Rivian R1T named 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year

The Rivian R1T, MotorTrend's 2022 Truck of the Year

In selecting upstart electric vehicle OEM Rivian’s R1T as its 2022 Truck of the Year, MotorTrend described the vehicle as "the most remarkable pickup truck we've ever driven," adding that it “redefines the genre.”

According to the publication, the designation recognizes the R1T both for being a good truck and a technology advancement.

“The Rivian R1T would win praise if it were merely a credible pickup truck that is also an electric vehicle, but it's far more. Not content to simply mount an electric motor or two under the hood or box of a traditional pickup, Rivian used the opportunity to re-examine what a modern pickup truck could be,” MotorTrend said. “By rethinking how a pickup truck can be built, how it can be propelled, how it can drive, how its spaces might be used, how we could interact with it, and how to expand its target demographic, Rivian has forced both the industry and the market to reassess expectations.”

The publication cited several examples of ingenuity developed well—the vehicle’s "skateboard" layout that locates the batteries and electric motors in the frame between the wheels, integration of the trailer brake controller into the screens and steering wheel buttons, a unitized cab and pickup box that allowed Rivian to incorporate clever storage solutions like the transverse gear tunnel and the integrated tonneau cover, and individual motors for each wheel to provide traction and stability—adding “the skateboard layout was pioneered two decades ago, but the R1T is the first truck to seriously explore the possibilities such construction offers.”

Notably, Rivian's 135-kWh battery provides 314 miles of range per charge.

Also, Rivian is planning to install chargers at trailheads, campsites, and parks to eliminate range anxiety for adventure driving.