Rivian R1 Quad kick turns into the new EV Halo car brand

Rivian flew us out to Lake Tahoe to show off the crazy capabilities of its new quad-motor powertrain on both its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. Rivian’s original R1S and R1T were quad-motor vehicles, but as of the second generation of the R1 platform, only dual and tri-motor variants existed. So why quad? Why now?

First of all, let’s get the specs out of the way. The new Rivian Quad is a beast, all the way from its $120,000 price tag to its over 1,000 horsepower and 1200 lb-ft torque.

• Prices for R1T start at $115,990 USD / $190,990 CAD and the R1S starts at $121,990 USD / $201,990 CAD – Deliveries begin summer 2025
• Launch Edition R1T starts at $119,990 USD / $196,990 CAD and Launch Edition R1S starts at $125,990 USD / $207,990 CAD. Rivian is reintroducing Launch Edition for the Gen 2 Quad, celebrating the configuration that first defined our commitment to all-electric performance and adventure.
• Destination and freight charge is $1,895 USD / $2 ,695 CAD
• Powertrain: Horsepower: 1,025 hp Torque: 1,198 lb.-ft.
• Performance 0 – 60 MPH 2 .5 sec R1T, 2 .6 sec R1S, ¼ Mile Time 10.5 sec, VMax 130mph
• Range: EPA-estimated up to 3 74 miles of range (Up to 400 miles in Conserve mode)
• Charge Port: NACS (North American Charging Standard)

How does one characterize this massive spec monster in the larger vehicle landscape? Before we try to get our head around that, there is more.

The Rivian R1 Quad brings back ‘tank turn’ as a new feature: ‘Kick Turn’ – And it is actually useful.

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From our history books, we know that one of the features that the original R1 Quads touted was the ability to turn in a circle/spin on its axis by having its right side wheels spin one way and its left side wheels spin the other. While the ‘tank turn’ disappointingly never made it to the original production vehicles, Rivian hadn’t let go of the idea.

Kick Turn is born.

The New R1 Quads bring back the ability to turn/spin on a dime when off-roading. However, this isn’t just a parlor trick. It is actually useful when navigating tight switchbacks. Or turning on a dime.

Here’s what it is like to invoke the “Kick Turn” from inside the vehicle. Unintuitively, you don’t want to turn the steering wheel. Instead, you simultaneously push both steering wheel buttons in the direction you want to turn.

The same maneuver from behind:

I was able to use and master the kick turn pretty quickly after trying it for the first time and it is sooooo fun….and useful. Rivian says that the Kick Turn should only be done on gravel and loose dirt. But I could see ejecting out of a parallel parking spot with this feature…or doing a U-Turn on a country road.

I imagine the wear on the tires that are already taking a beating from this super heavy vehicle doing 2.5 second 0-60s is massive. Rivian says that the standard tires are guaranteed for 30,000 miles but imagine that loses a few miles every time a kick turn is invoked.

Perhaps most devastating, the original Rivian Quads won’t get the Kick Turn functionality. As an owner who was excited about the tank turn functionality when making my buying decision, I’m not pleased. Rivian says that the controllers for the original Quad Motors aren’t tuned and accurate enough to master the move. I’m ready to sign a petition that Rivian try anyway.

Quad offers four different wheel and tire options:

• 22” Super Sport
• 22” Sport Burnished Bronze
• 20” All-Terrain Dark
• 20” Dune Satin Graphite All-Terrain

Also, there will be Launch Editions:

Rivian is reintroducing Launch Edition for the Gen 2 Quad, celebrating the configuration that first defined our commitment to all-electric performance and adventure. The new Launch Edition Quad will feature an exclusive “Launch Edition” IP badge and a suite of special features, including:
Two standard colorways:

• Launch Edition exclusive: the return of Launch Green paint with Black Mountain + Brown
  Ash Wood interior
• Storm Blue paint with Slate Sky + Walnut Wood interior
  Additional included features:
• Lifetime Rivian Autonomy Platform+
• Lifetime Connect+
• Camp Speaker
• Gen 2 Key fob

NACS native

One more notable feature of the Rivian R1 Quad is that it is the first Rivian vehicle and one of the first non-Tesla models overall to feature the NACS port standard. This allows the vehicle to charge at most Tesla chargers without an adapter. The flip side, however, is that it will need the included CCS adapter to charge at most other network charging stations, including Rivian’s own RAN charging network, at least until the networks and Rivian switch their chargers over to NACS. We had success on a V4 Supercharger near Lake Tahoe, but obviously weren’t able to test the charging speed or charging curve since the vehicles we were given started at 80%.

One other nice trick is that the Quad has a control panel that allows the driver to make their own drive modes.

RAD Tuner (exclusively on Quad, coming in September): Developed by the Rivian Adventure Department, a team of engineers, software developers, and designers who create and test features that push the boundaries of our vehicles.

Rivian drivers will have better control over their vehicle’s dynamic behavior. Through intuitive sliders, you can fine-tune ride handling while creating personalized and savable drive modes.

Start from scratch or build upon presets like “Rally” or “Sport.” There are even preset modes that were born from real-world triumphs:

Desert Rally mode was meticulously engineered during the 2023 Rebelle Rally, a grueling competition where the R1T made history as the first fully-electric vehicle to ever win

Hill Climb mode was honed at the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where
in 2024, our R1T conquered the race as the fastest production truck to ever make the
ascent.

Oh, and Rivian now lets you record Launch Mode with Launch Cam, so those 2.5-second 0-60s where you beat the Ferrari off the line can now be downloaded and shared with friends on social media. The videos include real-time stats like speed and distance overlays. Unfortunately, Rivian no longer includes an interior camera to capture passengers’ reactions.

Electrek’s take

At a starting price near $120K and realistically over that with some bells and whistles, the Rivian R1 Quad vehicles aren’t going to have mass appeal. In fact, I don’t think these will even be Rivian’s top sellers since the $80,000 Rivian vehicles with dual motors are almost as good (and better on efficiency).

However, Rivian is really trying to build its brand ahead of the R2 launch, and this vehicle is as adventurous as it gets, electric or otherwise. Think about it: This is a 7-seat, off-roading monster that will beat almost any supercar off the line…and can now spin on a dime.