It was solely 6 years in the past that Rivian was taking part in with early prototypes of its first automobile, the R1T, in South America. The journey was filming and supporting the Lengthy Manner Up electrical bike expedition and movie. On that journey, the corporate says it realized one thing necessary: “The additional we push our autos, the extra enjoyable we will have.”
From there, Rivian designers, engineers, and journey fanatics have been on all kinds of untamed adventures across the globe, many instances on their very own dime and time. Journey is baked into Rivian’s DNA and has attracted proficient staff who prefer to push the boundaries of what’s doable.
What all this free skunkworks exercise has produced now has a reputation — and a spotlight. The Rivian Journey Division (RAD) is claimed to have one mission: “Discovering the subsequent degree of what’s doable with our autos, bridging between the place we discover the extremes and the options that find yourself in your driveway.”
Rivian Journey Division
Whereas this group of fanatics inside Rivian didn’t have a reputation till now, they’ve been pushing boundaries because the firm’s inception. Suppose profitable the Rebelle Rally and setting data at Pikes Peak.
“We’ve realized there’s no substitute for real-world expertise. Three years in the past at Rebelle, when deep sand circumstances made for gradual going at sure factors within the course, our group’s expertise was immediately knowledgeable by our earlier growth of Mushy Sand mode,” mentioned Lilly Macaruso, Rivian Engineer and Rebelle Rally Winner.
RAD Tuner
From all this journey, excessive testing, and good enjoyable has come a rad new customization device for Rivian Gen 2 Quad homeowners. It’s referred to as the RAD Tuner and permits for the creation of customized drive modes on the fly. This was launched through an over-the-air replace and is a characteristic throughout the infotainment system.
You may customise 10 totally different variables with the RAD Tuner. These embrace acceleration, regen, brake help, steering help, trip top, torque stability, wheel slip, stability, dampening, and roll stiffness. And, it can save you your most well-liked settings as selectable drive modes — which you can even give enjoyable names.
The RAD Tuner additionally comes with presets, which have been honed from the info collected on large adventures. An instance is the info collected through the Rebelle rally, which immediately created the Desert Rally drive mode.
Debuting RAD
RAD as an entity, a sub-brand, and a press release by Rivian that it plans to proceed pursuing journey and excessive efficiency, debuts this week on the 2026 FAT Ice Race in Huge Sky, Mont.
Rivian is displaying off its new RAD livery, showcasing its RAD group, and getting rad with the R1S Quad-Motor. With 1,025 horsepower on faucet and the RAD Tuner on board, the R1S Quad is prone to placed on a great present and be fairly aggressive within the race.
The corporate’s smaller R2 SUV, which hits the market later this yr, can be making an look, in addition to an R1T. All are wrapped in shiny RAD livery.
What’s Subsequent for RAD?
Rivian says that “RAD is a promise that we’ll by no means cease pushing the bounds and discovering new methods to place a smile in your face.” Whereas that may be a shiny advertising line, I do consider it to be true. Rivian has been an adventurous firm from the beginning.
The place this new RAD program will go continues to be an enormous query mark. However, my guess is that it’s going to develop into the efficiency and in-house improve arm of Rivian. Suppose BMW M, Mercedes AMG, Ford Efficiency, Genesis Magma, and the like.
