After formally announcing price walks for its two models last week, the actual configurator for the 2021 Rivian R1S SUV and R1T pickup is now available for pre-order customers. As I mentioned before, you can spec either vehicle in three trims. The Launch Edition models will arrive first — June 2021 for the R1T and August for the R1S — while the lower “Adventure” and “Explore” packages will begin deliveries in early 2022. The Rivian R1S will start at $70,000. As for the R1T truck, that kicks off a bit higher at $67,500 before options. Other, less expensive versions will debut after launch, but these are the three trims available to pre-order now.
2021 Rivian R1S and R1T: The building experience
For those experienced in ordering trucks and even some full-size SUVs, the 2021 Rivian R1S and R1T configurator is pleasingly straightforward. There are a total of three options pages. Choose your trim (and your battery pack size, in the R1T’s case); pick your exterior color, wheels and whether you want the Off-Road Package (on the Explore models); pick which interior you want, then check out your build summary. From there, you can checkout and put down your $1,000 deposit.
The 2021 Rivian R1S is only available with the “Large” battery pack, promising a range over 300 miles. Opt for the R1T truck instead, and you can get the “Max” pack. That bumps the range up to over 400 miles, or so Rivian claims. Official range figures aren’t out yet, so we’ll have to wait and see what the ranges are in the real world. Unlike some automakers, though, the special Launch Edition is the same price as the Adventure Package. In terms of content, both are fairly similar, save the special aesthetic touches made for Rivian’s first limited-run models. If you can’t or don’t want to get into the Launch Edition, then you can pick one of the other packages below on the first screen.
Rivian exterior options
Move to the next page, and you get to choose from up to 10 colors, depending on which trim you chose. Rivian’s Launch Green is exclusive to the Launch Edition, while the other colors are available regardless of package. Glacier White and LA Silver are no-cost options, while the others run between $1,500 and $2,500. The $2,000 Off-Road Package is an option only on the Explore Package, while it’s included on the Adventure Package and the Launch Edition.
On both the 2021 Rivian R1S and R1T, you can choose anywhere between 20-inch all-terrain and 22-inch sport wheels. The default seems to be right in the middle with 21-inch “Road” wheels and tires. If you want anything else, you will have to customize a bit there. Depending on which way you decide to go, each tier in the upgrade path toward all-terrains or sport wheels and tires will cost $1,800 and $3,500, respectively.
The 2021 Rivian R1T truck even has a camp kitchen option. For $5,000, the package ads an induction cooktop, built-in sink, a 4 gallon water tank and an optional 30-piece Snow Peak cookware set. That’s all stowable within the truck’s passthrough storage, just behind the rear doors and ahead of the bed. Sadly, since the R1S doesn’t have a bad (or passthrough storage), it’s not an option on the SUV.
Three interior choices
While the 2021 Rivian R1T packs one more exterior option, the R1S is more flexible when it comes to interior customization. Namely, you can choose whether you’d like a five or a seven-passenger variant. Regardless of which vehicle you choose, three interior options are available. Fortunately, they offer some noteworthy variety in the color scheme. Black Mountain offers a darker option, while Ocean Coast is lighter and airier by comparison. Forest Edge, the signature scheme we’ve seen in past promotional photos and b-roll, is a $2,000 option.
What’s the bottom line price?
No matter which Rivian you buy, you’re looking at a vehicle in the same price range as a fully-loaded full-size SUV or a well-equipped heavy-duty truck. The 2021 Rivian R1S tops out around $85,500 with every available option. Spec an R1T with a larger battery pack and every other available option, and that price is more like $98,000.
Mind you, that’s before available federal and state tax incentives. That will take some of the sting out of these builds, but either way these models are competing at the upper end of the current EV price spectrum. Let us know if you plan to pre-order either Rivian’s SUV or pickup in the comments below! Check out our video as well for a closer look at Rivian’s new vehicles:
