Rivian has released details of an update to its R1 BEV platform, which it states will offer customers greater power, performance and range. Notably, the company is now using in-house built motors in both its tri-motor and quad-motor configurations, where previously it used Bosch-supplied units. In the first iterations of the R1T and R1S models, only the dual-motor variants used its own drive units.
The battery packs now also feature redesigned modules coupled with more efficient packaging, which Rivian says makes them easier to manufacture and service, while offering up to an estimated 420 miles of range. Customers looking to maximize value can opt for a new lithium-iron phosphate-based pack with up to an EPA-estimated 270 miles of range.
To further optimize efficiency, this next-generation platform introduces a redesigned heat pump-based thermal system, intended to both improve cabin comfort and maximize efficiency. 
The vehicle’s electrical architecture and compute platform has also been entirely revamped, which Rivian states reduces the 17 ECUs found in first-generation vehicles down to seven, maximizing efficiency and allowing for the removal of 1.6 miles (2.6km) of wiring from each vehicle.