2024 Rivian R1T Tri-Motor:
almost perfect. Almost.
The most capable electric truck we've tested in the South — savage performance, real off-road chops, and a steering wheel shake that Rivian service could not fix.
Highly recommended for Southern EV buyers
Outstanding performance, real-world range, and off-road versatility. Docked for a persistent steering wheel vibration that Rivian service could not diagnose or resolve after multiple visits.
Let me put it plainly: the 2024 Rivian R1T Tri-Motor is the best electric truck we've tested for real Southern driving. Three motors, over 800 horsepower, instant torque that redefines what a truck feels like. On I-65 between Birmingham and Nashville, on forest service roads through Talladega, hauling a loaded trailer out of a muddy boat ramp — this truck handled everything with composure no gas-powered pickup can match.
For ChargeSouth readers who do real work with their vehicles or drive long rural stretches across the Southeast, the R1T is not a compromise. It's genuinely better at most truck tasks than anything with a gas engine — and that's not a statement we make lightly.
Performance & range in the Southern heat
The Tri-Motor configuration is the one to get if budget allows. Real-world range on Alabama and Georgia highways — tested at 70–75 mph in summer heat with the AC running — came in around 287 miles. Battery thermal management handled the heat better than any other EV we've tested in comparable conditions. That matters a lot in July in Birmingham.
Tested across three highway drives between Birmingham, Huntsville, and Atlanta. Average real-world range at 72 mph with AC running: 287 miles. That's a usable number for Southern highway driving where charging infrastructure is still building along key corridors.
Charging on the ChargeSouth network
The R1T supports NACS natively — full access to Tesla Superchargers plus Electrify America, EVgo, and the growing NEVI-funded stations coming online across Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. DC fast charge speeds up to 220 kW mean a 10–80% charge in under 30 minutes at a properly functioning station.
Onboard navigation routes automatically through charging stops and pre-conditions the battery ahead of time. On our I-65 Birmingham–Nashville run we made a single 22-minute charging stop with no range anxiety.
Off-road capability built for the South
Air suspension, underbody protection, and serious ground clearance make the R1T legitimately capable — not just marketing-capable. Electronic torque vectoring across all four wheels provides traction where capable 4WD trucks get stuck. For Southern buyers who hunt, fish, farm, or just deal with unpaved roads, this truck earns its keep every single time.
The pass-through lockable storage compartment running the full width between the cab and bed is one of the most genuinely useful innovations in any truck we've tested. Combined with the frunk and a full-size bed, storage versatility is unmatched in class.
The problem they couldn't fix
Here's where we have to be straight with you — because that's what ChargeSouth is built on.
At highway speeds, the steering wheel shakes. Not subtly. Noticeably, persistently, every time above 65 mph on a long stretch of road. We brought the truck in for service. Technicians rebalanced the wheels. Inspected the suspension. Ran diagnostics and pushed a software update. Checked wheel bearing tolerances. The vibration was still there when we picked it up.
After multiple service visits, Rivian technicians acknowledged the steering vibration but were unable to isolate the root cause or correct it. We left with the same truck we brought in. At a $90,000+ price point, that is a quality control failure that every prospective buyer needs to know about — and ask specifically about — before signing.
We're not writing off the R1T over this. The truck is too good in too many ways. But we are telling you: test drive at highway speed. If your demo unit vibrates, get Rivian's commitment in writing before you take delivery.
- Tri-motor acceleration is class-defining
- Real-world Southern highway range
- NACS + DCFC compatibility
- Off-road for actual Southern terrain
- Gear Tunnel is a genuine innovation
- Battery heat management is excellent
- OTA updates add meaningful features
- Ride quality far exceeds gas trucks
- Steering wheel vibration at highway speed
- Service could not diagnose or fix it
- DCFC network thin in rural South
- Price demands zero-defect delivery
- Minor software quirks persist
| Drivetrain | Tri-motor AWD |
| EPA range | ~305 miles |
| Real-world range (tested) | ~287 miles at 72 mph, AC on |
| Peak charge rate | Up to 220 kW DCFC |
| Charge port | NACS (Supercharger compatible) |
| 0–60 mph | ~2.9 seconds |
| Towing capacity | 11,000 lbs |
| Ground clearance (max) | 14.9 inches |
| As-tested price | ~$92,000 |
The R1T Tri-Motor is the most impressive electric truck for Southern buyers right now — and it isn't close. The performance is in a different league. The range is real. The off-road capability is legitimate. Fix the steering vibration and improve service follow-through, and this becomes the easiest truck recommendation we can make. Until then: test at highway speed, ask hard questions at delivery, and know that their own technicians couldn't solve it either.