Rivian R1T vs Tesla CyberTruck Side by Side Pickup Truck Comparison
FEBRUARY 7TH, 2021
AUTHOR: KEVIN STILLERMAN
R1T vs CyberTruck
The Rivian R1T and Tesla CyberTruck both have impressive performance, specifications, and features. This is especially true when you compared these all electric pickup trucks to other pickup trucks currently on the market. In this article we compare the Rivian R1T and Tesla CyberTruck side by side. Specifically we compare acceleration, dimensions, top speed, range, power, max towing, max payload, seats, charging, clearance, bed length, build, and lastly price.
Rivian R1t
Tesla CyberTruck
Acceleration
The time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h or 0 to 27 m/s) is a commonly used performance measure for automotive acceleration. Both the Rivian R1T and Tesla CyberTruck accelerate quickly due to the instantaneous power of electric motors.
R1T
4.9s | 3.2s | 3.0s
CyberTruck
6.5s | 4.5s | 2.9s
Dimensions
The overall dimensions can help you understand the footprint and height of a vehicle. This may be important if you have a small garage or storage location. The CyberTruck is slightly bigger in all three dimension compared to the smaller R1T.
R1T
215.6" L | 79.3" W | 71.5" H
CyberTruck
231.7" L | 79.8" W | 75.0" H
Top Speed
For everyday use top speed is not a factor, but it is worth noting that both the Rivian R1T and Tesla CyberTruck are faster than most pickup trucks currently on the market.
R1T
125 mph | 125 mph | 125 mph
CyberTruck
110 mph | 120 mph | 130 mph
Range
Range is one of the most important metrics when evaluating an electric vehicle. The Tesla CyberTruck has better range for its low and high end options, and matches the Rivian R1T for its middle option. The tri-motor CyberTruck has a range of 500 miles (100 miles more than the maxed out R1T).
R1T
230 mi | 300 mi | 400 mi
CyberTruck
250 mi | 300 mi | 500 mi
Power
Horsepower refers to the power an engine produces. It’s calculated through the power needed to move 550 pounds one foot in one second or by the power needs to move 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute. In general, the Tesla CyberTruck is more powerful than the Rivian R1T, although both have impressive power performance compared to other pickup trucks currently on the market.
R1T
400 hp | 700 hp | 750 hp
CyberTruck
450 hp | 690 hp | 800 hp
Max Towing
Max towing (towing capacity) refers to the maximum amount of weight a vehicle can safely tow behind it. Towing capacity is often a key reason for purchasing a pickup truck. The Rivian R1T is expected to be able to tow ~11,000 lbs, while the Tesla CyberTruck can tow 7,500 to 14,000 lbs depending which motor option you select (single, dual, tri).
R1T
11,000 lbs | 11,000 lbs | 11,000 lbs
CyberTruck
7,500 lbs | 10,000 lbs | 14,000 lbs
Max Payload
Payload capacity is the amount of weight that a vehicle can safely haul inside the cabin and/or truck bed. The Tesla CyberTruck is expected to be able to be able to handle a payload size that is 2X that of the Rivian R1T. This is likely due to the fact that the CyberTruck has a strong stainless steel exoskeleton compared to the R1T which is made of Aluminum.
R1T
1,750 lbs
CyberTruck
3,500 lbs
Seats
Number of seats is likely not a major factor when choosing a pickup truck. The Rivian R1T has 2 seats in the front and 3 seats in the rear. The Tesla CyberTruck has an additional seat in the front row positioned in the middle of the vehicle.
R1T
5 (2 Front, 3 Rear)
CyberTruck
6 (3 Front, 3 Rear)
Charging
Another factor that is of interest to electric vehicle owners is the max amount of power that can be delivered to to the vehicle. This determines how quickly the battery pack can be fully charged. The Tesla CyberTruck has a max power that is more than 50% greater than that of the Rivian R1T.
R1T
160 kW max
CyberTruck
250 kW max
Clearance
(Ground) clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point on the underside of the vehicle. A larger clearance allows a vehicle driven on roads that are not level, without the scraping against surface obstacles and possibly damaging the underbody. The Tesla CyberTruck has an additional 2 inches of ground clearance when compared to the Rivian R1T.
R1T
14 inches
CyberTruck
16 inches
Bed Length
If you a purchasing a pickup truck that the bed size is likely a major factor in your decision. The Tesla CyberTruck has a bed length that is 2 feet longer than the Rivian R1T which allows the driver to haul more (in combination with it’s higher payload capability).
R1T
4.5 ft
CyberTruck
6.5 ft
Build
The Rivian R1T has an Aluminum body built on top of a “Skateboard” architecture platform. The Tesla CyberTruck has a Stainless Steel exoskeleton that provides extra strength in combination with it’s Tesla Armor Glass windows.
R1T
Aluminum Body
Body on Skateboard Architecture
CyberTruck
Stainless Steel Exoskeleton
Tesla Armor Glass
Price
The Tesla CyberTruck is more affordable than the Rivian R1T. The maxed out CyberTruck option (tri-motor) is under $70,000, while the mid and high end models of the Rivian R1T are both more expensive ($75,000 and $85,000 respectively). This is likely due to the economies of scale that Tesla is able to achieve by producing in large volumes.
R1T
$67,500 | $75,000 | $85,000
CyberTruck
$39,900 | $49,900 | $69,900
Summary
Both the Rivian R1T and Tesla CyberTruck have impressive specifications when compared to most pickup trucks currently on the market. That being said, the Tesla CyberTruck beats out the Rivian R1T in many pickup truck critical categories when comparing these two vehicles head to head. Specifically, the CyberTruck has better Range, Power, Max Towing/Payload, Charging, Bed Length (all for a lower price).
While Tesla currently has the advantage over Rivian, Rivian is still in a strong position to capture a piece of the electric vehicle market. Check out our list of the Top 5 Reasons Rivian Will Succeed in the EV Revolution. Also, if you are a stock market investor you may be interested to learn How to Invest in Tesla EV Competitor Rivian Before they go Public.
Which EV pickup truck do you prefer? Which specifications matter the most to you as a pickup truck owner? Are you on team Rivian or team Tesla? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!
