Gauge view and front motor bias

[NineElectrics]

Gauge view is very interesting. Has anyone else noticed a front motor bias on acceleration?

Clearly there is front motor bias on regen, which is fine, but I also see the rear motors used less on straight line acceleration. I have always felt this and now is I see apparently confirmed. I am always down for more RWD blend; is there any drive mode that will get me there? Is this merely a traction control or tire wear oddity? Would I get more RWD with more weight in the back?

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[R.I.P.]

No, putting weight in the back will not send more power back there.

The gearing is lower in the back (some say motors are bigger on the quads in the back). This results in a harder "push" from the rear wheels at a given power level, making the apparent front bias on the display a little deceptive.

 

[COdogman]

I thought Rally mode had more rear bias?

 

[NineElectrics]

The gearing is lower in the back (some say motors are bigger on the quads in the back). This results in a harder "push" from the rear wheels at a given power level, making the apparent front bias on the display a little deceptive.

This link from Rivian claims the gauge view displays “torque”, and I can only assume they mean at that cool central diagram.

But, assuming it’s power, I still want more of it at the rear wheels, please! I wonder if the gearing produces an effect where the front wheels pick up slightly faster, which gives me more of that “pull” feeling. I would love to try a mode which ramped front power more slowly.

I felt the R1T seemed to be more RWD biased, too, as opposed to my R1S, but I didn’t have gauge view when I drove that. Perhaps I felt differences in the suspension and/or wheelbase.

 

[NineElectrics]

I thought Rally mode had more rear bias?

Full disclosure: only tried All Purpose and Sport. I drive on pavement and was too chicken to try Rally.

Something is off, though, because the torque display in this video: https://stories.rivian.com/drive-modes in no way matches what I see in on the gauges on my R1S, at least when driving around at lowish speeds (which is all I dare try with my eyes glued to the gauges). What I see is that both All Purpose and Sport are biased towards the front wheels.

 

[COdogman]

Full disclosure: only tried All Purpose and Sport. I drive on pavement and was too chicken to try Rally.

Something is off, though, because the torque display in this video: https://stories.rivian.com/drive-modes in no way matches what I see in on the gauges on my R1S, at least when driving around at lowish speeds (which is all I dare try with my eyes glued to the gauges). What I see is that both All Purpose and Sport are biased towards the front wheels.

I’ve noticed the same thing - or at least that it slightly goes back and forth between front/ rear while driving in AP but majority front. I don’t know what to do with that information, but it is interesting.

I haven’t found a good spot to try rally mode either, FWIW. My rational brain tells me I need lots of space for that one

 

[NineElectrics]

I’ve noticed the same thing - or at least that it slightly goes back and forth between front/ rear while driving in AP but majority front. I don’t know what to do with that information, but it is interesting.

Well, if it’s a defect, I’m hoping it’s at least some kind of software error, so that it can be corrected. Or, if someone plugged in the wrong wires at the factory, switching front and back, at least give me a software option to switch them back.

 

[SANZC02]

Full disclosure: only tried All Purpose and Sport. I drive on pavement and was too chicken to try Rally.

Something is off, though, because the torque display in this video: https://stories.rivian.com/drive-modes in no way matches what I see in on the gauges on my R1S, at least when driving around at lowish speeds (which is all I dare try with my eyes glued to the gauges). What I see is that both All Purpose and Sport are biased towards the front wheels.

In that video most of the displays are off-road and there has been a lot of software changes in the nearly 2 years since those were recorded.

My guess is it is intentional, adding more bias to the rear would probably induce more squat taking weight off the front. Seems to me to be pretty balanced under hard acceleration.

 

[zefram47]

I am always down for more RWD blend; is there any drive mode that will get me there?

Drift mode ought to be a lot more from the rear...but please don't try it on the street. I played around with it on a skid pad a month ago...it was entertaining.

 

[LeDiable]

I also noticed the front bias in All Purpose. I checked Sport once and only briefly, but I thought it seemed to be more rear biased, like it was the exact opposite of AP. Will have to experiment, and I'll be curious what Snow mode does when I need that in a month or so.

 

[Throwdown]

If we believe what the gauge view is telling us it makes it hard to grasp that using conserve mode would wear your front tires down that much faster than not. I also still want answers why the regen is limited so hard.

 

[brancky3]

I also noticed the front bias in All Purpose. I checked Sport once and only briefly, but I thought it seemed to be more rear biased, like it was the exact opposite of AP. Will have to experiment, and I'll be curious what Snow mode does when I need that in a month or so.

Same. I bet dual motors aren’t favoring the rear motors in sport to the same extent the quads do

Woops, edit: I didn't realize OP had a LE R1S, so not dual. In sport, at 100% throttle it should be 100% rear and ~90% front shown on the gauges.

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Try traction control reduced or off. I haven't played too much with this but I have found in most multi motor EV there is a bias towards front or rear. Tesla are rear wheel drive unless you step on it or need traction.

My guess is that it's for drivability in the Rivian. Need to try and test this.

My thoughts on the Regen is that Rivian is being proactive and preventing temps from rising which would also limit power output as well (they are limiting Regen to prevent from having to limit both). Also, there is more limitations when it's above 60% SOC.

 

[Trandall]

I've driven over 90% in All purpose with <1% in Conserve and when rotating the tires the fronts always have more wear than rears which aligns with what gauge view shows.
I haven't tried a proper launch in gauge view to see if it's more balanced or even rear biased.

 

[Greg Chick]

I was thinking these issues yesterday. I was descending down the mtn. I live on and watched the regen green spots on the diagram. I said, no wonder the front tires wear so fast! If the regen bias was reversed, the effect would be almost as saving as tire rotation, right?

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