Rivian continues to improve its off-road mode settings, offering more options for specific scenarios. RJ Scaringe recently confirmed that one of the recent improvements coming to the R1S and R1T Tri-motor (and likely the Quad motor trims too) is improved deep-sand performance.
Off-Roading in Sand
Driving on deep sand can be challenging for even adventurous vehicles like the R1T and R1S – and off-roading in sand requires some preparation from both the driver and the manufacturer. Otherwise, it's easy to begin digging your tires into the sand and sinking till you high-center your vehicle.
These deep-sand specific tunings will likely improve R1 model performance when traveling in sand in several ways. The first is likely that they’ll be better able to track wheel slippage – because once you start having a wheel slip, that means it's digging into the sand. Stopping slippage can be the difference between getting across that dune or getting stuck.
In addition, changes to how regenerative braking occurs will likely need to be fine-tuned for coming to a stop in the sand – lest you slide forward or dig in as the weight of the vehicle comes to a rest. This can be solved by slowing down deceleration and coming to a smooth and straight stop.
Sand also tends to form wakes, similar to a boat in water, as wheels tread through it at speed. Accounting for the wakes of the front wheels in the rear wheels will likely make the tri-motor variants even better off-road.
Sand Recovery
Finally, some vehicle manufacturers have also implemented sand-recovery modes on their off-roading vehicles. Rivian likely has or will look into adding a similar feature – especially given the air suspension on the R1T and R1S – which makes them ideal for bouncing the vehicle out of the sand.
We’re looking forward to Rivian’s improvements in the off-roading field – especially since Rivian provides such an eco-friendly way to take your vehicle off-road and into nature. That adventurous spirit that’s behind Rivian’s decisions is always good to see.
Our team is further developing the deep sand performance of the Tri-Motor R1! It’s incredible :) pic.twitter.com/DNzlGaSVAH
For years, Rivian owners have had to play detective to figure out exactly how much life is left in their battery packs. Whether it’s comparing current maximum range to original "as-new" figures or diving into third-party API tools to see the estimated usable kWh, getting a straight answer has been a bit of a chore. However, that is finally about to change.
According to EPA certification documentation for the R2 that surfaced online earlier this week, Rivian is officially working on a dedicated battery health menu. This new feature will be delivered to vehicles via a future over-the-air (OTA) software update, bringing a level of transparency to the "About" screen that owners have been requesting for a long time.
What’s Coming to the Battery Menu
The leaked documentation reveals that the new menu will provide several key data points that were previously hidden from the user interface. Owners will soon be able to see:
Battery state of health: A clear percentage representing the pack’s current capacity relative to when it was new.
Distance since last updated: A timestamp of sorts showing when the health metric was last calculated.
Max potential charge rate: The peak speed at which your specific pack can currently accept power.
Current charge rate: Real-time data on how fast the vehicle is charging at that moment.
Currently, owners who want this level of detail often have to navigate into Rivian’s hidden RiDE (service) mode and do some quick math or rely on third-party telemetry services. Being able to pull up an exact number for battery state of health without doing some mental gymnastics or needing a service visit is a massive win for long-term ownership confidence.
Timing and the R2 Connection
While the R2 EPA certificate confirmed the feature's existence, there is no official word yet on exactly when it will roll out to the fleet. The Rivian lineup is currently overdue for a major software update, and we expect one to start rolling out publicly in the coming weeks.
It is possible that this menu will debut alongside the first R2 Performance deliveries later this spring. Since the R2 is built on a new architecture with a native heat pump and updated battery specs, launching a more detailed health menu at the same time makes a lot of sense for the brand's next-gen push.
Providing this level of transparency is a smart move by Rivian. As these vehicles age and enter the used market, having a "certified" battery health percentage visible in the settings will be a crucial tool for both current owners and future buyers. It’s exactly the kind of "pro-consumer" software move that separates modern EV makers from traditional legacy brands.
Rivian has built a reputation on outfitting its vehicles with unique capabilities designed specifically for off-road environments. While its engineers previously experimented with a Tank Turn feature that allowed the R1T to spin completely in place, that feature was ultimately scrapped due to the severe environmental damage it caused to trails.
However, a newly published patent titled "Systems and Methods for Providing a Vehicle with a Torque Vectored K-Turn Mode" (US12576849 B2) reveals that Rivian’s engineers have developed a new, more refined solution for navigating impossibly tight corners.
The Evolution of the Turn
The core concept behind this new patent is to use Rivian’s independent motor architecture to control how the vehicle rotates about its own chassis. When a standard vehicle turns, the turning radius is limited by how far the front wheels can physically pivot. The newly patented Kick-Turn Mode bypasses this physical limitation by applying opposing forces to the front and rear axles.
Kick Turn helps your Quad pivot like it’s got dance moves. That's the magic of four motors with fully independent torque vectoring.
According to the patent, the vehicle’s control circuitry constantly monitors the steering wheel input. When a driver turns the steering wheel past a specified threshold (for example, past 70 percent of its maximum rotation or after completing 2.5 full revolutions), the system automatically engages the Kick-Turn Mode.
Once engaged, the vehicle fundamentally changes how it distributes power. When the driver presses the accelerator, the system provides forward torque to the turned front wheels while simultaneously applying backward torque to the rear wheels.
This opposing torque distribution creates a unique physical dynamic. The forward torque causes the turned front wheels to intentionally slip laterally across the ground, pulling the front of the vehicle through the turn.
Meanwhile, the backward torque applied to the rear wheels keeps them in substantial static contact with the ground. By anchoring the rear wheels and sliding the front wheels, the vehicle effectively pivots around a point located directly underneath the rear chassis, resulting in a dramatically tighter turning radius than a conventional steering maneuver could ever achieve.
The Front Dig Mode Alternative
The patent also details a secondary, less aggressive turning feature called "Front Dig Mode". This mode is engaged when the steering wheel is turned past a "lower turn threshold" (for example, 1.5 revolutions) but hasn't yet reached the full Kick-Turn threshold.
Rivian Wave
In Front Dig Mode, the system provides forward torque to the turned front wheels and forward torque to the outer rear wheel. However, the system actively applies resistance, either by applying the physical brake or inducing backward torque, to the inner rear wheel. This essentially drags the inner rear wheel, acting as a pivot anchor that tightens the turn radius, though not quite to the extreme degree of the full Kick-Turn Mode.
Intelligent Safeguards
Rivian's patent notes that these torque-vectored turns require precise control. The vehicle's control circuitry constantly monitors wheel slip, vehicle rotation rate, and throttle input. If the system detects that the vehicle is rotating too fast, or if a rear wheel begins to slip during a Kick-Turn, the computer will instantly adjust the torque output or apply the brakes to correct the maneuver and ensure the vehicle remains stable.
The system can even detect if the vehicle is on an incline or a banked surface and automatically adjust the torque distribution to compensate for gravity. Rivian’s Kick-Turn feature is currently available on 2nd-Generation Quad-Motor R1S and R1T variants. It is not available for Gen 1 Quad-Motor vehicles due to changes in the ECU and drivetrain architectures.
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