Rivian Standard pack R1S, R1T arrive: Up to 315 miles, no LFP yet

Rivian on Thursday revealed long-awaited Standard and Standard+ versions of its R1T pickup and R1S SUV—essentially ready to be delivered now, with what appears to be a $3,100 price drop, and likely qualifying for the same EV tax credit as other versions.

They arrive with a twist: They’re not powered by the LFP battery pack or the new pack architecture that the EV maker had suggested was due to arrive with these versions.

Standard packs: A little smaller, up to 315 miles

What Rivian is delivering instead, in the interim, may better fit the needs of many buyers, given the tax-credit benefits and some impressive range numbers. Standard versions of these trucks will offer 106 kwh usable and are anticipated to earn an EPA range around 270 miles, while Standard+ versions will offer 121 kwh usable and may achieve 315 miles of range, according to Rivian. 

To compare, Rivian’s Large pack is 135 kwh, and while Rivian has since improved its range numbers, Large pack versions arrived in 2022 with mileage ratings of 314 and 316 miles, respectively, for the R1T and R1S. Now, 2024 Rivian models in Large pack versions deliver up to 352 miles in the R1S and R1T, while top Max pack versions, with 149 kwh, offer up to 410 miles in the R1T and 400 miles in the R1S.

Rivian confirmed to Green Car Reports that these have the same NCA (nickel cobalt aluminum) chemistry as the other Rivian packs, termed Large and Max. It’s also the same pack hardware and battery management system—all aspects that are expected to change with a “new pack architecture” that will start with the debut of the LFP (lithium-iron phosphate) chemistry that promises to be less expensive to produce and reduce reliance on some rare materials including nickel. 

The Standard pack versions will only be offered in the Dual Motor configuration, which includes Rivian’s own motor design. And as they’re priced—and because they use the same battery sourcing—they’re expected to qualify for the EV tax credit.  

Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois, manufacturing its Enduro drive unit

A Rivian for under $70,000, potentially

As they’re currently listed, the R1T Dual Standard costs $71,700, Including an $1,800 destination fee, while the R1T Dual Standard+ costs $74,800, the R1S Dual Standard starts at $76,700, and the R1S Dual Standard+ just ticks below the $80,000 cap for the EV tax credit, at $79,800. 

Assuming these models do qualify for the same tax credit, as Rivian says, that means a 270-mile R1T Dual Standard for $67,950, including destination.

Rounding out the models with these new packs, the R1T Performance Dual Standard+ starts at $79,800, and an R1S Performance Dual Standard+ costs $84,800. 

With the arrival of these lower-priced models, the Large battery versions of the R1T and R1S are a $6,000 premium over the Standard+ models, or a $9,100 premium over the Standard models. 

Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois, manufacturing its Enduro drive unit

Rivian LFP pack may bring other benefits

The LFP pack was originally expected to arrive in 2023, and at last check it was due in spring 2024. A Rivian spokesperson reached by Green Car Reports Thursday didn’t have an update on the LFP pack’s timing, but confirmed that it’s still on the way for both products. 

In December, Rivian CFO Claire McDonough indicated that the new pack, while it might make better manufacturing sense and reduced costs, could slow output for Rivian in the second and third quarters of 2024 as it continues to gradually ramp up production of its trucks. So these new Standard versions may serve several purposes all at once—by getting those simply waiting for Standard pack versions their trucks at the promised price point, while buying Rivian a little more time to fine-tune its future.