your friends having fun. It's so wholesome and I'd love to see more of this kind of content! Doesn't have to be vlogs, it can be informational just like this.

[@CEOBOSSTUDIOS]

Doug sells cars. Point blank period. We’re watching history. Soon it won’t be jd power & associates but demuro stars. I’m telling you. I love Doug been watching for a very long time since he had a dc plate on his Ferrari back in 2013 that’s how i found him.

[@Martin_from_SC]

Its interesting that they couldn't put in some sort of "virtual" diff lock, where it would send the equal amount of power & torque to each wheel.

[@Tb0n3]

I think individual wheel rotation is better than differential lock. Differential lock just makes a single drive point work for two wheels.

[@PhilKulak]

But that's not what a diff lock does. A diff lock will send ALL power to a single wheel, instantly, if that's the only wheel with traction. That's exactly what you try to do with electronics and 4 motors, but I don't know if it could ever be as perfect as a mechanical lock.

[@alexdi1367]

Wouldn't make sense. The only input to a motor is power. Absent a load, high power will spin the wheel at high RPM. You need a speed or load sensor on the wheel so the electronics can adjust power when the load changes. The problem here isn't that all the wheels aren't moving, it's that the feedback loop between the load sensor and the motor controller is too slow. Speed that up and it'll be just as effective as an actual diff lock, without powering wheels in midair for no reason.

[@hg-sf7yx]

@@PhilKulak Isn't that what the diff does when not locked? Like one wheel does not have traction that's why the other wheel gets more power because the diff is open and the power gets send to the wheel with the most traction? When locked both wheels get the same amount of power no matter what, and with this there is no delay when the grip level change (which makes it very good for off-roading). And yes, that is easily doable with electric motors as the exact power needed can be given to each motor as it is a simple signal (like: now all 4 motors have to deliver exactly 400nm, no matter what). It is similar to the diff, just that with an ICE the diff gets the power and then tells the wheels "you both get the same amount of power". it all depends on the software and if it is not written terribly, there is no doubt that it can function as good as a mechanical lock, if not even better as the power can be dosed even more precise and faster.

[@Cloxxki]

You can't send power to a slipping wheel. It would just spin to top speed if you tried. Equal speed, providing it's transfering torque, finding traction, might work?

[@hayden1308]

I'd like to give a HUGE thanks for the detailed off-road review-one that’s incredibly relevant to us! We've placed an order for the R1S and sometimes tackle trails with similar, boulder-like scree here in Southwest Colorado. Firstly, we find it shocking that it lacks a hill-hold mode-INSANE! Secondly, we find it disconcerting that it lacks a mode to lock the rear and/or front wheels to spin simultaneously, as spinning tirelessly on sharp rocks will inevitably lead to tire failure and is-quite frankly-destructive to the terrain. Thirdly, the lack of hill-descent control is unfortunate, as it would’ve been really beneficial to be able to move at a crawling pace as one might in first gear in low-range… We’d be utterly thrilled if a simple software update could add these features-an incredible possibility in this day and age!

[@poplaurentiu4148]

Hill Descent Control is a function that was created to work specifically on regular cars with diff-locks, Rivian motors are full electric do not have wheel gears, gearbox, crank-shaft, center lock diff.. in fact any other full ev : GMC Hummer EV, Tesla X, Ford F-150 Lightning, Atlis XT, Lordstown Endurance, Nikola Badger, Bollinger, any of them will not have hill descent control either.. TPM (Tire Pressure Monitoring) is another thing that SUV owners should consider to check by themselves to be sure 100% when going off-road since the sensors might work or not so is better be safe now than sorry latter..

[@awebuser5914]

It does have a hill-holding mode. Either he didn't enable it, or the hill was too steep for regen to hold the vehicle. Locking-diffs are a horribly crude and possibly very dangerous way to "fudge" your way uphill. Rivian needs to add low-speed positional tracking (like RaceLogic equipment tech.) or an IMU and that way, you could leverage the absolutely gigantic benefit that individual wheel power control brings to the table. Using wheel-speed sensors implies that one or more wheels cannot be allowed to spin since you need forward motion data to apply the power (you can see this as it alternates power around the wheels, effective, but not optimal). I assume it'll come in time, maybe with an "special" off-roading package.

[@harjatalonen3467]

Enjoy your Rivian!

[@poplaurentiu4148]

@@jar3370 Look man, if i would be a fresh owner i wouldn't try that one out because warranty of car may void if someone mess with the software of the new car, so maybe on these new ev's is a hidden setting function on the screen that need to be searched and to be activated, switch on/off enabling or disable electric motors to slow down & apply brakes simultaneously when the car is hill descent in off-road, mud/sand/snow modes.. otherwise if the car do not comes with a 'user-manual' (or a link to download it) just contact Rivian customer-service center for all kinds of such settings..

[@neudimensions1320]

I like how it deploys its door handles to help with the braking @10:02

[@MrXxHunter]

IT HAS AIRBRAKES **Top Gun theme intensifies**

[@mateo3388]

I like how ford was like “we can let you sit passenger in our new lightning” and Rivian was like yep jump it off a cliff here’s our truck for a while

[@just_one_opinion]

ford is rivian architecture underneath....you know this right?

[@kracusomniax3933]

That's because Rivian is in production/sale phase. Ford isn't, neither is GM and definitely not Tesla. I'm sure next Spring, Ford will have theirs opened up. Ford has let Doug and others test their vehicles on tracks and what not in the past. Ford to me is playing a marketing game with Tesla. Keeping a lot close to the vest.

[@georgeionescu6425]

letting this idiot taking it off road,and not to channels like tfl is very strange to say the least

[@Jdog1681]

@@just_one_opinion not true. The ford powertrain is proprietary. They planned to use Rivian's powertrain for a Lincoln but ultimately canceled it. A simple google search and spec comparison will show that.

[@FrankieProkop]

4 minutes. Ooh. First off-road review. Quite exciting! ALSO, IS THAT THE HUMMER EV? I’ve been SO hyped for the full review after your initial preproduction walkthrough. Hell yeah!

[@sandybarnes887]

He did a hummer ev review. In his electric vehicle playlist

[@FrankieProkop]

@@sandybarnes887 that last one that he did was merely a preproduction model. It wasn’t a full production example. That one that he did wasn’t actually “fully available”, as the full model (in the case of the Edition1) is only expected to hit the market in December, with official production starting this past October.

[@sandybarnes887]

@@FrankieProkop yes, excellent point.

[@GuestUser18]

yes that is and I’m super excited for the full review.

[@JoeFpoc]

Would have been nice to see one of the other offroad trucks go up the same trail so we could see how much better or worse the truck did compared to like a stock wrangler in the same situation.

[@Chiellus11]

A new era in off-roading is upon us ! Also notice the silence, so much better to enjoy nature that way !

[@inducedapathy1296]

Agreed. Nature looks better when you're focused on driving soundlessly in an 80k sportrac. Just need some tint on those windows.

[@Chiellus11]

@@inducedapathy1296 Need to *open* the windows (and possibly the whole roof) and listen to the birds while driving ! :)

[@mini2nut67]

Agreed. Silence is golden! It’s the direction that off-roading in the future is headed. The oily, dirty, polluting ICE powered off-road vehicle is heading the way of the dinosaur. No more solid axles, drive shafts, transfer cases, etc. Battery tech will need to improve dramatically however. They will need at least a 400 mile battery pack to relieve range anxiety. The rumor is that Rivian’s next vehicle will be a Wrangler/ Bronco based competitor. I can’t wait!!!

[@alid.p.1983]

This makes me most excited for electric vehicles. I live in a country where I can visit national parks with many wild animals, like zebra, rhino, elephant etc., and the noise from cars often notifies and scares them away long before you can see them. This would be a game changer.

[@ezrafox4219]

Please more off-road reviews Doug 🙏

[@ghall05]

The amount of energy that goes into the brakes when you are moving at 1 mph compared to slamming on your brakes at highway speeds is vastly different. It would be impossible to over heat the brakes at rock crawling speeds.

[@brandonpainter7085]

Thank you, I'm not the only person that was like uhhhh what the heck are you even saying Doug that makes no sense lol

[@diakonhexxen6505]

​@@brandonpainter7085 You and the one above are so wrong! It's not speed that matters, but time. Stopping from a highway speed takes only a few seconds. Despite the amount of energy, there no time for brake discs to overheat. Moreover, they are ventilated and on most part of braking distance they're cooled by an oncoming air flow and by their construction itself. It will take several intense braking to overheat them. At the same time, crawling down the hill may take several minutes! Discs spin not fast enough to ventilate themselves and there are no oncoming air flow to ventilate the arches. In this case, it's much easier to overheat the brakes.

[@brandonpainter7085]

@@diakonhexxen6505 Lol it is not time, it’s kinetic energy (KE=(1/2)mv^2). You have no idea what you are talking about. Brakes trade kinetic energy for heat. Velocity is squared, so speed matters most. Why do you think race cars have crazy brakes? And spoiler alert: rock crawlers don’t. It’s not rocket science, it’s basic high school physics and common sense.

[@diakonhexxen6505]

@@brandonpainter7085 Oh, the couch theorist! I see! Tell me, my dude, do you even know what overheating of the brakes means? Maybe it has something to do with the difference between the amount of heat generated by friction and the amount of heat removed by thermal radiation and thermal conduction (via air cooling/ventilation of the disc and brake pads)? With heat capacity? No? Haven't you thought about that? Why do racing cars have big brakes? Because otherwise they wouldn't have time to cool down before braking before the next turn. And for more stopping power of course - the bigger the diameter of the discs the bigger the lever arm. The higher the pressure in calipers and the bigger the area of the brake pads, the higher the friction. And of course the materials properties matter... When downhill on brakes they generate less heat per second in comparison with intense breaking on highway. But the only way this heat to escape is through radiation and convection which are much less efficient than direct air cooling with oncoming airflow and by turbine channels inside brake disk. But since the car moves very slow there are no oncoming airflow, and discs are spinning not fast enough to cool themselves. And since the downhill can take several minutes, heat energy accumulates, so temperature rises to the point where the materials of the disc and brake pads lose their properties. That is overheating. Converting the kinetic energy to heat is only a part of the process. Not the sheer amount of energy you add to the system is causing overheating, but the inability to remove it from there.

[@brandonpainter7085]

@@diakonhexxen6505 Lol you are correct on all the above that you just wrote (much of it unrelated to the point of contention), but fail to understand that it is still extremely difficult to overheat brakes traveling at only a few mph down a hill such as the one in the video. Yes there is less cooling via airflow and the brakes now rely on convection and thermal radiation for the majority of heat dissipation. I’m just not sure why you don’t realize the amount of heat generated is so incredibly less than braking from speed. Rock crawlers don’t need crazy brakes man, and this concern about overheating your brakes doing what Doug was doing is just not a thing. The kinetic energy is so much smaller, and the heat is so much less even without airflow. Braking from high speeds however can very quickly overheat your brakes (take the PLAID for example). We can sit here and arm chair all we want but real life doesn’t lie, and I’ve never overheated brakes rock crawling/slow hill decent off-road, but have overheated brakes driving spiritedly/tracking many times.

[@oludiranjohn4712]

The absence of an engine revving noise while offroading with this rivian is insane

[@mcky_msh]

Ah yes, just the soft crunching of tiny rocks under the tires. 😁

[@GarretRB]

@@mcky_msh it’s a weirdly satisfying sound

[@jessebutler9352]

Just wait for manufacturers to start pumping in fake engine noise.

[@branon6565]

Yep, I cannot stand it, not hearing the motor is something I'm havin a difficult time with just watchin this vid....

[@mini2nut67]

It’s the best part of a BEV off-road vehicle. No animals running away from loud engine and exhaust noises is another bonus. I can’t wait for a BEV snowmobile with REAL battery range once battery technology improves.

[@JohannGambolputty22]

Clearly knobbier tires would’ve made a huge difference. Regardless I’m impressed.

[@lukesmith1463]

Or air down would've helped too

[@brandongrover1168]

Thats what I thinking. Those were pretty weak tires. Also, does the rivian "difflock"?

[@freshlypouredlean167]

@@brandongrover1168 doesn’t need it because it has 4 individual motors on each tire

[@volvo09]

Yeah, not bad at all for all that weight and the inflated "average" all terrain tires" Having to rely on traction control stinks though. It's not my favorite way to drive, especially off road.

[@Appletank8]

@@brandongrover1168 It can’t, because there is no diff. Instead, the computer tries sending more power to the wheel not moving.

[@oweny7814]

Doug sold a lot of Rivians that day. No better marketing than just preforming when it counts.

[@VeriStrawberi]

Rivan team watching Doug’s vid are all high-fiving each other right now, I bet.

[@simonelliott5956]

Doug, I’m a seasoned watcher of your excellent videos, but this time you have really excelled yourself! I am a die hard petrol head and always have been, I’m not keen on electric vehicles, particularly as I live in the uk and always associate them with the slow electric milk delivery vehicles that still deliver milk to houses in the early hours of the morning and were electric so they were quiet. I drive an Audi RS6 as it’s practical, fast and fun, as I’m still clinging on to my fossil fuelled V8 as long as I can! But you have convinced me I want this truck! I’ve enjoyed both videos you’ve done on it. I think it’s fair to say that you are always fired up and always passionate about what you do, but you just took it to a new level! Great work and much respect!

[@NashvilleUK]

This truck won’t fit in a single UK parking space however

[@gepwxaqdfsidsesg1548]

@@NashvilleUK that's only really an issue if you need to park regularly in a town centre or city. Plenty of people in the UK drive around in long wheel base Transit vans or similar, and they get by. If you have your own parking space that's big enough, or in a place that's not too crowded then it would be fine. I even know a guy who drives stretched limos in central London and he manages because in Westminster the resident permit areas are not marked bays and he has a residents permit.

[@matt0198922]

Definitely needs a "simulated lockers" mode, where the "front diff", "rear diff" and "center diff" could all be locked individually. And, a "lock everything together all at once" button would be nice. Just one press of a button and you're guaranteed that all wheels spin/don't spin at the exact same rate.

[@jrotela]

Maybe and axel in the rear wheels that can be lock and unlocked

[@mdemers767]

That's the point of this though, is that it doesn't need it. The computer can sense when a wheel has traction and when it doesn't, and send torque to the wheel with traction. You saw this when both front wheels and one back wheel were all slipping simultaneously, and the truck made the one tire with grip push the truck forward until the rest were able to gain traction. This is great for practicality purposes, but IMHO makes rock crawling in something like this almost too easy.

[@matt0198922]

@@mdemers767 What I saw was a computer taking way too long and spinning way too much before finally figuring it out. A "lock all 4 wheels together and force them to spin the same speed no matter what" mode would be extremely helpful. There'd be no "wait for the computer to figure it out by measuring wheelspin" issue. I'm fine with that for normal driving, but when you get off road, they should offer you a "locking" capability to guarantee maximum traction at all times, without having to wait for any computers or wheel spin.

[@norincofan1949]

wtf is with these comments? does nobody understand how cars work or did yall not watch the video? the truck has no differentials, it's driven by an independent motor on each wheel. you could force all the wheels to spin at the same rate but that won't do anything because there's no way to vector torque from the slipping wheels to the wheels with traction.

[@norincofan1949]

@@matt0198922 dude that doesn't make any fucking sense. do you know what the point of lockers are? they work by directing all the torque from a central power source to the wheel with the most traction. the rivian doesn't have a central power source, it has independent motors on each wheel. There is no way to route power between wheels.

[@InterstateRaziTV]

Doug is the type of guy to go back to the classic days of his channel by off-roading vehicles.

[@tagalog101]

Just watched The National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation for the holidays and realized that Doug could probably do a great uncle Eddy impression if he tried.

[@cameronfuture7467]

Better he is Uncle Eddy than Aunt Edna tied to the roof rack.

[@topher420s]

SHITTERS FULL!

[@Nkmeyer2915]

Cousin Eddy

[@muskokamike127]

ha, it's just about time to watch that again...a Christmas Tradition! lolol

[@Shakerhood69]

Save the neck for me Clark...

[@LukeEdward]

The coolest thing about the drawbacks of lack of hill descent, individual TPMS, and the hill hold functions is that its all programming and electronics. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rivian is (Monday, Nov 29th) working on this after a start-of-the-week company meeting. And the early build trucks get a recall for different sensors to be installed in the wheels. Then, with a few tweaks, Rivian has your answer.

[@michaelmcgrath7042]

Doug is the type of guy to steal your license plate for his collection.

[@ericwright8592]

10:10 being electric, I assume pressing the brake pedal gives a mix of electric regen and actual brakes. It's almost certainly not 100% brake pads alone. Sounds like they just need to simulate a low gear mode where regen is always intensely active. This would probably work for hill hold too.

[@arjunyg4655]

At low speed like that regen doesn’t provide very much braking force, unfortunately.

[@freddybell8328]

@@arjunyg4655 it depends on the angle if the hill though and that hill looked steep

[@ReubenHorner]

At low speed you don't have much Regen available. Maybe they could come out with some kind of 4wd mode where it drags the brakes the whole time

[@-HighTide]

@@ReubenHorner At the sacrifice of control.

[@Playingwithproxies]

@@freddybell8328 it doesn’t matter the angle regenerative braking can only provide any resistance when the electric motors are spinning fast it’s likely that they provide 0 braking until you are going 10 or 20 mph.

[@azsean73]

The great part about finding this video again after a year is that all of the "negatives" have been addressed with updates from over-the-air. And we got camping mode to level the truck, along with a ton of other upgrades.

[@wcsoblake85]

Since each wheel has its own motor seems like there would be a way to "lock" them together. Like a differential locker. Probably could be done with programming.

[@cabin_fever]

the problem i could see would be overheating. obviously there wouldn't be a physical lock, so the motor would be doing a lot of extra work trying to keep the tires from independently spinning out of sync

[@wcsoblake85]

@@cabin_fever yeah true

[@supercarMOMcbrtkk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5ixap-Mf8dohJo

[@dole9783]

especially because Hummer EV has that feature

[@NicoSchurr]

No use in that. It's far more effective to let each motor just figure out the torque it can apply at any time

[@Tb0n3]

Brakes will overheat when you dump a large amount of energy into them. That doesn't happen going down a short hill very slowly. You could ride the brakes all day at that speed and they'll never get warm.

[@GHinWI]

yeah, the concern there was if it started sliding and going out of control .

[@Tb0n3]

@@GHinWI Doug repeatedly stated he was afraid the brakes would overheat since the truck was so heavy. Just not happening.

[@GuestUser18]

@@Tb0n3 but he was still concerned about slippage.

[@ezacher4634]

Yeah. Dougs not a "oily bits" guy so he doesn't know. Doubt he does his own oil change.

[@illbeback2YT]

Maybe a one-pedal drive option to save the brakes...

[@92juanreus]

Doug: "Hills and climbs don't look as impressive or dangerous on camera as in real life" Also Doug: Shows hill that he wants to climb, LOOKS TERRIFYING All in all I think this vehicle is going to sell very well and it will earn a high up spot in the offroader community. That said the bad things pointed out by doug are very useful and I hope they fix it for the next revision.

[@brianlee6849]

This guy didn't understand the vehicle. Like the downhill section all he needed to do was put it on the heaviest Regen setting. I've seen other videos where they demonstrate this and the regen is very powerful. Lots of the things he brought up I was thinking this guy is an idiot he doesn't know anything about this vehicle. I know more about it just from watching several other videos of people that understood it.

[@DayneExplores]

Very nice to see a detailed off road evaluation of the R1T. Thanks Doug!

[@austinn-stuff9996]

You know you made it. When rappers start putting your name in their songs. There's a new rap song, with a Doug Demuro reference. This rapper was Netflix and chillin, with a female. And when the night ended. He "gave her a rider review, like Doug Demuro."

[@herodthegreat2709]

whos the rapper?

[@austinn-stuff9996]

@@herodthegreat2709artist: Samson Song: Ball if I want to

[@johnhufnagel]

regarding the differential lock comments: Rivian can solve this easily enough. Give the user the option to "lock" virtual differentials. the motor controllers would operate as tied pairs, or locked totally together. front and rear digs can be done in the same fashion, with the ability to selectively turn off motors and motor pairs as needed. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if this couldn't be done via an OTA update. It's just software at that point.

[@AlexZanderMuro]

i was thinking the same with the hill descent/hill hold stuff; totally doable over just an update. possibly even an "off road" traction control mode, making it so you dont have to mash the throttle before it starts noticing slipping. im expecting after getting them in the hands of people like doug there will be a healthy update sent out once they get everything sorted.

[@grantwright427]

Is positrack still proprietary?

[@markplott4820]

YES, and Tesla CT already has this.

[@rubbersidedown5620]

Came here to ask if this truck had lockers or not. Looks to me like if it had some equivalent to lockers it would just walk up that hill.

[@markplott4820]

@@rubbersidedown5620 - Electric trucks should come with Software lockers.

[@isaac4273]

I gotta say, it was a crazy feat going up that road. One realizes this once the Land Cruiser guy is like "I'm not going there"

[@Everythingisgoingtobealright]

To be fair, the land cruiser wasn’t in some else’s vehicle. It’s a little easier to barrel roll a demo vehicle down a hill.

[@branon6565]

Yeah but, toyotas all suck mansack, they're trash....

[@randylgrep]

The LC guy didn't go there due to any limitations on the truck, but moreso driver skill/comfort. That LC would have made it look easier.

[@cenakaze]

Doug is never getting his second channel back 😂

[@KennethBlack]

Doug, I work for GM. I think you accidentally created a new test course. I hope to see you try this with the new Hummer and Cybertruck when possible. You are too cool, and that video was fun to watch. Congrats to you. Ken.

[@houseofno]

Doug is covered by his insurance for $1.5 mil and he's worried about wrecking a $70,000 truck while offroading. This made my day.

[@ahmetbakr1011]

can you brighten me up please is that a life insurance or sth like that?

[@DavidDeblaere]

Don't forget every insurance payout will increase your bill the next year to cover the same amount.

[@jamesengland7461]

He's a responsible adult; that's why.

[@joshtavenner3073]

@@ahmetbakr1011 no probably just some kind of business liability insurance

[@jamisonkrusac1624]

Manufacturers aren't happy when you wreck their vehicles. Especially when parts availability is so limited.

[@tomokokishi3066]

You know Doug is seriously into the car when he doesn't bother posting funny thumbnails.

[@Far2hip]

One beautiful aspect to some of the disadvantages being described here is the solutions will almost all be produced through creative power management through those electric motors. There really won’t be the need to throw a bunch of expensive parts at the problem with the exception of the crappy camera position/angle and resolution and the tire air monitor/management systems. Rivian can partner up with a company like High Sierra and come up with a “High Sierra” package that comes with the new longer range 400 mile battery, fully upgraded camera package, tire air monitoring system, the cargo tunnel kitchen, some Rivian specific adventure luggage, and a cool custom designed over cab and bed mounted tent, lol. There are already the spots over both the cab and bed for weight bearing mounts for the tent!! 👍🏻😎👍🏻

[@thegutterpunk00]

"This! Is the Morrvair from Matt's Offroad Recovery and today he is going to rescue me in my 7000 lb truck on AT tires" Just kidding. It seems very capable. I'll be interested to see if any sort of modding community develops armor for this thing.

[@cheesecurd100s]

"So we got a call..."

[@snupermoto723]

a few lines of code would solve the lack of a "locking differential" issue. The lack of a good camera system on a tech vehicle like this is unforgiveable.

[@atodaso1668]

The bus is probably more in line with your driving skills.

[@coreaccount4376]

@@atodaso1668 That's a huge compliment to driving skill, considering how much harder than a car a bus is to drive.

[@kayEnt3rtainm3nt]

@@atodaso1668 What about the OP's comment suggests anything about their driving skills good or bad?

[@directorjustin]

Because none of the wheels are mechanically linked to one another, getting all four of them to turn in sync is way more complex than it might seem.

[@carholic-sz3qv]

There is no differential locking possible with software/motors.

[@joseposada5472]

Over an hour video lenght of Rivian truck! what a documentary, totally worth it!

[@connortoale3953]

This is like, the best possible press for the Rivian lol.

[@DiamondMox]

You keep saying how heavy the R1T is at 6k, but I think your reference point is a bit off. No doubt the most popular platform currently is the Jeep JKU and JLU and they are right there in terms of weight. My stock JKU is 5500# and not that 500# doesn't make a difference, but it's not that far off. I think the biggest problem you had climbing the hill was that your didn't let enough air out of the tires. I didn't reference the sidewall rating on those tires, but assuming it's about a D, you should be down at like 14psi for a trail like that. It would have helped get more tire tread on rock and given you better grip. Other than that, I agree with most of the comments that it seems like the hardware is capable, but they need to add some software to get it the rest of the way there.

[@DeathProductions200]

And honestly software is something super easy since it is just essentially a computer. Im very impressed with a first attempt vehicle and they can only get better from here

[@lifescansdarkly]

My main reservation with the Rivian is that there's not much of a path for aftermarket upgrades. I don't believe you can put different size wheels or tires on it without throwing off the computer that controls the motors. Likewise it will be very difficult to lift it or modify the suspension due to the proprietary design. Air suspension isn't ideal for off-roading because it gets stiffer the higher you raise it up, so at maximum ground clearance you're also getting minimum travel. Will be interesting to see how the aftermarket responds to electric cars over the next decade.

[@engrmoutassim]

I’d like to think of this as a beautiful collaboration between Doug and Rivian to better product development. Living an off-roader’s experience is key to produce a capable truck!

[@markplott4820]

RIVIAN cant TOW worth SHIT. it looses 65% of Range , with only 110 mi when Towing 11,000 lbs ..........lol. and the 400 mi battery costs $10,000. the CYBERTRUCK is BETTER , Longer Range and 15,000 lb TOWING.

[@engrmoutassim]

@@markplott4820 that’s a lame and absurd comparison. No one’s here arguing over the best or ideal electric truck. There’s a market for each, otherwise everyone on the road today would’ve been driving the same exact vehicle.

[@markplott4820]

@@engrmoutassim - the market for ICE, Hybrid and FC trucks is already DEAD. BEV is a SUPERIOR vehicle. BEV w/ 4680 can go 625+ mi while hauling 3500+ lbs , and can TOW 15,000 lbs, at Slightly reduced range, but IF they build a Supercharger network, then TOWING range TOW MATTER. and in 2022, when these BEV trucks start hitting the street, People will start RACING them too, just as w/ TESLA cars. Cybertruck will be the FASTEST truck PERIOD, both are the DRAG strip and on the Track. way FASTER than ANY Trailhawk.......lol . ANY kind of GAS ⛽ vehicle, SUCKS.

[@radforduniversity6424]

Doug, appreciate your unbiased (as much as man can be, at least) take on things, but in particular, this Rivian review. Not sure many CarTubers are being 100%honest in their reviews

[@forjasgarage9563]

The best thing about an electric off roader is that almost every complain you have, can be solve with a software update, and in my opinion that's a huge win, the "locking dif", the hill descent, the brake hold, all of that could be programmed, and be a super cheap or even free up grade

[@galactictomato1434]

Loving the extra Rivian content!!

[@bob808]

Hill holder, hill descent control and 'diff lockers' could all be added via programming/software updates. If enough people ask for it, Rivian could very well do it.

[@jabberwolf7348]

It doesnt have automatic hill descent but it does have that mode which lets you down, regen, and only occasionally use the breaks. Doug screwed up on that part of the description.

[@norincofan1949]

You fucking can't diff lock a vehicle with no differentials. You can't even simulate a diff lock like most AWD crossovers do, because the wheels aren't fucking connected to each other. Jesus Christ people

[@jabberwolf7348]

@@norincofan1949 Electronic - button: Click ! That was hard.

[@yeetandskeet]

@@jabberwolf7348 While his comment is a bit bash, hes right. An electronically simulated locker doesnt compare to actual locked difs - on the EV, usually the "lockers" only engage once one wheel slips.. which means a wheel has to slip in the first place, which can cause damage, and slide the vehicle around for a second or so. Since this can happen often, it lead to premature tire damage.

[@shotalekashvili6069]

Yeah, you can't make wheels lock if you don't have axles and if those wheels are not physically interconnected. In that case it would make it overcomplicated, and that was the tradeoff for the simplicity and less headache and costs for an average driver during the lifespan of the vehicle.

[@ryan49805]

It’s good to see PROPER truck review!! Truck doing truck things. Props to Rivian. Props to Doug for having the “stones.” 😆

[@DouglasLippi]

"This is Doug DeMuro" I'm glad Doug is referring to himself as a thing. Haha more accurate... So much more than just a guy in shorts with flailing arms!

[@mfatihy_]

Isn't it an English thing? English speakers say "This is Jack" etc. but I couldn't make sure if they only say it when they're not visible (like on the phone). Plus, he may be referring to the channel name because on More Doug DeMuro channel, he used to say "This is More Doug DeMuro".

[@matteocristini6221]

@@mfatihy_ yes it is

[@Ryan-nj3ir]

How much battery did that go through during the ascension and descending?

[@GuestUser18]

Doug did answer in Callie van Huyssteen’s comment.

[@aarongreen7249]

The slower you go, the less energy you consume in an EV….perfect for off-roading like this.

[@GuestUser18]

@@aarongreen7249 but… climbing that steep hill would seem like it would deplete more battery

[@bfeezey]

Doug said in another comment that it only depleted a mile or two. Assuming the vehicle calculates range intelligently then probably only a couple percent of total battery. Though he doesn't say how long the ascent took, which is more important than speed when offroading electric. I had an electric Fiat that would freak out if you drove it hard for more than thirty seconds and revise the range way down to compensate. I live at the top of a steep hill and I would regularly have the same stated range when I arrived at work 20 miles away as I did when I got home the day before because the car assumed I'd be going up that hill till it died.

[@timmoore9592]

I love it when he does a review from his garage and I can see my States license plate on the wall.

[@siennahyena8412]

Thank you for such a detailed and unbiased review. I hope they make changes to their cameras and tire pressure monitors.

[@SirensOfWisconsin1679]

This stuff is legendary

[@garrettreven5144]

The sounds of the truck going down silently, just a slow rockslide, so cool

[@jayvette8936]

How hard can it be to add Apple Car Play and Android Auto to it? Corollas have that as standard now I'm pretty sure

[@joachimmulamba]

Can't wait for Dougcember (Hummer EV, LucidAir)

[@cobhamlondon]

Rimac Nevera..

[@RolandsDad]

I'll be upfront that I have zero attraction or appreciation of EVs. Doug has made me interested in this particular one. The first thing that crossed my mind was "no skid plates, no diff, no oil pan to damage!" An electric offroader seems brilliant, so long as it can charge easily. That inability to "refuel" if you're deep out there is a huge deficit. Imagine not being able to charge and having to leave that behind until you could find a way to bring a generator or something back to it. I watched his overview video and it looks genuinely well thought out and comfortable. I'd honestly probably enjoy it, and that's saying a lot because I have a disdain for EVs. I hope other companies steal some of the ideas presented by them and implement them in other cars. Very well presented Doug, and well done Rivian.

[@sethjchandler]

A lot of the issues sound like things that could be fixed with software. We will see how committed Rivian is to kaisen.

[@asthmaticrhino]

I think the coolest thing about this video is you can see the rivian "thinking" as to where to apply power to which wheel as you go up, and it looks different working than a gas engine, computer managed four wheel drive system.

[@directorjustin]

It looks like it responds faster than a typical system in an ICE vehicle that uses the brakes to do the same thing.

[@jamisonkrusac1624]

@@directorjustin and you have to also consider that the traction values are constantly changing, so its always recalibrating

[@directorjustin]

@@jamisonkrusac1624 Right.

[@nordic5490]

And yet, my 2x GU Patrols and 2x 80 series, with locking hubs, lsd and 0 electronic driver aids, would have had less trouble.

[@Rusty.1776]

Very impressive. Great work Rivian👍👍

[@AuthPrank]

This man never ceases to surprise us!

[@jeffreyjack2638]

Impressive! Well done Doug! Who does not enjoy pushing their vehicle close to the limits or a little beyond it’s documented capabilities. If Rivian makes these excellent recommendations Camera & Angle improvement / Individual tires pressure monitor / Assisted Hill start control and Assisted Hill Decent, I will immediately make the switch.

[@SonicImmersion_]

@Rivian: Please add each of the above-mentioned features! (And, as Doug mentioned multiple times in the video, vehicles at significantly-lower prices have those features, so it would be expected for a modern off-road vehicle to include each of those features, most especially in a vehicle with the Rivian's starting price.) Once Rivian has incorporated each of those basic features into the base model, my guess is that many more people will feel significantly more-comfortable putting down money to purchase the vehicle.

[@dogphlap6749]

One of Doug's best videos yet.

[@rvboyett]

Another great video on the R1T. You seriously put out an HOUR of content on one truck. I think your drawbacks are very note worthy but everything but the camera system can probably be greatly improved with software upgrades. I get the issues with camera resolution but I thought the R1T had a ton of cameras, including some on the bottom to let you see obstacles as you drive over them. I do hope Rivian upgrades the cameras. On the tires, I'm kinda surprised you liked the Pirelli Scorpion ATs. They don't look very aggressive and I saw a lot of slippage that I don't think I would have saw with the Falkens on my Jeep. Also, even though those are 34" tires, they are on 20" wheels. Rivian did that to fit on those huge brakes but less tire sidewall is never a good thing. One thing you didn't mention was regen braking when going down that steep hill. Did that provide any benefit? Still, seeing the R1T attack that hill was VERY impressive. Rivian needs to get busy and build mine NOW.. 🤣

[@TheAMavk]

Have to admit Im becoming a fan of the Rivian. Shame I'm in Europe.

[@timbardam5878]

They are settling in the netherlands

[@carholic-sz3qv]

It's actually a good size truck compared to the ford f150 or cybertruck

[@johanfalk2875]

It will reach Europe eventually.

[@johnpoldo8817]

This test may dispel the belief from other YT videos that Rivian is hiding weaknesses. You must assume every new vehicle has a few bugs, but this truck looks amazingly good for off-road use.

[@rebelcitysports1outlook713]

That belief exists bcuz Rivian won't provide a vehicle for towing purposes.

[@TrickShiftGarage]

Now this is a test I've been interested in.

I miss those “Doug the type of guy……” jokes I remember in the olden days vids were swamped with them

[@straus1777]

Doug is the kind of guy who is not afraid to scratch the doors on a brand new Rivian, respect

[@dannyjudge2876]

Brakes overheat due to friction, so at low speeds you definitely won’t overheat them

[@Teddy-vs5rw]

Friction that dissipates energy, which can be either in form of kinetic (i.e. speed) or potential (i.e. gravitational). A lot of energy is needed to slow down a fast vehicle, a lot of energy is also required to dissipate the gravitational potential energy from a hill to the bottom of the hill. The amount of energy to descend a 150 ft hill is about the same as decelerating from 70 mph to 0 mph. So you are probably correct, in that the brakes won't heat up much, since breaking from 70 mph to 0 mph once is not that extreme.

[@Angry-Lynx]

that's what im saying, but you need to understand basic physics to know that, most people don't and its not obvious thing, so I don't blame em

[@dannyjudge2876]

@@Teddy-vs5rw no they overheat due to the amount of friction. Potential energy never acts on anything or it wouldn’t be potential. The force applied to the brake rotor due to gravity and the mass of the The vehicle is not potential energy. It is legitimate force acting, not potential energy. When it is sitting up on top of the hill at rest it is potential energy. But that is the same as the car that’s going 70 miles an hour at rest with a full tank of gas or full battery before it ever accelerated. My point is unless the vehicle weighs 20,000 pounds or something you’re not gonna come close to overheating the brakes just by slowly creeping down a hill

[@Teddy-vs5rw]

@@dannyjudge2876 Potential or kinetic energy does not act on anything, correct, it is not a force. However, by going down a hill you are decreasing your potential energy over some period of time and that has to go somewhere. It is either converted to kinetic energy, which you don't want because you want to go slowly, so you brake and turn potential energy into waste heat in the brakes through friction and you slow down.

[@dannyjudge2876]

@@Teddy-vs5rw yah my point being that’s no where near enough energy to overheat brakes

[@Wbfuhn]

It's not applying power to all 4 wheels at the same time. It's changing which wheels get power going in and out of AWD. This is not ideal when you need all 4 wheels to move at the same time.

[@guyod1]

This doesn't make sense when there is a motor on each wheel

[@timmach05]

Watching this reminded me of a little puppy learning to crawl. Surprised I didn't hear any cries. The fact there is no engine noise takes away from the excitement of taking this off road.

[@ARSZLB]

Doug, overheating the brakes is something you have to worry about in a high-performance car on a track, not slowly inching down a steep hill off-road…the wheels (and therefore the rotors) are not rotating anywhere NEAR quickly enough to build up the level of friction that would cause you to have to worry about the temperature in the brakes…not sure why you felt like this would even be an issue?

[@andrewbrowning6357]

Agreed. If the hill was 600ft vertical and the truck is 6500lbs the max possible temperature rise of 100lbs of brake rotor would be about 500F, which is hot but not outrageous. Any cooling at all would reduce that quite a lot. Add in regenerative braking and overheating is totally off the table.

[@luigilasagne5067]

That's basic physics. E = 1/2 m v². The v(elocity) is the key factor. Double velocity leeds to quadruple energy. Double mass means only double energy.

[@ZuminaZX]

because he's a journalist not an actual car-guy/engineer type dude