Rivian EV Truck… Does It Belong Off-Road?! - MORR

[VSG]

I guess the title just did not touch a nerve for me, never gave it a thought really.

Isn't that part of the problem? That we've become so inured to lying and misrepresentation that we just accept it and gloss over it?

A lot of your comments don’t really apply to this particular recovery. It was a simple case of taking a 7k pound truck out into hot desert sand with 9 inch wide tire treads that appear to not be aired down at all. One would really be asking to get stuck with most vehicles like that.

As I said, I did not and will not watch the video. But what you say sounds correct. This situation was almost certainly driver error. Selling it as proof that EVs are fundamentally incapable of driving off-road is dishonest and self-serving (doing it for the clicks). This type of behavior is corrosive and I will not support it. And the fact that "everyone is doing it" is not an excuse.

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[COdogman]

Yeah, one of the reasons I stopped watching them.

What were the other reasons?

 

[Dark-Fx]

What were the other reasons?

They don't take enough caution sometimes. Very surprised they haven't gotten dead.

 

[Luvolbikes]

Someone got their R1T stuck in sand and called Matt’s Off Road Recovery for assistance. On the 2nd attempt (shown in the video at least), they got it out of the holes the wheels had dug. They didn’t really bad-mouth the driver/vehicle, but the comments are generally against Rivian as well as EVs in general. Not unexpected really.

Nice to see people getting out and using their vehicles even though they did need to call for assistance in this specific case.

Think of Rivian as a decathelete. Very good at many things but having limits in all.
If you venture with a 7000 pound all terrain truck into deep sand or if you are not cautious in your driving technique even in moderate sand, you will get stuck. If you get stuck be sure and be somewhere where a vehicle having extraction capabilities is nearby. I won't go into specifics of airing down, or different depths or consistencies of sand terrains. Just don't go unprepared or get in over your head. Off road vehicle is a rather general term. Rock crawler, sand vehicle, Baja racer, dirt tracker. All very different setups. My experience is mostly in deep sand but with very different 2 and 4 wheel vehicles. Getting stuck can be a very miserable experience.

 

[COdogman]

They don't take enough caution sometimes. Very surprised they haven't gotten dead.

Safety last

 

[Grognard79]

I’m a big MORR fan (he’s good people), and I don’t think I have heard him or his crew badmouth an EV truck. The video titles are just part of trying to game the YouTube algorithms.

 

[AlphaSnowbordergirl]

Honestly, if I notice a youtube channel doing constant clickbait titles, I stop watching them. It makes me angry and loses credibility with me because you aren't meeting me with honesty so how can I trust the things in your videos 100%? I agree, that the title will fuel EV haters because they generalized an entire class of vehicles and people who hate EVs will see that title and say "I told you so" without watching the video itself. There are a lot of people who will only see the title and run with it as proof.

As for getting stuck, I almost hope they are noobs. It means Rivian is inspiring people to go out and off road. Everyone has to start from somewhere and make mistakes. If it's someone being reckless, unprepared, or just plain stuck, well, maybe they learned a lesson or took something away from it. Point is they went out off roading and doing truck things with their truck.

 

[Killer95Stang]

Wrong. They DID make a big fuss of it, by posting the video with a provocative title and a summary image that shows a Rivian and *prominently* labels it as an "EV".

If they didn't want to make a big deal out of it, they would have titled it as "Yet another inexperienced driver" and labeled the vehicle as "Stuck" instead of "EV". But they CHOSE to emphasize both Rivian and EV and imply that those two things were the reason the vehicle needed recovery.

These were choices they made, which reveal their actual thinking, despite what you infer.

If the consistent theme of their channel was that experience matters, knowledge matters, preparation matters, equipment matters, and we can help you become a better off-roader, then their marketing of this video would have reflected that. Instead, they chose to take the low-road and market this as EVs don't belong off-road.

They have 2M subscribers, so they know damn well that they're stoking divisions in order to get clicks, rather than trying to make a positive contribution to all off-road enthusiasts. They've consciously chosen to be part of the "politicization of EVs" problem, in exchange for money.

If you need anymore evidence that the youtube videos are for clicks and to make money off of the clicks, all you have to do is look at any hour long video make by Kyle....

Their is a complete science to why people title videos like they do and how people get all riled up based on how you leave that cliff hanger up there. Ever heard the phrase "any publicity is good publicity"...

They make decent entertaining videos, with zero profanity and holy crap, they involve the whole family which gets along and doesn't fight with each other for clicks. You should watch...

 

[Grognard79]

If you need anymore evidence that the youtube videos are for clicks and to make money off of the clicks, all you have to do is look at any hour long video make by Kyle....

Their is a complete science to why people title videos like they do and how people get all riled up based on how you leave that cliff hanger up there. Ever heard the phrase "any publicity is good publicity"...

They make decent entertaining videos, with zero profanity and holy crap, they involve the whole family which gets along and doesn't fight with each other for clicks. You should watch...

Exactly. The YouTube algorithms almost require clickbait in order for your videos to get seen. There are a number of videos that explain how the algorithms work and how your channel will get buried if you don't have titles that people click on.

 

[R1Thor]

1. Never try to cross an obstacle like that at 90 degrees. If he did it at 45 degrees, chances are it wouldn't have high centered (do the math).
2. Never drive around in highest mode. Maybe use standard (already higher than almost every single stock vehicle) or high, but not highest. The Rivian air suspension gives you a huge advantage over most vehicles if you get stuck like this - you can just raise the height to get unstuck. But not if you're already in highest.
3. Never go out without at least minimal recovery gear. Traction boards probably would have been enough here. What about the old-school use of floor mats to get traction? Anything would be better than spinning wheels. Did they have a shovel? Pile up logs/stones instead of digging the wheels into the sand? Carry a tow strap with a come-along?

Agreed.

I'd add:

4. Don't go out alone. If you have another Rivian (or Jeep friend) and some kinetic recovery straps, you can recover from most situations (including this one) with a level head. In fact, here in PA, the two big off-road parks (Rausch Creek and AoAA) both *require* a minimum of 2-vehicle group, and Off-Road Consulting highly recommends at least 3. (Assuming 1 vehicle in distress, you have a vehicle to help/remain with the disabled vehicle and occupants and another vehicle just in case there's no coverage and they need to retrace steps or scout ahead to get signal and/or help).

Be safe out there, and HAVE FUN!

 

[Rade]

I also remember the YouTube videos of and R1T pulling out cars stranded in snow drifts. I recall that those "Rivian to the rescue!" videos far outnumbered the one or two "My Rivian is stuck" videos.

I am not of the 4x4 / Off Road culture. Never have been. Never lived where it was necessary or even as part of a hobby ("camping" to me is any hotel under 3-stars; without a microwave or refrigerator in the room). I have a cousin who owned a farm on a mountain top, and needed a 4x4 to tend to the pastures; I got it. I've BEEN off-road on the dunes of Provincetown MA, driven by a friend who took the air out of his tires and registered with the park ranger prior to taking us on the trails. Sure, we say beachscape that we would otherwise not have seen, but just never made me yearn for more.

I cut my teeth learning how to drive in a 1973 Mercury Monterrey. For those of you not in the know; that Merc was a Lincoln Continental without the Continental.. 4.500 pounds of iron that wrapped me in safety, comfort and floated down the road (at roughly 3mpg, but it was the 70's, who cared? Gas was $0.39 a gallon.). Today, I own a Rivian R1T; 8.500 pounds of iron and aluminum (and battery) that wraps me in safety, comfort and floats me down the road... in STYLE.

To folks into any of the off-road stuff; hey, whatever flies your flag, enjoy.

 

[cff1349]

Prolly a good reminder for me to throw in the traction boards in the bed before hitting the trails this weekend. Thanks OP

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

Yes, the title would seem to be worded for clicks, “arguments”. Was it meant to discredit EVs? I do not believe so. Did the young crew badmouth the Rivian? No, they did not. Heck they spent more time locating the T, talking about their rig than extracting the T.

The driver seems to be a newbie, did not air down and apparently spent 3 hours trying to get out.

To me the good thing about the video are all the reminders here and in the video, of the safer, proper steps, prep to take before going off road. Especially for many new Riv owners that might try this. I would have one of those flags attached to my T, if out there solo.

 

[JamuJoe]

Someone got their R1T stuck in sand and called Matt’s Off Road Recovery for assistance. On the 2nd attempt (shown in the video at least), they got it out of the holes the wheels had dug. They didn’t really bad-mouth the driver/vehicle, but the comments are generally against Rivian as well as EVs in general. Not unexpected really.

Nice to see people getting out and using their vehicles even though they did need to call for assistance in this specific case.

Matt recovers many inexperienced drivers in all sorts of vehicles, including purpose outfitted jeeps and side by sides. It’s more a statement of driver skill and YouTube interest potential than the capabilities of the vehicle.

 

[Glembi2]

As said above and elsewhere, R1s have a lot of off-road chops, especially for a truck that, when back on paved roads, can still launch with the best of them. (Just air up first)

But being good also means that R1s do not always let you know when things are getting dicey. I originally disagreed with @VSG’s comment 2 below such that driving at a lower height just means that you will get stuck earlier and will need to raise your height to get out. So the only difference is that you will get stuck elsewhere first then get stuck on the highest setting.

Then I realized the wisdom of @VSG’s comment. It is not about the truck getting stuck or unstuck. It is about using the truck to alert the driver that sticky situations are ahead and to be more aware

2. Never drive around in highest mode. Maybe use standard (already higher than almost every single stock vehicle) or high, but not highest. The Rivian air suspension gives you a huge advantage over most vehicles if you get stuck like this - you can just raise the height to get unstuck…

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