Rivian EPA range confirmed for electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV

Rivian has announced the official EPA range numbers for its first R1T and R1S, and it's a healthy showing for the all-electric pickup truck and SUV. The figures are for the 2022 R1T Launch Edition and the 2022 R1S Launch Edition, both with the automaker's "Large Pack" battery.

For the R1T Large Pack, the official EPA number is 314 miles. That works out to 70 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) combined, or 74 MPGe in the city and 66 MPGe on the highway.

The R1S Large Pack does a little better still, at 316 miles total, though its MPGe figures are actually a little lower. It's rated at 69 MPGe combined, 73 MPGe in the city, and 65 MPGe on the highway.

The numbers match up with Rivian's estimates for the EVs, which until now had been provisional. The EPA test cycle – which is typically more conservative than the WLTP cycle used elsewhere in the world – is, like any estimate of range or internal combustion engine efficiency, based on some core assumptions and won't be matched by every driver who finds themselves behind the wheel of a Rivian. Still, it's a good starting point of comparison between the EVs and rivals.

Ford's 2022 F-150 Lightning, for example, is expected to begin deliveries in spring of next year. It's yet to get its official EPA rating, but Ford is expecting 230 miles from the standard range battery, or 300 miles from the optional extended range version.

Tesla's Cybertruck, meanwhile, is further from the market still; initial production now isn't expected until the end of 2022, with volume production at the end of 2023. The California automaker has suggested it'll be capable of 250-500+ miles of range, depending on configuration.

Rivian will have other versions of the R1T and R1S in due course, with different sizes of battery. In January 2022, for example, it plans to offer an R1T with over 400 miles of range. It'll also eventually have a version of the electric pickup with a smaller battery – that will be cheaper overall, too – with 250+ miles of range.

Sometime after the R1S SUV launches, meanwhile, Rivian plans to announce longer range and standard range versions. It'll also have seven-seat configurations.

It's worth noting that different wheel sizes can play a significant role in changing EV range. Rivian says that its EPA numbers are with 21-inch wheels, for instance. With smaller, 20-inch wheels – which might be popular with off-roaders wanting beefier tires – the automaker estimates a 10-15 percent range reduction overall for the R1T and R1S. For larger, 22-inch wheels, meanwhile, that could add up to a 5-10 percent range reduction.