Yup, it's definitely ideal to have one. I'm hoping they figure out the sound level by the time gen3 lands. My GF's Blazer EV has a heatpump and that thing is loud as well. It's just how they are.
The glass is not the same. EVinsulate is working on an R1T product, but it's not out yet.
I like heat pump for sleeping/camping in the vehicle. Heater runs 12+ hours with no movement.What's interesting with Rivians is that the battery capacity is so large and the power required to move the vehicle is so much higher than typical EVs (especially compared to something like a model 3), that the overall % spent on heating is much smaller.
On the model 3, the switch to heat pump will have a much more dramatic impact than on the Rivian.
For instance, let's say I'm driving at 70mph, and I'm getting 1.8mi/kWh with my winter tires. That means I'm using about 39 kW.
A 1.5kW space heater can get a small room REALLY toasty. You really only need about 750W to maintain a comfy temp. And the R1T cab is not huge.
But let's be conservative and assume we are using 1kW for resistive heat, and I save half of that with a heat pump, then 0.5/39 is only about 1% of actual saving.
I would give up that 1% to have the resistive heater blast us with hot air very soon after turning it on (no waiting like in a ICE car). In fact this is one aspect my kids and family love about the Rivian. We just use the heater indiscriminately because it's such a small percentage of overall usage.
For a model 3, that is getting 3.5 mi/kWh in the winter, the saving of 0.5kW is more like 2.5%. And if you have less range to start with, then that 2.5% could be more important too. My guess is the Rivian is probably much better insulated than the Model 3 as well ;-).
But for the Rivian, especially with Large or Max battery packs, I like the luxury of a resistive heater that is quiet.
One thing I've always wondered is if recirculating air vs. bringing in fresh air makes a big difference to how much energy is spent on heating over a long trip. I like using fresh air in general, but I'm not sure how much harder that is causing the heater to work.
Does the noise bother nearby campers out of curiosity?
I usually use it in Rural Idaho in the forest (boondocking), or at a random rest stop/pullover spot. Given the lack of use in crowded campgrounds, I really don't know.
