Rivian just unveiled its R2 electric SUV and R3 and R3X hot hatches, but the automaker may also have new plans for its existing R1 platform found in the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV.
Rivian filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the name R1X. The application was published by the USPTO in October 2023, but was filed by Rivian back in 2021.
The nomenclature hints at a performance version of the the Rivian R1T or R1S. Rivian is using the X moniker to denote the R3X as the sportier counterpart to the R3, so it's likely that will be the case here as well.
Potential X versions of the R1 models could help prop up customer interest as these vehicles age, while giving Rivian more direct competitors to high-end off-roaders like the Ford F-150 Raptor and GMC Hummer EV. A pickup truck with bulked-up, Raptor-like styling even appeared in a patent filing for a bed storage system. Such a system would also make sense as an addition to keep the R1T fresh later in its lifecycle.
Rivian bed storage patent image
To differentiate itself, a hypothetical Rivian R1X would likely have to surpass the output of Rivian's current quad-motor powertrains, which are rated at 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque, and get the R1T from 0-60 mph in a Rivian-estimated 3.0 seconds. While Rivian may stick with quad-motor powertrains, it might ditch the Bosch motors used in the current quad-motor setup for the in-house developed Enduro drive units currently used only in dual-motor models.
Rivian does still need to get the newly revealed R2 and R3/R3X into production, though. The R2 is slated to be manufactured at the same Normal, Illinois, plant that builds the R1T and R1S, starting in 2026.
It's unclear where the R3 will be built, or when production will start.