Towing a 242 with a Rivian R1S

[Architeuthis]

First, I do not want to start an EV vs ICE debate with this post...

TLDR; Will a Rivian R1S with a 7700lb tow rating be enough to safely tow a 242 (fueled, with gear, and 2-4 passengers).

Here's the scenario: My wife and I are considering options to consolidate our 3 current vehicles which would include selling our tow vehicle (old Nissan Titan). We tow minimally as the boat generally stays nearby at a marina during the summer, and in the driveway or on a rack during the winter. The tow distance is generally <10 miles other than the (very) occasional 100+ mile trip to other lakes in the state.

We are going to get an electric vehicle and right now and the current Rivian models check most of our boxes. While I prefer the R1T (pickup variant), she is more interested in the R1S (SUV variant). This vehicle would replace both the Titan and either my Tesla or her Mazda CX-5. I'm concerned about the R1S's lower tow rating.

I estimate our boat on the trailer, fully fueled, with coolers, toys etc, and 2-4 adult passengers would weigh approximately 6000lbs.

I believe the R1T would pull the 242 without any issues but I'm concerned about the 7700 lb rating with the R1s.

Bit of a thought experiment given neither vehicle is readily available at this time, but the early reviews are indicating they will live up to the stated performance/towing specs.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

No specific help, but have you been following this thread, Towing with Tesla Model X? The Rivian and EV towing has had a lot of discussion.

Jim

 

[Julian]

If the tow rating is 7700lbs it will tow it fine. Not sure what your max range would be, but I've read some places that say half the normal range.

My Q7 is rated at 7700lbs and tows fine.

 

[Ronnie]

Not sure if their are tow test videos on you tube for the Rivian am sure I’ve seen such test for the Tesla suv (model x). The ones I recall reflected that the actual towing distance was a lot shorter than the advertised towing distance. Not a big deal if you are only towing a few miles but potentially a huge issue if you tow further and there are no charging stations at your destination/ marina.

 

[scubasteve87]

This link probably has the most recent real world experience. Not the same weight obviously, but probably closest you're going to get on some real world info.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/43320/how-an-electric-rivian-r1t-performs-while-towing-a-mustang-cross-country

In general, based on your use case of short trip, you should be fine and I wouldn't expect any issues. I think range and availability/time of charging would be your only major hurdle just like most electric vehicles driving any distances.

**Edit**
Here is the link directly to the Instagram feed of the Rivian owner road tripping. Provides a bit more insight.

(@gideontherivian) • Instagram photos and videos

2,789 Followers, 1 Following, 58 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from (@gideontherivian)

instagram.com

 

[Architeuthis]

No specific help, but have you been following this thread, Towing with Tesla Model X? The Rivian and EV towing has had a lot of discussion.

Jim

If the tow rating is 7700lbs it will tow it fine. Not sure what your max range would be, but I've read some places that say half the normal range.

My Q7 is rated at 7700lbs and tows fine.

I would anticipate half or less the standard range when towing. Truck offers more headroom in terms of towing capacity, but I agree 7700 lbs would be enough headroom to be perform well even on a longer ride.

 

[VitaminSea]

How Far Can You Tow With an Electric Truck?

We hitched a 9,000-pound trailer to a 2021 Rivian R1T EV pickup to find out how towing affects range.

www.motortrend.com

Just saw this article, and it’s pretty much addresses your question, however its the Rivan truck, not the SUV. Also, its a van, not a boat, so I image the boat would have more drag further reducing range. ~56% of its unladen range was their findings, with positive comments for how it handled the load.

 

[2kwik4u]

First, I do not want to start an EV vs ICE debate with this post...

TLDR; Will a Rivian R1S with a 7700lb tow rating be enough to safely tow a 242 (fueled, with gear, and 2-4 passengers).

Here's the scenario: My wife and I are considering options to consolidate our 3 current vehicles which would include selling our tow vehicle (old Nissan Titan). We tow minimally as the boat generally stays nearby at a marina during the summer, and in the driveway or on a rack during the winter. The tow distance is generally <10 miles other than the (very) occasional 100+ mile trip to other lakes in the state.

We are going to get an electric vehicle and right now and the current Rivian models check most of our boxes. While I prefer the R1T (pickup variant), she is more interested in the R1S (SUV variant). This vehicle would replace both the Titan and either my Tesla or her Mazda CX-5. I'm concerned about the R1S's lower tow rating.

I estimate our boat on the trailer, fully fueled, with coolers, toys etc, and 2-4 adult passengers would weigh approximately 6000lbs.

I believe the R1T would pull the 242 without any issues but I'm concerned about the 7700 lb rating with the R1s.

Bit of a thought experiment given neither vehicle is readily available at this time, but the early reviews are indicating they will live up to the stated performance/towing specs.

Currently there isn't an EV sold that should be towing a 242 except the Rivian R1T. R1S, Lightning, Cybertruk, Hummer, and Sierra/Silverado are all on the NEAR horizon that SHOULD have the capability to tow a 242. Model X, eTron, and Volvo SUV's don't have the tow rating you need to be safe.

Rivian uses the SAE J2807 spec to determine towing capacity. If they say it'll do 7,700lbs, it'll do it just fine with plenty of safety margin.

The real number to look at is Gross Combined Weight Rating. This is the total amount of weight all vehicles, gear, fuel, supplies, toys, etc must come under. We're not sure what that is yet on the R1S, however the R1T got a 15k-ish rating. I suspect the R1S will get a similar rating, but is heavier with more opportunity for cargo, so will have the lower rating. The idea here is that if you put 6 adults in an R1S, then throw a roof rack with gear on top, and fill the hatch with suitcases, you won't keep your 7,700lb tow rating. For a family of 4 this can be a real issue if doing a "vacation" style tow, where you're taking everything and the kitchen sink AND towing the boat.

Range has been beaten like the dead horse it is over in the Towing with a Model X thread. 62 pages of discussion over there. Some productive, some not. It's a lot to wade through if you're not in the middle of it to be honest. The big takeaway from that thread is an approximate 50% increase in energy usage when towing. Roughly 100-125mi range when towing. While, charging networks are growing quickly in both locations and reliability, they are not yet as ubiquitous as gas stations. Advanced planning is required for longer trips. Only you can determine if it's a problem for you or not. Come on over and chat in that thread. For the most part those of use that hang out over there are pretty civil

 

[2kwik4u]

How Far Can You Tow With an Electric Truck?

We hitched a 9,000-pound trailer to a 2021 Rivian R1T EV pickup to find out how towing affects range.

www.motortrend.com

Just saw this article, and it’s pretty much addresses your question, however its the Rivan truck, not the SUV. Also, its a van, not a boat, so I image the boat would have more drag further reducing range. ~56% of its unladen range was their findings, with positive comments for how it handled the load.

I would expect the boat to be better than the van......Aero is better on pointy things

 

[BlkGS]

I would expect the boat to be better than the van......Aero is better on pointy things

I would think it's about the same. The boat has a much larger frontal area sticking up. My Sx230 sticks up past the roofline on our smaller towing vehicles. The rvian is supposed to be similar in size to our vehicles.

 

[mwalker4]

It's 350 miles from my house to either Cumberland or Norris Lake, so I would need to charge twice even with the Rivian's huge battery. Doesn't seem practical as my only tow vehicle, but it is a damn nice truck. My son's good friend is an engineer for Rivian so he has been a passenger in it. Says it's a great truck. I would love to buy one, but I have to wait until my son's company Lucid comes out with their SUV called Gravity in a couple of years.

 

[2kwik4u]

@Architeuthis

https://www.rivianownersforum.com/threads/rivian-confirms-first-r1s-deliveries-have-started.2130/

 

[Peelz]

Check the thread linked earlier in the second post...but to summarize multiple posts and first hand experience... Iv'e towed briefly just to test with my wife's Model Y. EV's take a HUGE range hit towing and at high speed. Our 45 mile round trip to the river is GREAT! but the 60 mile one way trip to the reservoir has me nervous-havent done it yet. boat is < 3000lbs.

my numbers were the Y range dropped about 35-40% towing @ 65mph. so right around 150 guesstimate-not great.

you can go 100 miles I bet, but getting back, you'll likely need to find a charger. And that is what's stopped us so far. Don't mind charging, actually like it. but the superchargers are built such that they're a B!TCH to get into with a trailer. In the back of grocery stores, with no pull through design. You'd have to disconnect trailer, back in, charge, then reconnect to go. Doable, but not ideal AT ALL.

In the market for a truck in about a year.... REALLY want that Rivian, but I am leaning towards a cybertruck, because of the network of chargers, and proven tech. Also, why not have it not look like every other truck while I'm at it? lol We live in a rural area, so charging is an important part of the equation. .As the charge network changes, so will my thoughts on this. Rivian is next choice... And there's no denying the big 3 boys will be coming to play soon.

 

[BlkGS]

I couldn't disagree more on the cyber truck. It could come with a built in bj machine and also make you baked goods and pizza with no calorie content and have a built in machine that gets you totally shredded while also curing any and all ailments and I wouldn't drive one because they're so damn ugly. Different is fine, but the cyber truck is ugly. It looks like a placeholder design that was supposed to be thrown out and replaced with a real design but they forgot.

Cyber truck makes the Aztek look like the pinnacle of automotive design.

 

[djetok]

This link probably has the most recent real world experience. Not the same weight obviously, but probably closest you're going to get on some real world info.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/43320/how-an-electric-rivian-r1t-performs-while-towing-a-mustang-cross-country

In general, based on your use case of short trip, you should be fine and I wouldn't expect any issues. I think range and availability/time of charging would be your only major hurdle just like most electric vehicles driving any distances.

**Edit**
Here is the link directly to the Instagram feed of the Rivian owner road tripping. Provides a bit more insight.

(@gideontherivian) • Instagram photos and videos

2,789 Followers, 1 Following, 58 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from (@gideontherivian)

instagram.com

"Stopping every 80 to 100 miles " from the article posted above. That would suck in my world big time. Yeah, I'm not an EV guy I guess.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

"Stopping every 80 to 100 miles " from the article posted above. That would suck in my world big time. Yeah, I'm not an EV guy I guess.

Perhaps you're just not an EV Truck guy? The shorter than normal range comes from towing a trailer.

My wife and I plan on getting a pair of electric bikes in a couple of months and maybe an electric Compact crossover SUV in two years. However, we are planning on keeping the ICE pickup for a long time.

Jim

 

[djetok]

Perhaps you're just not an EV Truck guy? The shorter than normal range comes from towing a trailer.

My wife and I plan on getting a pair of electric bikes in a couple of months and maybe an electric Compact crossover SUV in two years. However, we are planning on keeping the ICE pickup for a long time.

Jim

correct! I really wanted a R1T bad. I'm a speed freak that has to have a pickup. I could not make a round trip to little sahara (Waynoka, OK) from Edmond, OK (298 miles round trip). I guess I could take a generator to charge for the return trip, while we ride the dunes.

 

[BlkGS]

Perhaps you're just not an EV Truck guy? The shorter than normal range comes from towing a trailer.

My wife and I plan on getting a pair of electric bikes in a couple of months and maybe an electric Compact crossover SUV in two years. However, we are planning on keeping the ICE pickup for a long time.

Jim

I don't see the point in having that many vehicles (says the guy with 3 himself and one for the wife). If you've got a long commute and need to tow... Eh maybe, but I'd get a small diesel then and combine it. I like my "do stuff" vehicles to be my every day vehicles, and the non daily drivers to be sports cars that are impractical, lol.

I want my family hauler to also be my tow vehicle and my daily driver.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

I don't see the point in having that many vehicles (says the guy with 3 himself and one for the wife). If you've got a long commute and need to tow... Eh maybe, but I'd get a small diesel then and combine it. I like my "do stuff" vehicles to be my every day vehicles, and the non daily drivers to be sports cars that are impractical, lol.

I want my family hauler to also be my tow vehicle and my daily driver.

There would be no advantage for me to have a diesel, probably would only get one if I needed a 1 ton truck. Personally like having two vehicles, for two drivers for those days we have different things to do. The EV crossover would be to replace my wife’s 2007 Jeep. The 2 electric bike would be folding Rad bikes. Full disclosure we also have UTV’s for trail riding and hope to get a new (to us) boat in the upcoming year.

 

[BlkGS]

There would be no advantage for me to have a diesel, probably would only get one if I needed a 1 ton truck. Personally like having two vehicles, for two drivers for those days we have different things to do. The EV crossover would be to replace my wife’s 2007 Jeep. The 2 electric bike would be folding Rad bikes. Full disclosure we also have UTV’s for trail riding and hope to get a new (to us) boat in the upcoming year.

We are in the market for a new vehicle for my wife, and something like the ecodiesel grand Cherokee or new duramax Tahoe is a tough package to beat. 30 mpg in a family hauler that can tow the boat and stuff is really hard to beat, especially when their very high reliability and resale is considered.

That said, the fuel efficiency advantage isn't huge over a v6 crossover like a pathfinder or Telluride, which would tow "enough", be big "enough", and cost a lot less. And since my tbss can tow the boat, we don't really "need" another tow vehicle, but a diesel would probably make it cheaper than guzzling all the premium in the tbss on longer trips, lol. And frankly, I'd want to defeat all the urea injection crap once the warranty is up, which adds more cost and the government seems to have a real hard on for shutting down that stuff, because I guess they've forgotten that NOx dissipates quickly and combats greenhouse effect, which they seem very worried about.

I have no use for e bikes. I could "technically" ride to work, but that means I go from wasting 10 to 15 minutes commuting to like, 45 each way. To save a few bucks on gas that I'm spending on n e bike, be out in the rain or 90+ degree sun, and not even get the full exercise? Doesn't make much sense for me, I'd rather have the time to spend with my family and doing what I want vs commuting.

There would be no advantage for me to have a diesel, probably would only get one if I needed a 1 ton truck. Personally like having two vehicles, for two drivers for those days we have different things to do. The EV crossover would be to replace my wife’s 2007 Jeep. The 2 electric bike would be folding Rad bikes. Full disclosure we also have UTV’s for trail riding and hope to get a new (to us) boat in the upcoming year.