Rivian has confirmed
that the novel pull-out kitchen it displayed in the R1T at the recent Overland
Expo will make it into production. The Rivian R1T was the first all-electric
pickup truck to be displayed at the event.
Perhaps the most noteworthy new
feature was a kitchen that slides in and out of the truck’s cargo tunnel
directly behind the cabin and includes a stove powered by the vehicle’s
battery, adequate bench space, and a handful of different draws to hold
anything owners may want to take with them – along with a sink with a
five-gallon water tank.
Rivian says the
kitchen will be available as an accessory when the vehicle launches, but did
not disclose its price. In a bid to establish itself in the fiercely contested
world of electric vehicles, Rivian is attempting to carve out a niche for its
R1T and R1S, marketing them towards those that like adventure and not just
running to and from shops, schools etc. Patent images revealed earlier this
year that the company is working on a handful of innovative and flexible bed
designs for the R1T, including one that can fit a pair of dirtbikes and another
with a solid topper.
Rivian will build
the new EVs at a plant in Normal, Illinois that was previously owned by
Mitsubishi. Acquiring this site cost the company US$ 16 million and it intends on
commencing production of its first two models next year, while at the same time
it is also working on an off-road focused electric vehicle.
