Company CEO RJ Scaringe said the feature is coming in a future update.
Rivian is one of the most talked-about automakers of the last few years. The R1T pickup is out now and in high demand, but the company’s still working on adding new features and refining existing functionality. A recent video shows an upcoming update that will bring a new sand driving mode to the truck.
Company Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe took to a recently Musk-ified Twitter to show off the feature. In the short clip, a Rivian R1S SUV dominates deep sand, quickly digging through the mess. We don’t have details on how the sand mode will alter vehicle performance, but applications from other automakers offer clues.
The Ford Bronco’s sand mode changes transmission shift logic to hold lower gears longer and locks the four-wheel-drive system. It will be interesting to see how Rivian implements the function with its optional quad-motor AWD system.
RJ Scaringe Via Twitter
RJ Scaringe Via Twitter
Rivian
Rivian
When it arrives, sand mode will join eight other driving modes in Rivian’s repertoire. The R1T comes with modes for both on- and off-road performance that alter its all-wheel drive system, ride height, throttle response, and more. The truck already has off-road drift and rally modes that crank up ride height and shift torque to the rear.
That said, Rivian has created a surprisingly capable off-roader, drive modes or not. The automaker has shown off its truck’s prowess at nearly every opportunity over the past few years, including a run up Hell’s Gate and dozens of fun snow drifting videos.
YouTube/Rivian
Rivian
Rivian
Rivian
Scaringe’s tease adds to the list of exciting future updates for Rivian vehicles. Keep in mind, we’re still waiting on the vaunted tank turn feature Rivian showed us long before the first R1T production models left the factory. That said, the truck still offers plenty of cleverness to nerd out on, including a new winch system and a fold-out kitchen option.
Rivian had a bumpy 2021, with supply chain delays and the pandemic taking a toll on its ability to push a new vehicle to production. Word came late last year that the automaker had invested in its production facility, but orders are still piling up. Capacity for 2022 will be maxed out at 25,000 units, which is well behind pace for the 80,000 orders Rivian’s taken. That doesn’t even account for commercial orders, where Amazon is waiting for its blockbuster fleet of electric vans from the automaker.
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon