Using Rivian for a work truck?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Anyone using (or thinking of using) their Rivian for a work truck?

I use my current truck (Chevy Colorado, 6' bed) for work. I do a lot of "odd jobs", so one day I might be hauling a server rack to a site. The next day I might have a thousand pounds of rocks in the back. The next day I might be hauling a load of scrap metal to the scrap yard. I carry about 500 lbs. of tools with me every day. Do everything from network installs to construction, so it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Hate to get to a jobsite and not have the right tools for the job. ?

Have been wanting an EV truck for years. Am on waiting list for CT and R1T. Just missed the wait list for F-150 Lightning. I'll take whichever I can get first. The house we bought in 2020 was previously owned by a Tesla mechanic so the garage is already set up with every charging option we could want. Tired of driving to the gas station and waiting in line to buy gas every week. Also, after 30 years of doing my own maintenance/tune-ups/fluid changes/etc., I'm just plain tired of it and want something "lower maintenance", LOL.

So, question is a general one. Anyone else considering using their Rivian for a work truck? Imagine I'll need a trailer because of that 4.5' bed (wish somebody had a long bed option, ha!). Have spec'd it with the "gear tunnel shuttle" because I figure the gear tunnel and frunk will be stuffed with tools, and the off-road tires. Any other gadgets I should look at? How's the bed hold up to heavy loads? Can you do a spray-in liner for it?

Just curious thoughts/opinions/ideas from anyone else who wants an EV truck for daily work purposes?

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[KiloV]

The gear tunnel and frunk should be great for tools. The bed is a composite material, so it doesn't need a liner. How well will it hold up to heavy abuse, like dumping a bunch of rock in it, then shoveling it out? No idea. Seems pretty tough so far, but the most abuse I've handed it is hauling top soil and mulch and taking random junk to the landfill. If you're carrying four 200lbs dudes, 500lbs of tools, and a 100lbs of full-size spare, you may not have much payload left over (800+500+100=1400lbs, out of a max payload of 1750lbs-ish). The bed is pretty small, but it's been fine for me (average home owner).

 

[mini2nut]

Rivian needs to offer a bed mat with a cutout for spare tire access.

 

[VermontR1T]

Rivian needs to offer a bed mat with a cutout for spare tire access.

I am sure multiple aftermarket options will be available soon. If not by the time I get my truck, I intend to make my own carpeted liner.

 

[time]

My bed liner has already started to get knicks and scratches on the top of the tailgate just from hauling lumber once. The liner material is too soft. The gear tunnel is carpeted around the sides and top, so dirty tools in there would be a bad idea.

Honestly it's not an ideal work truck without some modification. The interior is too nice to bring to a work site consistently. It would be a shame to get the headliner dusty. Really not sure if you could ever clean it.

The a Lighting XLT or XLT+ is going to be the better consistent Home Depot / Work Site hauler. The Rivian CAN do it, but its not its strongest ability.

 

[Ralph]

Rivian needs to offer a bed mat with a cutout for spare tire access.

A strong YES, but for *me*, no cut out please. It is a very small bed and having "seams" that stuff can go down into, or catch on when moving things makes it less useful day-to-day. I'll remove the mat for the (hopefully) very few times I need the spare.

And if Rivian wants a great example of the right thickness and material they could do MUCH worse than analyzing the factory bed mat for a Tacoma. I've been on serval Tacoma forums for years and I have never heard a single complaint. And that is with 175-200K per year since 2005. Indeed it is often listed as the first "must have" accessory. Not a common occurrence.

I do however, certainly appreciate that others may not feel the same about the spare or the Tacoma mat.

And although I don't yet have a truck, I agree about the Alcantra. I replace a Microsoft Surface keyboard about once a year because the stuff doesn't clean well. Not a problem for $75-100 keyboard.

 

[mini2nut]

As a current Tacoma owner I can confirm the quality of OEM Toyota bed mat. It truly is a must have accessory.

 

[Spiffster]

I have a few rental properties and find myself moving a lot of stuff despite the limited space in my Fusion, so I am in dire need of at least a small truck. Gonna section 179 my R1T too. Between that and the Federal / State tax Credit / Rebate this will provide a nice lil tax shelter.
As far as wear on the bed... I think at first I will care, but after a while I wont give a crap as long as it just holds stuff.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

My bed liner has already started to get knicks and scratches on the top of the tailgate just from hauling lumber once. The liner material is too soft. The gear tunnel is carpeted around the sides and top, so dirty tools in there would be a bad idea.

Honestly it's not an ideal work truck without some modification. The interior is too nice to bring to a work site consistently. It would be a shame to get the headliner dusty. Really not sure if you could ever clean it.

The a Lighting XLT or XLT+ is going to be the better consistent Home Depot / Work Site hauler. The Rivian CAN do it, but its not its strongest ability.

Yikes! Thanks for those pictures. That's exactly the kind of thing I'd be worried about. Today I dragged a 200# file cabinet out of the bed of my current truck. Not having an extra set of hands to help out, all I could do was slide it along over the tailgate until it dropped over the edge to the ground. I do this with some regularity.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at but is that gap shown in your picture some kind of separation damage? I think a Line-X'd metal tailgate can take the "abuse" better than plastic...

Or is that gap supposed to be there? If that's the case, I'd be worried about stuff getting caught in there, when hauling with the tailgate down.

 

[godfodder0901]

Yikes! Thanks for those pictures. That's exactly the kind of thing I'd be worried about. Today I dragged a 200# file cabinet out of the bed of my current truck. Not having an extra set of hands to help out, all I could do was slide it along over the tailgate until it dropped over the edge to the ground. I do this with some regularity.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at but is that gap shown in your picture some kind of separation damage? I think a Line-X'd metal tailgate can take the "abuse" better than plastic...

Or is that gap supposed to be there? If that's the case, I'd be worried about stuff getting caught in there, when hauling with the tailgate down.

That 'gap' is actually another flap that lays down when the tailgate is down. It actually fills the gap between the bed and the tailgate.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Thanks! That picture makes it a lot more clear. ?

 

[Mbxmikey]

Trucks been working well for me so far. I bought a horse paddock pad and cut it to fit my bed. It’s super thick but works for now. Will by something thinner when it comes out. I keep all my dirty tools in the bed with the tonneau closed and the clean ones in the gear tunnel. Currently building a bed rack. Going to have it flush out with the factory racks when installed on the roof giving me the ability to haul pipes, ladders, SUPs, etc.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Trucks been working well for me so far. I bought a horse paddock pad and cut it to fit my bed. It’s super thick but works for now. Will by something thinner when it comes out. I keep all my dirty tools in the bed with the tonneau closed and the clean ones in the gear tunnel. Currently building a bed rack. Going to have it flush out with the factory racks when installed on the roof giving me the ability to haul pipes, ladders, SUPs, etc.

Thanks! Good point about the racks and ladders. I usually stow my small ladder underneath the toolbox in my current setup. May need to think of a better way to do this in a Rivian since I don't think it will fit anywhere, otherwise...

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