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Traction control and off-road driver aid software comes in handy in certain 4×4 situations. But on some trails, there is no replacement for ground clearance. The truck that boasts the most is not from Detroit, or even a well-known competitor such as a Toyota. An all-new electric truck from a startup called Rivian boasts 14.4 inches of ground clearance–the most of any pickup.

How much ground clearance does a Rivian R1T offer?

While the Rivian R1T leads its class with 14.4 inches of available ground clearance, it certainly does not ride around this lifted all of the time. This all-new electric pickup truck also features one of the most innovative suspension systems on the road.

Rivian electric truck navigating an off-road trail, throwing up plumes of sand.
2021 Rivian R1T | Rivian

The Rivian electric truck boasts four-corner air suspension. This affords it 6.5 inches of vertical suspension travel. For on-road performance, the Rivian can drop as low as 7.9 inches off the ground. But for navigating off-road trails, it can lift to 14.4 inches.

Adjustable air suspension is not especially unique in the truck market. But Rivian added adjustable hydraulic dampers. This means that the R1T electric pickup truck can eliminate almost all body roll while riding at any height.

The Ram 2500 Power Wagon offers 14.2 inches of ground clearance

Rivian electric truck navigating an off-road trail.
2021 Rivian R1T | Rivian

While the Rivian R1T offers more ground clearance than every other pickup truck, the Ram 2500 Power Wagon comes in second by just a quarter inch. But the way the two pickup trucks achieve their ride height couldn’t be more different.

The Ram 2500 Power Wagon, like all current Ram 2500s and 1500s, has coils suspension front and rear. The Power Wagon variant has slightly softer spring rates engineered for off-road trails. It also features two-inch blocks in the rear.

Custom tuned Bilstein 4600 shock absorbers dampen the Power Wagon’s ride. Ram also engineered custom “Articulink” front radius arms for this truck. The Power Wagon even uses front and rear locking differentials to help maintain traction.

The Rivian R1T is revolutionizing truck performance

Promo photo of a Rivian electric truck with rooftop tent parked on a sandy beach, the sunset visible in the background.
2021 Rivian R1T | Rivian

The Rivian R1T, with its quad-motor drive has no use for locking differentials. This new truck can sense when a wheel is spinning and instantly reduce the power to that wheel’s engine. The result is real-time torque vectoring. This technology revolutionizes the midsize truck’s performance both on-road and off.

The new Rivian truck not only beat out the Ram 2500 Power Wagon in ground clearance, but it showed up another flagship Ram. The Rivian EV dethroned the supercharged Ram 1500 TRX when it claimed the title of “World’s Fastest Truck.”

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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.