Rivian is brand-new to the auto industry, but it’s already making a name for itself, and for good reason. Rivian specializes in making EVs, and it recently debuted its first car, the 2022 Rivian R1T, the first all-electric pickup truck on the market. The Rivian R1T is getting a lot of attention. That has to do with its excellent features, including its Gear Tunnel.

A look at Rivian as a company

Like many startups, Rivian started its life quietly. When Rivian finally unveiled what it had in store for folks, that’s when the floodgates opened. Many companies, such as Amazon and Ford, backed Rivian by throwing money at the company.

In particular, Amazon ordered a fleet of electric vans from Rivian. However, what got people’s attention about Rivian was its first two consumer cars, the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. Both had some impressive specs and some impressive features. Unsurprisingly, when Rivian went public, it set its valuation at about $80 billion. 

However, Rivian became the first company to sell an all-electric pickup truck to American customers. Rivian narrowly beat out its competitors, Ford and Tesla, in this race. And, compared to its peers, the R1T certainly has a few perks up its sleeves. One of the more practical ones is its Gear Tunnel feature.

How big is the Rivian R1T’s Gear Tunnel?

The reason why frunks are possible on EVs has to do with the differences between an EV and a regular car. Since EVs have electric motors and a battery pack, the location of things in the car can be a little different. That’s precisely why the Gear Tunnel exists. It’s located behind the rear seats of the R1T, and it adds extra storage space to the truck.

Like MotorTrend wrote, this is in addition to all the other storage spaces that are already on the R1T. Currently, the R1T has a 4.5-foot truck bed, a trunk inside that truck bed, a frunk, and of course, the Gear Tunnel. The Gear Tunnel can be opened by pulling down panels on the side of the R1T, and it looks like a tunnel. It’s not a perfect circle, but it’s big enough to store quite a bit of stuff.

According to MotorTrend, the Gear Tunnel has a cargo capacity of about 11.6 cubic feet. This is slightly more space than what the frunk offers. However, since the Gear Tunnel is so long and spacious, it’s good for many things. A person can even fit inside the Gear Tunnel. However, that’s not a recommended use of the feature.

What the Gear Tunnel is good for

Long things can fit well in the Gear Tunnel. Stuff like golf bags, snowboards, and fishing poles are all the types of gear that easily fits inside the Gear Tunnel. However, the Gear Tunnel is spacious enough for stuff that isn’t long and skinny. Flexible stuff will also fit quite well in the Gear Tunnel. 

MotorTrend said that the Gear Tunnel is big enough to carry bags and suitcases comfortably. MotorTrend’s editors managed to fit “a couple of carry-on sized suitcases, a couple of duffle bags, a backpack, and a briefcase in the tunnel all at the same time.” This makes the Gear Tunnel an excellent cargo space for almost anything.

Lastly, the Gear Tunnel has a cool additional access feature. Passengers can access the Gear Tunnel from the rear seat. However, it’s not a huge opening, and passengers will only be able to put an arm through that access point.