I am a normal car guy, not a car made in Normal…but your run of the mill car guy. I have owned a GMC Jimmy, Corolla, Celica, Civic and an Element. They were all very nice, new-to-me cars. They got me from point A to point B. I fill up the tank and don’t put much thought into it.
A week ago WJBC News Director Neil Doyle forwarded me an email from Rivian (The electric car maker that has set up shop in the defunct Mitsubishi plant in Normal) inviting him to drive the brand new, hot off the line R1T EV. EV stands for electric vehicle…it sounds cool to use abbreviations…makes it sound like I am part of the cool kid club. Neil was unavailable to attend the event and so I RSVP’d. I quickly heard back from Laura the Community Relations Coordinator for RIVIAN. (This community is such a small world; Laura was Scott Laughlin’s producer on WJBC. It seems like everyone has worked at WJBC at some point).
I booked my Sunday September 26th 10:15am appointment for the “Rivian First Mile Experience”. I show up around 9:50am (I am early everywhere, my dad taught me if you are on time you are late). This test drive is on a test track behind the Rivian plant. Music was bumpin, the sun was shining, and everyone was pretty (imagine skinny jeans and cool sunglasses) Lots of walkie talkies and golf carts. There are different stations set up to show off what Rivian has to offer. Paint color, a grill that attaches to the R1T, a tent that attaches and how in the heck do you charge this thing.
They put a yellow wristband on me to prove I have checked in. The person that affixed the wristband tells me that its biodegradable and I can put it in dirt and flowers will grow from it. It seems to me like Rivian is not just about making EV’s. Impressive.
10:15 rolls around and they assign me a co-pilot. The young guy from the west coast invites me into the “Midnight” black R1T and informs me it’s been disinfected from the previous driver (thanks COVID). It is a sleek body, futuristic and modern. I get in and adjust the seat, mirrors and steering wheel. So far, it feels like a nice cool modern truck. It has a comfortable interior, a dashboard that looks impressive, almost like a rocket ship, a “gas” pedal and brake pedal and a seatbelt. So far, I am feeling like I am test-driving any other cool car.
My co-pilot asks me if I have ever gone 0-60 miles per hour in 3 seconds before. I said, “I don’t think so” and then he rattled off some fact about if I hadn’t ever driven a Lamborghini…then I hadn’t driven this fast before. He may have said a McLaren…but remember…I am a Honda Civic guy…car talk doesn’t catch my attention.
*Quick note, I did drive 140+ mph in a NASCAR in Joliet. 10 laps…in an ill-fitting fire retardant suit and helmet….but I digress*
We pull on to the track and we wait for the go ahead from a woman in a booth with a red flag. I was instructed to slam on the “gas” pedal in 3, 2, 1….
I have NEVER in my life experienced that before. It was the most exhilarating thing I have ever felt. I was plastered back against the driver seat, my stomach went into my throat, my head got light and all I was trying to do was keep in on the road but still take in the experience. I don’t think I can put into words what that felt like. 3 seconds…count to 3….1…2….3 In that amount of time I went from a dead stop to blowing my socks off. I actually went over 70 miles per hour (Don’t tell CEO RJ Scaringe). My co pilot laughs at my reaction and we continue. I try to remain cool even though my heart is racing, and I just want to do it again.
So far the most interesting thing I learned about driving an EV is that you don’t really use the brake. The car stops when you let off the “gas”…so you must learn to let of the pedal slowly if you want to come to a rolling stop. Now if you must stop for an emergency, the brake is there. BUT think about it, there is no engine so if you take your foot off the “gas” you are lessening the electric so no electric, no go. It takes some getting used to, but that didn’t take long.
I then swerve through some blockades on the course and now its time again to FLOOR it once again! 0-60mph in 3 seconds! GO SCOTTY GO!
I am directed to drive parallel on to some berms. My co-pilot adjusts the R1T via the huge computer monitor in the dashboard to adjust so we don’t flip over. The R1T has many different modes depending on what terrain you are in. This berm was so high I felt as if we were parallel with the sky and ground. My co-pilot could reach out of the window and touch the ground. From the berm on the drivers side right up on to a berm on the passenger side. WHY DIDN’T THIS THING FLIP OVER? It didn’t, this EV is ready for any party you invite it to. Impressive.
Now comes the rock mountain. I can say I have never driven a vehicle up a mountain let alone one made of basketball sized rocks…or one as vertical as this one. My co-pilot adjusts the EV to climb…and we climbed, effortlessly.
All I could see was sky, no ground under me…that’s how much of an incline we were on. I stop at the top and say “Um, I can’t see anything in front of me”…. The Rivian guy goes back to that magic dashboard and turns on a camera….I can now see the ground in front of me and an impressive view of the Rivian factory.
Back down the hill just waiting for this truck to start sliding…it didn’t, I had full control the entire time. We make our way back to the original parking spot and Rivian Co-pilot dudes asks me “So, What did you think?” My response was “HOLY $#&@”. Pardon my French but that was my honest reaction. It was a life experience I will never forget.
This R1T is the first EV they are making in Normal. There is an SUV that will come out next and I would assume more styles of electric vehicles to come. They are also making delivery vans for AMAZON. History is being made in Normal, I am proud of that.
When I RSVP’d to attend this event, I expected to see other local media people but then I see Senator Dick Durbin walk up and then Congressman LaHood and Mayor Koos of Normal. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s representatives were there as well. This was an event to not only give first access to WJBC but also elected officials. Durbin, LaHood and Koos all talked to me and shared their excitement over what’s happening here in our backyard and what this means for the future.
Senator Durbin told me “Illinois is in a moment in history, if we make the right moves, we can become the electric vehicle State of the United States of America.” I was then escorted via electric golf cart for a look inside the Rivian EV factory. The tour was given by Erik Fields, the VP of Manufacturing for Rivian. It was clean, bright and full of some of the world’s largest robots. It was high tech; it was a maze of parts, computers and full of construction workers as Rivian continues to expand to make room for the future. What is the future? Your guess is as good as mine.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe graduated from MIT with a goal of opening 1 of 3 things: an electric vehicle company, sustainable farming operation or a daycare. Can you imagine a daycare in the old Mitsubishi plant? A huge robot carrying a toddler to the diaper changing room.
This was my first time driving an electric vehicle. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but if you live an adventurous lifestyle this seems to be the vehicle for you.
I am not a car guy but driving the R1T was fun, exciting and adventurous. I will never forget the feeling of going 0-60 in 3 seconds.
I believe electric vehicles are the future. I am proud to know I live in a community where this vehicle is made. Now I will just wait for one to be made that is more in my price range.
Hey RJ…how about it? A lower priced EV called “The Miller”?
-Scott Miller
CNN’s recent headline read “Rivian is no Tesla. That’s exactly what these buyers want”
Motortrend said “2022 Rivian R1T First Drive Review: The Electric Truck Revolution”
Some specifics from Rivian.com:
The R1T offers seating for 5 with 68 cu ft of storage and a towing capacity up to 11,000 lbs. Cloud based connectivity, vegan leather, panoramic roof and a fully immersive audio system. 11 cameras, 5 radars and a 360 degree field of vision. Starting at $67,500 with an EPA estimated range of 314 miles. More info can be found at Rivian.com
