Motortrend article on Conserve Mode causing tire wear

[s4wrxttcs]

I have a love/hate relationship with conserve mode.

I love having it there in case I need to get a bit more margin. Where I can simply go into conserve mode on the freeway to get the difference I need and then get out of conserve mode when I'm nearing my destination and I have what I need.

I hate using it in the rain because it changes the driving dynamic. It can be a bit unnerving if you get used to it in all-purpose or sport mode, and then switch it into conserve mode.

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[Treebeard]

I've used conserve on long highway trips and my tire wear is just fine at 7k miles.

I use conserve mode all the time, long trips, daily commutes in low and standard suspension. I rotate every 5000 miles. I’ve had no issues with uneven wear. Currently have 23000 miles on them and still have half the tread depth left. I think it’s all about driving style. I have talked with some people and they say they like to drive as fast as possible from point A to point B. I have 7000 miles on my snow/mud tires and no issues with wear on those either.

 

[YouKnowWhatsUp]

Motor Trend forgot to mention that you can change the suspension height in conserve mode. Once you change it to Normal height from Auto, it sticks so that next time you use conserve, it stays in Normal height.

Also, they say that the dual motor doesn’t have a conserve mode, but on long stretches of highway where most people will use conserve on the quad, the dual motor will also be FWD.

Mine uses fwd around town at low speeds. Not just on the freeway. If I increase the ride height to max then it engages all motors. I don’t normally see all motors engage unless I accelerate hard.

 

[River wader]

Seems like the vast majority of posters have quads with conserve mode. I am a recent owner of a new 2023 dual motor performance R1T. For me, range is the most important factor, so I try to maximize it where I can. I read the Motor Trend article with interest as I’ve been exploring different drive modes. At least for my dual motor, All Purpose starts out at standard height but eventually changes to one notch lower at highway speeds. Also, it essentially accelerates using the front wheels only, occasionally engaging the real wheels on a quick start or up an incline. Regenerative braking is exclusively from the fronts: rear never engages while braking (Rivian service says this is normal) in all purpose mode. So I guess that when most accelerating, turning and braking happen (around town), the truck is in standard height so the MT tire wear “problem” is minimized. On the highway, I could lock in standard height, but what would be the range penalty? Anyway, I am concerned that the front and rear motors and tires don’t share more of the load in all purpose. Thoughts?

 

[Doug]

Am I the unicorn? I have 40,000 miles on my original 21" Pirellis, and am installing new ones next week. I accelerate quickly, drift occasionally, launch weekly, kneel when I park, and keep the truck in All Purpose Auto 80% of the time. I don't use Conserve when I'm driving in town (which is largely interstate driving in Columbia, SC), but when I'm going out of town on a long trip, I always put it in Conserve just before engaging cruise control at 75 mph.

I rotate the four tires at 10,000-mile intervals and the tread is a hair above the wear bars everywhere except the inside of the front tires, which are already into the wear bars--so it's time. I am very happy with the OEM Pirellis. I would actually like to see an option in Settings to automatically engage Conserve mode when cruise control is enabled.

I am at 35,000 currently on 21s. I should make 40,000 too. I have very similar driving habits to you it sounds like. I may be in all purpose more like 90% of the time. I have done 3 tire rotations.

 

[OUTAGAS]

Yep. I’ve done three as well. Got the new tires installed yesterday. Ride is smooooth!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Seems like the vast majority of posters have quads with conserve mode. I am a recent owner of a new 2023 dual motor performance R1T. For me, range is the most important factor, so I try to maximize it where I can. I read the Motor Trend article with interest as I’ve been exploring different drive modes. At least for my dual motor, All Purpose starts out at standard height but eventually changes to one notch lower at highway speeds. Also, it essentially accelerates using the front wheels only, occasionally engaging the real wheels on a quick start or up an incline. Regenerative braking is exclusively from the fronts: rear never engages while braking (Rivian service says this is normal) in all purpose mode. So I guess that when most accelerating, turning and braking happen (around town), the truck is in standard height so the MT tire wear “problem” is minimized. On the highway, I could lock in standard height, but what would be the range penalty? Anyway, I am concerned that the front and rear motors and tires don’t share more of the load in all purpose. Thoughts?

With all DM config, conserve is default. Outside of all-terrain, tow and sport modes, rear axel is automatically activated when additional motivation and traction is deemed necessary by software (based on various sensor and driver inputs). Actual max height is only meant for off roading, where additional ground clearance is needed and average speeds are low (and limited). Suspension geometry is optimized—between handling and tire wear—at standard height. At lower heights these parameters deviate more and more from that optimal range of parameters. If steady cruising and with smooth gradual changes in steering angles, acceleration/deceleration, accelerated tire wear is less of a significant concern. Abrupt changes in all these factors, then all conditions that could induce uneven/accelerated tire wear exists. Range penalty at standard height only? Test and find out. Too many factors involved—because others may not drive exactly like you and may not dwell in the same elevation (air density makes a difference on aerodynamics). Concerned about uneven or premature wear? Without having to think too hard (and being ever-conscious of vehicle dynamics, weight transfer, suspension geometry, changes in camber/castor/toe/contact patch as suspension moves through its range of motion at different heights)... Strive to drive smoothly, minimize abrupt mid-turn acceleration/deceleration, and rotate tires every 5-7k miles.

 

[bigsky]

IMO, this is a marketing problem and I still say that Rivian should rebrand conserve mode to reserve, stretch, or something else that discourages full time usage of the mode...

https://www.motortrend.com/features/rivian-r1t-r1s-tire-wear-conserve-mode-opinion/

Rivian Owners Are Unknowingly Doing a Dumb Thing and Killing Their Tires. They Should Stop.
It turns out something Rivian owners think is helpful is actually causing premature tire wear.

Conserve, reserve. Potato, potahto ?

 

[Budman]

Am I the unicorn? I have 40,000 miles on my original 21" Pirellis, and am installing new ones next week. I accelerate quickly, drift occasionally, launch weekly, kneel when I park, and keep the truck in All Purpose Auto 80% of the time. I don't use Conserve when I'm driving in town (which is largely interstate driving in Columbia, SC), but when I'm going out of town on a long trip, I always put it in Conserve just before engaging cruise control at 75 mph.

I rotate the four tires at 10,000-mile intervals and the tread is a hair above the wear bars everywhere except the inside of the front tires, which are already into the wear bars--so it's time. I am very happy with the OEM Pirellis. I would actually like to see an option in Settings to automatically engage Conserve mode when cruise control is enabled.

I could have wrote this post. Except I changed tires at 35,000 miles. I used Conserve a lot but drove straight and steady.

 

[bigsky]

Excellent article. Thank you!
My R1S consistently gives me 308 miles of range since delivery in Jan 2024.
To me, range is not as critical anymore, or range anxiety for that matter. Plenty of fast chargers available most everywhere when on long trips, and now Tesla chargers at least some available to Rivian also.
My R1S is forever driven in All-Purpose mode and standard height only. No auto adjusting height; less wear on compressor and other components. I seldom hear the former kick in, if at all. Took off the aero covers and purchased the center plug also. Efficiency is always between 2 and 3 miles per kWh. Fine for me, however more an electron guzzler my R1S is. 65 mph seems to be the sweet spot on highways. If I want to conserve, or rather extend range, I'll drive slower, true for any EV instead of chewing up tires much more quickly.

At the end of the day, though, and maybe it is just I, after shelling out >$80k for my mighty beloved beast, I find tire cost a bit who-cares. Indeed, the 21" Pirelli Scorpion might just get replaced with another set of the same however sooner or later.

 

[KBabione]

Perhaps we had an unusual pickup experience at the Gaithersburg MD SC, but our guide pointed out the different modes available on the screen and specifically told us to use conserve only on the highways. He further suggested that it only be engaged when we're up to speed and to change to AP as we got close to our exit or had to slow down for other reasons. It didn't make much sense at the time, but we took notes. We're in AP 99% of the time.

We did do an experiment to see if we could get from our house to Penn State and back in a single charge. To do that I (gasp) did the speed limit and, once at speed, used conserve mode. It proved that we could make it there and back, but my wife didn't like the idea of getting home with 7% in the battery so we'll be charging somewhere on that trip in the future.

He also said that, unless we're leaving on a big trip (in which case 100% was okay), to charge our battery to 70-80% daily. All good advice that has been confirmed here in the forums.

 

[OUTAGAS]

There's been quite a few comments about front tire wear because of regenerative braking on QM in Conserve and DM in FWD mode. Even when in AWD, 80% of the braking is done at the front wheels simply because of weight transfer when decelerating. This is true on any vehicle--even a bicycle.

So comments about braking in FWD mode creating excessive tire wear don't hold much water.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

At the end of the day, though, and maybe it is just I, after shelling out >$80k for my mighty beloved beast, I find tire cost a bit who-cares. Indeed, the 21" Pirelli Scorpion might just get replaced with another set of the same however sooner or later.

Rational vs emotional response. This tire wear issue/complaint reminds me of ICE car forums where the owners are coming from a dissimilar or lower-cost platforms. From vanilla commuter car to something larger, more powerful, and/or more expensive (where everything related is more expensive).

"My [insert former car] only cost a fraction of this and the tires lasted much longer. This car cost more than twice and the tires should last at least as long. These tires suck. I demand to see the manager!"
(Sir, it doesn't work that way)

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