After Disappointing Buyers, Rivian Offers New Performance Option

At the end of 2022, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian made an announcement that frustrated buyers looking to configure a new truck. The company stated that going forward, buyers would no longer be able to combine Rivian’s Quad-Motor drive system with its Max Pack battery. For prospective drivers looking for an especially high-performance option, this news came as a disappointment.

Now, Rivian has made a new announcement that seems aimed at rectifying their previous decision. As Autoblog reports, Rivian just announced a new drive system that’s both more advanced then the Dual-Motor AWD option and is compatible with the Max Pack. The new option, known as the Performance Dual-Motor AWD, is — as the name suggests — a step up from the Dual-Motor AWD. Autoblog reports that this new drive system has “700 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque,” as compared to 600 horsepower and pound-feet of torque for the standard Dual-Motor AWD.

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The Performance Dual-Motor AWD is available for both Rivian’s R1T and R1S. As Autoblog’s article points out, the Max Pack is currently compatible with the R1T and will be available with the R1S beginning this fall. All of which is to say that Rivian seems to be heightening the degree to which its vehicles are customizable again — something that should warm the hearts of drivers frustrated at the Quad-Motor AWD decision.