Tesla Cybertruck Electric Pickup Truck Takes On Rivian R1T And The Race Is On

Tesla has finally waded into the pickup truck war and how! In the words of Elon Musk, the new reveal ¡°doesn¡¯t look like anything else¡±. Rightly so, as we, humans, are used to more conceivable machines on wheels than what was showcased by Tesla recently through the livestream. We daresay they found an apt name for it too - Cybertruck. Nothing less would have worked!

Now to grasp what Tesla Cybertruck is and can do, you will probably have to forget all your notions of a vehicle. To start with, it is based on the design of ¡°Spinner¡± cars in the movie ¡°Blade Runner¡±. As you know more about it, you will figure that it is nothing less too. Of course, it cannot fly, yet. Ohh, but know that it is made of the same alloy that is to be used in the Starship rocket.

Everything else screams of a military grade vehicle. To reaffirm this, Elon Musk conducted a series of impact tests during its unveil. A full force swing of a hammer couldn¡¯t scratch it, a heavy metal ball couldn¡¯t break through the glass and as per Musk, a 9mm bullet couldn¡¯t pierce the surface of the Cybertruck, deeming it bulletproof for such ballistic impacts.

So we have established that the Cybertruck is a ¡°never been seen before¡± entity. It does, however, fall in the category of pickup trucks. More specifically, electric pickup trucks, the likes of which are very few. There is one though that garnered headlines globally upon its launch last year.

Rivian Automotive - an American electric vehicle maker came out with its R1T electric pickup truck in November last year. Now it might not be as futuristic as the Cybertruck but it definitely was a game changer at the time. Interestingly, the top variants of both the EVs are similarly priced. Hence, a comparison was inevitable. So here it goes:

Tesla Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T - Design

Tesla Cybertruck (L), Rivian R1T (R)

At the time of its launch, Rivian had managed to impress almost all the pickup truck enthusiasts with the R1T. They had essentially taken the strong and sturdy silhouette we know to be associated with a pickup truck and managed to upgrade it for a look that belonged to 2030.

LED daytime running lights across the width at both the front and the back further complemented by ¡°Stadium¡± headlights. Clean, continuous bodylines, Gear Tunnel cutline, rear fender flares, short overhangs, high ground clearance, all translated to a look that meant business when off-road.

Then there is Tesla, which took the design elements of a pickup truck and threw them out of the window. Designers at Tesla were seemingly inspired by a sci-fi movie rather than any real vehicle. Tesla mentions that the design is to provide ¡°utility of a truck and the performance of a sports car.¡± Slim LED DRLs across the front, big and bullish tyres, mean looking glass panels, all housed in the sharpest body lines you will see in a vehicle for a long time from now. It is like a vehicle straight from the future and mind you, not a near future!

Tesla Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T - Performance

Here is what both the pickup trucks promise when it comes to performance.

Tesla Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T Specifications

As you will notice, Tesla¡¯s Cybertruck beats its rival in almost every detail. It is bigger across the length, width and height, has a higher ground clearance, better acceleration, range, towing capacity and an extra seat!

The advantage, however, is bare minimum. Given that Tesla had a year to trump the R1T, we can safely say that Rivian had done an excellent job in coming up with a much capable pickup truck last year that still pretty much holds its ground in terms of performance. Don¡¯t be surprised if R1T¡¯s consecutive models beat the Cybertruck in every manner.

Tesla Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T - Charging

No matter how they look, remember that these are electric vehicles and once out of charge, they will sit where they are like deadbeats. So charging capabilities are important on both of them.

As per Rivian, the R1T can be charged with rates of up to 160 kW. This means a range of up to 321 km can be achieved with 30 minutes of charging. In comparison, Tesla promises a charging rate of 250+ kW on the Cybertruck. In addition, the Cybertruck will have access to more than 14,000 Tesla superchargers across the US.

Tesla Cybertruck vs Rivian R1T - Charging

This is where the going gets tough for both. The top spec models of the Cybertruck and the R1T are priced at $69,900 and $69,000 respectively. With a better performance to offer on board, more capabilities off road and an absolutely outlandish beast of a look, the Cybertruck will probably woo the buyers more. Rivian can, of course, slightly lower the prices of the R1T in the near future to make it a more attractive option.

That being said, for those looking for a pickup truck that looks like a pickup truck, the Rivian R1T is still pretty much the only option in the market. Tesla, with its off the charts design might have to tackle the preconceived notion of many that is associated with a pickup truck.