Someone, talk me out of dumping my R1T

[Time2Roll]

Does anyone have experience with Ohmu or other sodium 12V batteries?

May as well start a new thread or tag onto one of these:

Search results for query: Ohmu

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[Hillbilly]

Go, but be prepared to be perpetually disappointed. Every car in existence will have problems at some point and it always happens at the most inconvenient time.

 

[CrazyOne]

curious why you find this doubtful? You ever owned an Audi Q7? What did you pay annually for filters and oil and how many miles did you put on it?

Oil change should cost $100 -$150 at dealer for most vehicles. I am sure there are brands where they want $700 for an oil change, but that is not the norm. That is as stupid as $7000 for 2 dampers.

 

[dradam]

I've said a dozen times over the last 3 months after getting my 2025 R1T...the 12v will die, they put tiny tiny 12v in these. They discharge and charge a dozen times a day. No battery this size can take that for long.

But I'm used to it. My Tesla X ate a battery EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Your Options
1. Replace it yourself each year...its not hard and the battery is like 100 bucks.
2. Replace with an Ohmu sodium. Should last 3-4 years.
3. Do nothing and pay for Rivian mobile to replace every year. You can proactively do it..think of like oil changes for your ICE.
4. I added a 2nd battery to my R1T...because if it needs service I can easy disconnect it so they never know.
5. Sell it, and wait until Rivian moves to a lithium 16v like Tesla eventually did.

I keep a second charged full throttle battery in the Frunk with post adaptors set up and tools to get in and swap it in if my 12V dies unexpectedly on the road . I have never had to do it or use it yet. So far no 12v issues in 2.5 years.
You say replace it each year DIY, can you comment on how you do it and clear the codes?
How did you add your second battery ? Do you have photos of the setup?
I have stayed away from Ohmmu because I have read the different charging curve leads to issues-- any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[tmbm50]

I keep a second charged full throttle battery in the Frunk with post adaptors set up and tools to get in and swap it in if my 12V dies unexpectedly on the road . I have never had to do it or use it yet. So far no 12v issues in 2.5 years.
You say replace it each year DIY, can you comment on how you do it and clear the codes?
How did you add your second battery ? Do you have photos of the setup?
I have stayed away from Ohmmu because I have read the different charging curve leads to issues-- any thoughts?

Thanks

I had no issues with codes disconnecting/reconnecting nor adding the second battery. I can't say for sure but my assumption is the code only needs cleared after the low/bad-battery fault is triggerred.

I do have some pics, I'll post one. I just ran it from under the passenger seat around and under the rear seat to the rear seat compartment. Gen1's would be different of course.

As for Ohmmu, the newer sodium battery is supposed to be much closer to the voltage curve of lead-acid. I know plenty of Tesla folks are working fine with it but have no first hand knowledge in the Rivian.

 

[2kwik4u]

Oil change should cost $100 -$150 at dealer for most vehicles. I am sure there are brands where they want $700 for an oil change, but that is not the norm. That is as stupid as $7000 for 2 dampers.

$150 4x/yr = $600/yr. My Q7 was $225/change at the dealer. About $120/change in my garage. Super easy to hit $700/yr in just oil changes.

 

[2kwik4u]

I keep a second charged full throttle battery in the Frunk....

How do you get in the Frunk if the 12V dies?

 

[dradam]

How do you get in the Frunk if the 12V dies?

I have a small toolbox that fits in the trailer hitch. Those tools can get me into the frunk as described in the Rivian manual.
Look up trailer hitch toolbox on or search under Rivian at printables.com
Never had to do it yet, though.

 

[mkhuffman]

The 12V battery issue is not limited to Rivian EVs either. Our Kia EV6 GT bricked twice due to the 12V and then completely fried its main computer at one point. Our Tesla Model 3 had its 12V die within the first 6 months. Hopefully our BMW I4 doesn’t have this issue - so far so good in the first year.

12V Battery quality i do think has gone down over the last decade. Our Jeep has gone thru 2 main batteries and 3 auxiliary batteries in the course of 4 years too.

I am currently shopping for an R1T still but hopefully the DIY replacement isn’t that bad.

The Ford Mach-e has also struggled with 12V battery issues.

Maybe Tesla solved the problem with the 48V system in the Cybertruck. Maybe the OP should get a CT.

 

[mkhuffman]

I actually traded my R1T for an Escalade IQ Sport today. My wife has been wanting a three row SUV to haul grandkids in, and I found a really good deal on one. My R1T had too many irritating software issues, the latest being that Rivian told me phantom braking in Driver+ was "normal". My warranty would be expiring later this year and I am convinced the noisy suspension would not last much longer.

The range on that is amazing. I wish I could convince my wife to get one.

The phantom braking is very annoying. It seems to do it most often when next to a tractor trailer. Rivian has a lot of work to do on UHF. Maybe there will significant improvements in the next update.

 

[CrazyOne]

$150 4x/yr = $600/yr. My Q7 was $225/change at the dealer. About $120/change in my garage. Super easy to hit $700/yr in just oil changes.

Average mileage for cars is 12000. You drive a lot.

12v battery costs are independent of mileage. Apples to oranges.

 

[JamboF4]

IMO, you do you. It's your life. Your money. Do whatever makes most sense to you. You're an adult. You don't need confirmation from anyone else.

No s**t right?

 

[2kwik4u]

Average mileage for cars is 12000. You drive a lot.

12v battery costs are independent of mileage. Apples to oranges.

Average is closer to 14k nowadays. I drive around 19-21k. I would hardly call that a lot. 35-50% more than average.

I disagree on the fruit comparison. I'm currently changing 12V batteries in my Rivian just slightly less often than I would've changed my oil in the Q7. 3x in 30k miles.

If I skipped an oil change it's not big deal, if a 12V does it bricks the vehicle. Penalty for failure is significantly different.

 

[azbill]

The range on that is amazing. I wish I could convince my wife to get one.

The phantom braking is very annoying. It seems to do it most often when next to a tractor trailer. Rivian has a lot of work to do on UHF. Maybe there will significant improvements in the next update.

I actually took a tech with me and showed him the issue, with a pickup pulling a trailer beside me.

 

[CrazyOne]

Average is closer to 14k nowadays. I drive around 19-21k. I would hardly call that a lot. 35-50% more than average.

I disagree on the fruit comparison. I'm currently changing 12V batteries in my Rivian just slightly less often than I would've changed my oil in the Q7. 3x in 30k miles.

If I skipped an oil change it's not big deal, if a 12V does it bricks the vehicle. Penalty for failure is significantly different.

Median miles are 10000miles. 50% of drivers drive less than 10000 miles.

12v is bad, but not that bad. I am at 25k and 3.5 years on original batteries. Your car may have a problem.

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