New Rivian Trademark For An R1X Pickup Could Point To A True Cybertruck Rival

Hot off the heels of the reveal of the R2 and R3, Rivian isn’t resting on its laurels yet as it now brings to market these two electric SUVs. While we’re about a year or two away from these two models hitting the showroom floor, a patent filing has recently been unearthed that Rivian is also working on a third vehicle as well.

That third vehicle, however, belongs to a model range that already exists, but it’s still very much a significant car. That patent filing points to a new model in the Rivian R1 range called the R1X. This means that it’s going to be a large electric vehicle (EV) since the R1 range is the brand’s flagship. Bu,t what’s an R1X, what will it look like, and what’s its purpose in the Rivian lineup?

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including US PTO, Rivian Owners Forum, CarBuzz, Rivian, The Verge, Reuters, and Cox Automotive.

‘X’ Marks The Spot

The trademark filing for the Rivian R1X was filed in March 2021 and approved in October 2023, but it wasn’t until recently that users from the Rivian Owners Forum managed to discover this trademark filing. The question now is, what does the X stand for, since the Rivian R1 range comes in an R1T pickup format and an R1S three-row SUV?

It Could (Possibly) Indicate A Performance Model

With the discovery of the Rivian R1X, it now begs the question of what its purpose will be in the R1 range. Well, if the new R3X is any indicator, the R1X could probably be a high-performance version of the R1 model range. Take this one with a grain of salt for now, since Rivian has confirmed nothing of the sort and is purely based on what the American EV manufacturer did with its latest models.

As mentioned, the R1T and R1S are two different body styles, and an R1X is less likely to indicate a third body style. This now begs the question of whether it will be the pickup R1T or the R1S three-row SUV that will get the “X” treatment. R1SX or R1TX would have made the most plausible sense, but well, we don’t know what’s in the minds of the engineers and marketing team at Rivian.

How Much Performance We May See Out Of An R1X

Again, if the R3X is anything to go by, then we hope for a version of the R1 model range that packs a lot of power. The thing is, at its most potent Quad Motor form, the R1T and R1S are already so powerful, that we don’t even know how much power the folks at Rivian could build upon with the R1X.

The Quad Motor versions of the Rivian R1T and R1S are currently the fastest and most potent Rivians you can buy at the moment. With 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque, these behemoths can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just three seconds.

Therefore, we hope that an R1X will probably have more than 1,000 horsepower–putting it on par with another highly potent electric pickup, the tri-motor version of the GMC Hummer EV with 1,000 horsepower and an earth-shattering 1,200 pound-feet of torque. which is good enough for a 60 mph sprint from a dead stop in just 3.1 seconds.

What Else Rivian Needs To Make The R1X Appealing

To build yet another go-fast version of the Rivian R1 models will probably result in a limited amount of interest. With the Quad Motor versions already producing 835 horses, the power increase won’t have a huge effect in improving the R1S and R1T’s already impressive appeal. Therefore, it needs to be more than just another dose of rapid acceleration in order for the R1X to be truly appealing and to set itself apart further from the R1T and R1S.

It Needs Improved Driving Characteristics

Our friends from CarBuzz have already driven the Rivian R1T and were left impressed with how it drives. On the road, the vehicle feels surefooted and brisk, while off-roading prowess is second-to-none. However, if the R1X’s selling point will be the improved power–which probably no one ever said was lacking in the R1T and R1S, then that won’t be enough to justify another go-fast version in the R1 model range.

What it needs is improved driving characteristics than it already is today. Granted, the R1T and R1S are already good, so to make it feel even more sporty and even more off-road capable would be welcome upgrades. The R3X is said to be a better driving car than the standard R3, so if that model is any indication, then the R1X should also be parallel with the R3X. Just how much the R1X will improve upon the standard R1T and R1S is still unknown, since even the R3X is likewise in its development stages despite already being revealed earlier this year.

Also Improved Functionality

Now this is going to be a tough one, because if anything, the R1T and R1S are already the pinnacle of functionality when it comes to modern vehicles. For instance, the R1T’s Gear Tunnel–a long storage area that’s located in between the truck’s bed and the cab, is an innovative storage solution that would’ve been otherwise possible if the R1T was a pickup with an internal combustion engine (ICE). That Gear Tunnel doubles as a stove and kitchen sink when fitted with an optional package that’s worth $5,000.

Now, for the R1X, Rivian could build upon the ingenious and clever storage solutions it has already developed, and combine it with new tricks that showcase the rugged capabilities of the R1 model range. The sky is pretty much the limit for the engineers at Rivian–or perhaps the cost and technical feasibility of whatever it is cooking for the R1X.

Rivian’s engineers could even create hooks and partitions that could make the R1X appealing to those who plan to bring a dirt bike or even a provision for an awning since overlanding has been a thing among SUV and pickup owners in recent years.

The Challenges That Lie Ahead For Rivian

Developing a new car is easier said than done, and for a company like Rivian, this has been proven many times based on the delays its customers have experienced with the R1T and R1S. The company may not yet have the production scale of a brand like Tesla, which already built a production and supply chain over its lifetime, but it do learn from its mistakes, which makes it a brand that’s also hopeful for its future.

Ramping Up Sales And Profitability

Rivian as a company isn’t yet profitable. They’re churning out great EVs, but it’s another challenge to actually make money out of your own operations. As a result, the company’s future–and even the R1X since this is just a mere patent filing, is still unknown at this point. Only time will tell when Rivian becomes profitable, but in order for that to happen, it also needs to overcome another challenge.

The current situation of the EV market is that, while 2024 is still expected to be a year where more EVs are sold than before, sales growth will be much less than in past years. The so-called EV sales slowdown is real, which is why a ton of automakers like Aston Martin recently announced its plans to delay the EV rollout by about a year or two.

Unfortunately for Rivian, it doesn’t sell any ICE cars, so meeting its profitability goals could be difficult in the current market situation. Likewise, the company has yet to be able to scale up its production output, but that probably will be delayed as well due to the aforementioned EV sales slowdown.

A Company That Learns

While we may have seen this patent filing for the R1X, it may take a while before they actually release this vehicle. That’s because, apart from being busy with the R2 and R3, it has learned a lot from the simultaneous release of the R1T, R1S, and the EDV commercial van. By working and aiming to release three EVs simultaneously, these models experienced a lot of delays, and even recalls the moment that they got into the market.

Therefore, the R2 and R3 won’t be released simultaneously. The R2 will come out first, and in order to reach its $45,000 base price goal, the R2 was simplified as much as possible whilst retaining the quirky core values of Rivian.

This includes high interior flexibility, such as the flashlight that’s mounted on the doors, but the removable Bluetooth speaker, which is standard on the R1T and R1S, will be removed in the R2. Also, the R2 won’t come with air suspension, but with fixed, steel spring suspension instead.