Rivian Dynamic Glass Roof – How It Works and Heat Rejection Data
Rivian offers a new dynamic roof option for its second-generation R1S and R1T vehicles. It’s a fantastic option for those who want a little extra privacy or are looking to add a little wow factor to their vehicles.
The Dynamic Glass Roof delivers the ultimate flexibility, allowing you to switch seamlessly between privacy mode and panoramic views of the world above your Rivian — all at the touch of a button.
Price
The Dynamic Glass Roof is an option for both the R1S and the R1T and costs the same on both vehicles. In the United States, it is $1,500 USD, while in Canada it goes for $2,200 CAD. In turn, you receive an electro-chromatic glass roof which can change between tinted and clear at the press of a button. In the future, Rivian can even switch it automatically based on whether the vehicle is locked, the outside temperature, or the time of day.
Electro-Chromatic Glass
The electro-chromatic glass takes about 10 seconds to dim, and 5 seconds to brighten up. The shading is lighter on the inside than on the outside. When you look from above, with the roof dimmed, it is almost completely black, with little to no light leakage.
When the roof is brightened up, it is fairly transparent, but slightly less so than a regular glass roof. It’s comparable to a roof with a very light tint when in transparent mode.
How It Works
If you’re curious about how it works, the glass roof has an electro-chromic film sandwiched between glass layers. This film is best used in flat applications, and when it is energized, the particles in the film change direction, allowing the transparency of the glass to change alongside it. It’s a very cool application of physics, and Rivian has done an excellent job integrating it into their vehicles.
Heat Rejection
If you were hoping to pick up the roof for its heat rejection properties, you’ll find this data helpful. While the dynamic glass roof does offer some heat rejection when in privacy mode, it’s minimal. Most of the light and heat that enters a Rivian instead comes through the windshield and the driver and front passenger windows – which are not tinted heavily due to laws around North America.
For jurisdictions where tinting the windshield and front windows is legal, and you’re looking to keep your vehicle considerably cooler, you’re better off tinting those two versus picking up Rivian’s Dynamic Glass Roof.
The Dynamic Glass Roof, when shaded, lets in about 1/3rd of the light as regular glass, but that’s insignificant compared to the amount the windshield and front windows let in. This table, summarized by @Hook_K, provides additional details.
Surface | Watt/m2 |
|---|---|
Dynamic Glass Roof (Opaque) | 10.9 |
Dynamic Glass Roof (Transparent) | 14.0 |
Panoramic Roof | 28.7 |
Windshield | 506.3 |
Front Side Windows | 400.3 |
Rear Side Windows | 116.0 |
While the Dynamic Glass Roof does indeed provide slight benefits over the standard panoramic roof for heat rejection, it's not a whole lot when you compare it to the heat that comes in through the windshield or front windows.
We’d consider the glass roof an excellent option to keep a bit more of the sun out of your passenger’s eyes and provide you with a bit of privacy if you drive in a city regularly, where there are many places to see inside from above. We’d also recommend it if you love seeing that electro-chromatic glass change from dim to transparent, which is a cool experience.
While Rivian’s dynamic glass roof is a great option, it should be looked at more as a privacy-focused, fun feature rather than a way to keep heat out of your vehicle.
I love this @Rivian refresh feature for Camping in your car! 👏 pic.twitter.com/3MKMe1MulN
— WHAT'S INSIDE? (@whatsinside) June 6, 2024
