Traveling with pets is becoming more popular than ever, but sometimes it can be a bit frustrating. This is especially true when you need to get out of the car to go to a store, but can’t take your fury best friend in with you. There are ways to go about this, such as leaving your vehicle running, but this isn’t always the best option. Rivian has listened to its customers and has recently released a Pet Comfort mode, which means your pets will be comfortable while you leave the car.

What is the Pet Comfort mode?

One of the main issues with leaving your pet in the car is how hot it can get. Every summer, the news bombards us with stories of children and dogs left too long in a hot car, with tragic results. This is because the interior of vehicles can heat up incredibly quickly. 

Rivian has addressed this by creating a pet comfort mode that will maintain a temperature between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit in the car while you are away. All you need to do to turn it on is hit the paw icon in the upper right corner of the climate control screen. This will stay on while you’re taking care of business away from the vehicle. If you don’t set a specific temperature, it will automatically set to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your vehicle has less than 50 miles of range left in the battery before you need to recharge, then it’s advised that you not use the pet comfort mode. You can use the Rivian mobile app to check the temperature and get any alerts.

So what happens if you leave your pet in the car, and some good Samaritan comes along to ‘save your dog?’ This may result in a broken window and a missing pet in many cases. The Rivian addresses this by alerting anyone who passes by that the pet comfort mode is on and your dog is OK.

It’s important to note that this is not designed with children in mind. If you have a child with you, you should never leave them alone in the car, especially if they’re an infant or toddler. 

The pet comfort mode works on the R1T and the R1S.

The R1T might be the perfect EV truck

Most electric vehicles are either sedans or SUVs. While there are a few electric trucks on the road, they don’t get nearly the same attention as other vehicles, which is why the Rivian R1T might just set the standard for EV trucks.

It comes equipped with AWD, can go from 0 to 60 in a mere 3 seconds, and can tow up to 11,000 lbs. To add to its cool factor, the R1T can also wade up to depths of three plus feet.

The R1T is designed to go off-road, thanks to features which allow you to adjust the suspension, pedal response, and ride height. You also don’t need to lament muddy feet as you come inside, as the interior is easy to clean.

There’s also plenty of room in the trunk area. It measures 25.4 inches by 54.8 inches, with a depth of 22.7 inches. This gives you plenty of room to bring the essentials and the creature comforts you can’t live without. 

The R1S is an electric adventure vehicle

The R1S allows you to go off-road without fear of what you’re doing to the environment. Like the R1T, the Rivian R1S is equipped with AWD, can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, and can tow up to 7,700 lbs. It can also wade in depths of three plus feet.

The R1S comes with three rows and can seat up to seven passengers. This means you can bring more friends along. The seats can be folded flat, giving you over 104 cu ft of space. 

Whichever Rivian you choose to go with, your pets are sure to be very comfortable, and you don’t have to worry about leaving them behind.