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The Rivian truck is the first electric pickup to the market. Many folks who use power tools wonder if electric trucks will be able to run them on the job site. While future electric trucks may be able to, the 2022 Rivian R1T struggles to operate 6 amp tools. One hybrid pickup truck already offers more outlet power than the Rivian.

Can the Rivian electric truck run power tools?

The Rivian R1T electric truck features 120-volt outlets in its bed. Reviewers found it could fire up a 6.5-amp electric sander, and even a 15-amp skillsaw. That said, both implements started slowly and were dangerously underpowered by the Rivian.

When the reviewers at the fast lane (TFL) truck got their hands on a Rivian R1T, they immediately sent it to a Colorado ranch to put it through its paces. Rancher David immediately plugged in his power tools to see how the R1T’s 135 kWh lithium-ion Rivian battery would handle them.

He found that the 120-volt power outlets in the pickup truck’s bed could fire up both 6.5 amp and 15 amp tools. But David was concerned by how slowly the tools started up. He pointed out that you can actually damage certain plug-in power tools by underpowering them.

Can the Rivian electric truck’s outlets charge power tools?

Some are concerned the Rivian R1T’s 120-volt outlets don’t have enough amperage to safely operate high demand power tools. But cordless power tool battery chargers are much more forgiving of low amperage than the motors of plug-in tools.

2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

How much electric power does the Rivian R1T pickup have?

The Rivian R1T electric pickup truck offers 110-volt wall outlets and 12-volt accessory outlets in its bed, cab, and even in its gear tunnel compartment. This power system puts out around 1,500 watts of power.

2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

Other pickup trucks are engineered for on-board power. For example, Ford designed its F-150 hybrid PowerBoost powertrain to offer 7,200 watts of power at its outlets.

Next, read about the Rivian electric truck’s class-leading ground clearance or watch TFL test the Rivian electric pickup truck’s outlets in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.