Meet the Rivian R1T Camper Pickup Truck with a mobile kitchen

Yes, that’s right Rivian has utilized the gear tunnel space of their R1T electric pickup truck to be used as a small mobile kitchen or some of you might like to call it a ‘kitchenette’ — this is one of the multiple camping options that Rivian Automotive is innovating for the adventurous types.

This past weekend Rivian took their R1T Pickup Truck to the Overland Expo in Flagstaff Arizona to a gathering of adventurers and explorers inspired by safaris and other extended travel into the wild, Rivian headed for the Overland after getting a good amount of attention at the New York Auto Show.

It’s not that the concept of a kitchenette or a camp in an off-road pickup truck or SUV, it is the innovation that has occurred in the form of a new storage space between the cabin and the trailer bed that Rivian calls the ‘Gear Tunnel’ with 350 Litres of luggage space (see picture below).

According to Rivian, the custom electric camp stove shown in pictures below slides out of the gear tunnel of the R1T Truck and is powered by the vehicle’s battery pack. The kitchenette features 2 induction burners, a sink, 5 gallons of water storage and keeps all the cookware and utensils organized during the excursion.

Rivian claims that if you have the top-end 180 kWh battery pack version of the R1T Pickup truck, you can have enough power to light your tent and cook food for a week and this activity will consume only 11% or 20 kWh of the battery — this is a rock solid motivation to be more adventurous than you usually are.

Since there is no internal combustion engine involved, this is the quietest kitchen an off-road vehicle can carry besides being totally emissions-free. Rivian has also presented some good ideas for camping setups utilizing the truck’s trailer bed space.

Interestingly Rivian is also promoting their brand with branded camping and travel gear we can see in the pictures from their latest presentations at the Overland Expo.

The Outdoors and the Rivian R1T: facts and features

• With 750 horsepower and immense torque, the R1T comes designed for heavy loads and can tow up to 11,000 pounds.
• A ‘gear tunnel’ and front trunk allow for much more sealable storage found in a conventional off-road vehicle.
• At 180kwh, the R1T has the world’s largest, most durable automotive battery pack.
• The R1T and R1S offer up to 14 inches of ground clearance with adjustable air suspension.
• During downhill braking, the R1T restores over half the energy used on the same upslope.
• Detailed, downloadable maps are available in the R1T’s user interface, so you can navigate even when offline.
• The R1T comes with a built-in air compressor and alarmed gear security loops.
• Users can light their surroundings and cook using the vehicle’s power for over a week using only 20 kWh– or 11%– of the largest 180kWh Rivian battery pack.
• The R1T is powered by four independent 200hp motors for maximum power and control.
• With its fully sealed battery pack and drive units, the R1T can wade through up to three feet of water.

Video: Fully Charged takes a close look at the Rivian electric vehicles at the 2019 LA Auto Show

Rivian Story Stream:

• Amazon invests big in electric vehicle startup Rivian Automotive
• Ford to invest $500 million in Rivian, the partnership to deliver a new Ford EV
• Rivian making waves at the 2019 New York Auto Show
• Rivian R1S vs. Tesla Model X spec to spec comparison
• Rivian’s electric R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV on display at Aspen, Colorado — CEO gives an interview
• Rivian unveils their electric SUV, the ‘R1S’ that can go up to 410 miles on a single charge