December 19th 2022
The Rivian R1T electric pickup truck has received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) highest score. Yes, the all-new EV has been honoured with the Top Safety Pick+ title for the 2022 and 2023 model years. Achieving the highest rating from the IIHS isn’t a small feat.
IIHS doesn’t stop only on passenger protection. The organisation has very strict rules, starting with the six collision examinations. The R1T received a “Good” score in all the crashworthiness tests, which comprise difficult front small overlap examination. The organisation also takes into account the front and side collisions as well as roof robustness and head restraints.
In order to earn the Top Safety Pick+ designation, the vehicle must also have a front collision avoidance system. The organisation examines this system’s efficiency for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian. This avoidance system garnered a “Superior” score in both evaluations.
Lastly, IIHS checks the headlights and wants models to secure a “Good” or “Acceptable” score. These headlights must be standard for all variants, and the R1T aced that with a “Good” rating.
Speaking of the electric pickup truck, the Rivian R1T was the first in the segment to enter the market, followed by the F-150 Lightning. GMC also presents Hummer EV, and Chevy is all set to start production of the Silverado EV next year.
The R1T is a powerful machine boasting four motors and a big 135.0-kilowatt-hour battery that delivers up to 314 miles. The recent update, however, adds 14 more miles to this tally while allowing the powertrain to generate a monstrous 838 horsepower (614 kilowatts) and 908 pound-feet (1,231 Newton-meters) of torque. Rivian claims a 0 to 60 mph run in just 3.5 seconds and a towing capability of 11,000 pounds with a 1,760-lb highest payload rating.
Rivian has started the development of the R1S SUV, and we can safely forecast it will also receive the Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. The automaker has already started working on the second-generation models, but they might not be available until 2026. The R1T and R1S have attracted lots of customers so far, with about 114,000 pre-orders last month.
Source and Images: Motor1