Yahoo Autos Rivian Wants to Break Its Own Pikes Peaks Production Truck Record
Following the debut of the second-generation R1 lineup, Rivian is headed back to Pikes Peak for a second crack at the famed hill climb. Rivian Senior Performance Test Engineer Gardner Nichols is set to take the wheel of a new Quad-Motor R1T this weekend as he attempts to break the brand’s own production pickup record.
Rivian just pulled the cover off of the second-generation R1 lineup earlier this month, bringing substantial tweaks to the fan-favorite EV. Despite looking nearly identical on the surface, the new trucks pack some 600 new components, ranging from new camera and radar equipment for ADAS systems, to an entirely new electronics architecture. Rivian also spent a ton of time reworking their entire powertrain, including drive motors and the battery pack itself. Nichols will tackle the hill in a range-topping Quad-Motor model, which now utilizes an in-house motor design at either axle. Total output for the new system is rated at 1025 hp and 1198 lb-ft, which represents a gain of 190 hp and 290 lb-ft over the outgoing Quad-Motor. That sort of power allows the new pickup to do 0-60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds, before running through the quarter-mile in just 10.5 seconds. Top speed is now limited to 130 mph, up from 112 mph.
Nichols is no stranger to Pikes Peak, having run the event last year in the outgoing Quad-Motor. His run of 11 minutes 23.983 seconds was fast enough to set a course record for production pickup trucks, whether they be electric or combustion-powered. The new model should have no problem besting the time set by its predecessor, assuming Nichols keeps his cool on the journey to the top. There are a lot of challenging sections to remember on Pikes Peak, given that the course is 12.42 miles long with some 156 turns along the way.
“It’s a dream to come back to Pikes Peak in our new Quad R1T and have the full Rivian team behind me. Racing up a mountain road with no guardrails is very different than going fast on a racetrack,” said Nichols. “Power is one thing, but the torque control at each wheel with Quad-Motor helps maximize performance.”
Be sure to keep an eye out for the R1T this weekend, which will be wearing a new livery inspired by the brand’s new cell animation graphics. It should be interesting to see how this thing stacks up against Ford's one-off SuperTruck build, which arrives with 1400 hp and some 6000 lbs of downforce on tap. Fans can watch the entire 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for free online via the YouTube link provided here.
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