2025 Rivian R1S: The Electric SUV Built For Adventure | Cars & Bikes | Forbes

With the R1S, Rivian demonstrates that an American startup car company can build a great car out of the gate. It’s remarkable what Rivian has accomplished in a short time. The Irvine, California-based company only began delivering its electric R1T pickup in October 2021 and the R1S SUV shortly after that.

For 2025, the R1S Gen 2—with no outstanding cosmetic changes but a host of under-the-hood improvements—is packed with smarts you only find on the most technologically advanced cars. The second generation all-electric SUV comes with Highway Assist, part of Rivian’s Driver+ driver assist technology. On major roads, Highway Assist will essentially drive the car (braking, acceleration and steering). And the newest Rivians include automatic lane change.

The guiding principle of every electric vehicle owner is Always Be Charging. That’s the alpha and omega of owning an EV. But Rivian has managed to get an EPA estimated range of 410 miles on its large — and heavy at over 7,000 pounds — gen 2 R1S. The 400+ miles of range dramatically changes the way you plan trips. Instead of military-grade precision planning involving charging locations and charger availability and a host of other factors like ambient temperature, you can just focus on getting there.

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Here’s the magic of electric cars: carmakers can improve battery performance, the drive experience and even boost power with just a software update. And that’s the mission behind the second generation fo the Rivian R1S SUV (and R1T pickup truck): More miles, more efficiencies and more power through a new electronics architecture and hardware systems that improve performance now and set the stage for improvements in the future.

The second generation revamp of this three row, seven passenger off-road capable SUV represents an almost thoroughly redesigned technology architecture, from battery and power to the multimedia touchscreen user experience.

In fact, the only thing that is mostly untouched is the look and style of the Rivian R1S, which maintains its iconic look of square corners and rounded lights.

[dineshan]

I just got mine two weeks ago. Amazing car.

[ab]

Have owned an R1S since 2022. Easily the best all-around vehicle I've ever owned in a list including Porsche, Range Rover, Tesla, BMW, and MB.

[urbanstrencan]

Just prfection, cant wait for their R2 and R3 platforms to finally get them here in Europe ; )

[mojavelinux]

Loving mine. Really unlike any other vehicle.

[samlc]

Forbes loves Rivian! Forbes also loved people like Elizabeth Holmes and SBF. 😂

[darrenchin]

Is this a paid ads?

By the way I did like Rivian

[IndigenousEarthling]

The competition is coming for Rivian's R1S, R1T, and R2. The Kia EV9 is a direct competitor to the R1S in the USA luxury EV large SUV market. The Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Tesla Cybertruck, and GMC Hummer EV are direct competitors to the R1T in the USA adventure EV pickup truck market. The R2 will be competing with every small electric SUV and crossover on the market, including the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Kia EV6, Volvo EX30, Volkswagen ID.4, BMW iX, Nissan Ariya, Honda Prologue, Toyota BZ4X/Subaru Solterra, and refreshed Tesla Model Y. Rivian will likely have to massively drive down manufacturing costs while simultaneously ramping up production volumes to compete with these highly automated mass manufacturers in 2025. Globally, Rivian will have to compete with Chinese BEV OEMs.

[StarStreetMedia]

Rivian is truly redefining adventure with the R1S—an electric SUV that not only looks iconic but can tackle anything from rocky trails to deep water!

[alko_xo]

Guys, your next president is going to be “for adventure” for the rest of the world.

[trogdorstrngbd]

Almost everyone agrees that Rivian makes great vehicles. But they are also expensive and this video -- which feels like a straight up ad, honestly -- completely skips over the very real risk that the company could go bankrupt within the next few years and leave all its customers out of luck for warranty and parts.

[TrenaTiller]

Thanks for the breakdown! Just a quick off-topic question: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (behave today finger ski upon boy assault summer exhaust beauty stereo over). What's the best way to send them to Binance?

[김모치-zh]

this ad is just sad
what were they thinking lol

[shaysiddiqui]

amazing job managing to make such a great vehicle seem like an everyday boring car.

[nataliyaty]

Why does is still have an outdated charging port? Where is NACS?

[bpt]

Stop saying its 2nd generation while its still da same....its a facelift of 1st generation.

[CrimsonAlchemist]

Rivian been burning cash in billions annually. And then Forbes got an Ad from Rivian LOL.

[yaoxiongliang]

Hands free autonomy driving promise is a joke. There’s no sign of them delivering it in the next three years so please don’t mention it in an advertisement

[zero_kelvin_]

forbes you were one of the last legacy media guys I have respect for. this is now fading

[spitzer]

does not look rugged off-roader, more like city SUV.

[DirtyBeemer]

More like the electric SUV built for the repair shop