Rivian Rolls Out Its New Enduro Dual-Motor Drive Unit for the R1T Truck

Rivian has begun production of its in-house designed Enduro dual-motor drive unit for its R1T truck

• The first R1T equipped with the new Enduro drivetrain has just rolled off the production line at Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois

• The new dual-motor variant is a cost-effective alternative to the existing quad-motor powertrain, being priced at $8,000 less.

• Enduro-equipped Rivian R1T models to start at $73,000 in the US

Rivian has begun producing R1T trucks equipped with the more affordable Enduro dual-motor drive unit.

With a base price of $73,000 for Enduro-equipped R1T models, the new powertrain not only makes the vehicle more accessible to a larger customer base but also qualifies Rivian for the US EV tax credit of $3,750.

Deliveries of the dual-motor R1T are slated to begin in June. However, the exact configurations of the first batch of vehicles to be delivered remain unclear. The introduction of a cheaper model is a strategic move for Rivian, as it broadens the company’s customer base and simplifies supply chain management.

A Game-Changer for Rivian

Rivian’s Enduro dual-motor drive unit represents a new direction for the automaker. By offering a less expensive, yet capable variant of its groundbreaking R1T truck, Rivian is hoping to reach more customers, of course, but also reduce its production costs. The current quad-motor drive unit offered on top-tier Rivian trucks is sourced from Bosch which entails more costs than the Enduro unit designed and built in-house.

Rivian announced back in April that it would begin building R1T trucks and R1S SUVs with the Enduro powertrain because of supply issues with the more powerful Bosch powertrain. The quad-motor powertrain availability was significantly impeded by the semiconductor shortage. Although the more powerful option will remain available, the addition of a second drive unit should help Rivian make up for production delays that have plagued the automaker’s launch.

The Enduro drivetrain started production back in February, but only for electric delivery vans Rivian supplies to Amazon. The Rivian R1T will be the first Rivian customer model equipped with the Enduro unit.

The Enduro dual-motor system will provide power to both axles, preserving the R1T and R1S all-wheel drive capability. Base horsepower is rated at 600 horsepower while a more powerful 700-horsepower version will be available thanks to a software update. The Bosch quad-motor option delivers 835 horsepower.

As for range, the Enduro powertrain will offer up to 400 miles or 644 kilometres of range according to Rivian, although the numbers have yet to be confirmed. The quad-motor setup delivers a maximum of 321 miles of range, or 517 kilometres since Rivian removed the max battery pack option.