Rivian Confirms Max Battery Pack Availability for the R1S This Year

The Max pack will only be available with a dual-motor powertrain, at least for now

(Images: TFL Studios)

Rivian confirmed the R1S will finally get the “Max” battery pack this fall.

While you’re already able to configure and order a new R1T pickup with the longest-range (dual-motor) option offering up to 400 miles on a charge, the automaker confirmed the Max pack will be a new powertrain option for the R1S SUV this fall. Like its truck counterpart, ordering the R1S with a Max pack will lock you into a dual-motor configuration.

If you want the quad-motor layout (like the Launch Edition I tested a few months ago), you’ll still have to go with the 321-mile “Large” pack, at least for now. The company removed the quad-motor Max pack option last December, saying it would be available “at a later date” — but there haven’t been any updates yet.

Exact range specs for the R1S dual-motor with the Max pack are not available yet. However, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe tweeted out that the company is targeting 390 miles of range. Even better for some prospective buyers, the Max pack does not compromise the R1S’ main selling point: its 7-seater layout.

At the moment, no official EPA range estimates for the dual-motor Large pack have been published. For some context, the “Standard” pack offers 260 miles for each charge. Pricing for the R1S’ Max pack option is not available, either. On the R1T, the Max pack adds $16,000 to the base price, so it’s likely the same premium will apply to the SUV. On both the R1T and R1T, the Large pack adds $8,000 to the dual-motor model’s price tag.