Rivian shifts gears in the EV game, introducing the first ever electric pickup

For adrenaline junkies who care a lot about the environment, we finally have the truck for you – and it’s electric!

The world’s first ever electric truck has just rolled off production lines in Normal, Illinois.

Amazon-backed automotive company Rivian bet Tesla and General Motors in the race to manufacture the first electric pickup.

First introduced in 2018. the R1T debuted alongside its sister the R1S with plans to be the firstly developed 5-seat electric trucks.

Back then, the truck was anticipated to cover a range of over 400 miles before charge as the ultimate adventure car for drivers wanting an adrenaline rush.

Following the announcement, Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said he wanted to deliver products the world didn’t already have, while redefining expectations through technology.

“Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle for active customers.”

Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe

“This means having great driving dynamics on any surface on or off-road, providing cargo solutions to easily store any type of gear, whether it’s a surf board or a fishing rod and, very importantly, being capable of driving long distances on a single charge.”

That dream now a reality

Those expectations were met today when the first R1T was rolled out of the factory and into the hands of the first-ever owner.

“After months of building pre-production vehicles, this morning our first customer vehicle drove off our production line in Normal!” Scaringe tweeted.

“Our team’s collective efforts have made this moment possible.”

“Can’t wait to get these into the hands of our customers.”

The R1T model has received regulatory approvals from the National highway Traffic Safety Administration, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.

All 50 US states will see the model popping up in Rivian dealerships across the country, with the truck valued at $67,500 US dollars.

For those hanging out to get their hands on the wheel of one of these muscle machines across Europe, Australia and New Zealand, carsales says you’ll have to wait until early 2022.

Is Tesla behind the eight-ball?

Tesla is still yet to put a date on the release of their Cybertruck, another highly anticipated release for EV fans.

Written by Rebecca Borg