The Rivian R1T Knocked Rebelle Rally Champions Aside for Gold
It’s time to cheer for the Rivian R1T because this electric truck did the impossible. It earned first place in the Rebelle Rally, taking out Nina Barlow and Teralin Peteriet in the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. They have been difficult contenders for years, but the 2023 Rivian R1T pulled off the impossible.
The 2023 Rivian R1T wins first place in the Rebelle Rally
Congratulations to Lilian Macaruso and Alexandra Anderson for leading the 2023 Rivitan R1T to victory over the infamous Nina Barlow and Jeep Wrangler 4xe. Seriously, Nina has won so many times that it almost didn’t seem fair to let her compete!
This victory is a massive surprise and significant achievement, especially for an electric truck in an off-roading competition. But the R1T proves that EVs can be just as, if not more, capable as traditional gas-powered vehicles. However, the second-place winners were in a hybrid Jeep.
Plus, this is the first time that an electric vehicle has won the rally. The Rebelle Rally is a challenging seven-day event for women only. They compete in teams of two in street-legal vehicles for over 2,000 miles.
Teams aren’t allowed to use any modern tech, such as GPS devices, and don’t have access to their phones during the entire race. Instead, they use analog tools like plotters and compasses to make their routes to different checkpoints on a topographic map.
The map for the daily terrain isn’t available until each morning, and the track covers multiple states through forests, empty lake beds, and the Glamis sand dunes.
You get points based on the number of checkpoints you can find. The rally is for navigational accuracy, not speed.
How was the Rivian R1T built for the rally?
The 2023 Rivian R1T raced as a bone stock vehicle, meaning it had no mechanical modifications. The Rebelle Rally shows what women can do in everyday vehicles.
With the dual motor R1T, you get 533 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque. The Performance dual-motor increases the power to 665 hp and 829 lb-ft of torque. It’s unclear which model competed, but both options have plenty of power for tackling the woods or climbing sand dunes.
The R1T rides on 21-inch wheels, but you can upgrade to 22-inch wheels. It has an adjustable air suspension, tow hooks, protective skid plates, a cargo cover, a gear tunnel, a built-in air compressor, household outlets, and a 360-degree display.
All of these options, especially the water-proof gear tunnel, are perfect for off-roading and carrying your camping gear across the country.
Also, the Rivian R1T offers up to 14.9 inches of ground clearance. It can be adjusted up from eight inches and has the best-in-class ground clearance by three inches.
It has a 35.5-degree approach angle, a 26.4-degree breakover angle, and a 30.0-degree departure angle for conquering obstacles.
How did they charge the 2023 R1T?
The 2023 Rivian R1T was charged with the use of a Mobile Energy Command-Hydrogen trailer by Renewable Innovations. The green hydrogen was generated by clean sources such as solar and wind power.
Electric vehicles like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Rivian R1T, and PHEV vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler 4xe received a 100% charge every night. While this isn’t recommended for daily driving, the EVs needed every ounce of power for daily challenges.
For example, some days included over 308 miles of driving, and on day 6, the R1T came in with only an 8.0% charge and needed the on-course charging to continue. After 65 minutes of charging, the team had a 68% charge to finish the day.
Typically, a DC fast charger can recharge the batteries from 10 to 80% in roughly 45 minutes. A Level 2 charger fully recharges the batteries in about 12 hours. Gas is also available on the course and every evening during the rally.
Are you impressed by the Rivian R1T taking down the champions as the new Rebelle Rally winner? Or is this a fluke? Will the Jeep Wrangler 4xe reclaim the title next fall?
