Electric vehicles have risen in popularity ever since Tesla came into the picture with amazing designs and features that boost performance. While Tesla isn’t the only company involved in EV production (there’s the Nissan, BMW, Acura, Toyota, etc.), it’s responsible for more than 40% of worldwide production. It has established itself as a household name in the EV world.
One thing Tesla and some other companies haven’t ventured into yet is the making of pickup trucks. Although pickup trucks were primarily used for loading farm tools and produce, U.S. consumers began purchasing them as passenger cars. Pickup trucks account for 18% of total vehicles sold in the United States. In Canada, pickup trucks are called passenger vehicles due to its open cargo area and enclosed cabin that offers total comfort.
Pickup trucks have dominated U.S. passenger vehicles sales for years, and it’s not about to stop now, given that two EV companies have already started developing their pickup production lines in a bid to reduce fossil fuel emissions. These automotive players are Rivian and Nikola.
For those looking forward to buying an electric pickup vehicle, you may be slightly confused between choosing a Rivian or a Nikola pickup. Here, we will discuss the differences, pros, and cons of each vehicle maker.
What is Rivian?
Rivian is an automotive company founded by Robert R.J. Scaringe in 2009. The company is largely seen as a rival to Tesla due to its vehicle design, durability, and battery pack. The company is based in Irvine, California and has some prominent backers, such as Amazon and Ford.
Rivian focuses on the SUVs and pickups consumer market due to the increasing usage of the vehicles. Although the company is yet to sell any vehicle, it already has some vehicles in line, such as the SUV R1S and the R1T truck.
Rivian popularized the term EAV or Electric Adventure Vehicle because its trucks, especially the R1T comes in an impressive design that defines urban living. The R1T, which is the company’s foremost electric pickup, is rugged and can take you to all parts of the world. According to the company, it can wade in water up to three feet deep and do some offroading.
The R1T comes with a 15.6” center touch screen, a 12.3”instrument cluster, and a 6.8” rear touch screen, all added to boost your adventure experience. The vehicle boasts of a 750 horsepower max., 180 kWh maximum battery pack, and 400+ miles range.
Aside from making pickups, Rivian plans to build a network of public charging stations by 2023. The company plans to offer a combination of fast and slow chargers.
What is Nikola?
Nikola Motor Company isn’t as popular as Rivian. Just like how Tesla scavenged its name from the famous Serbian-American engineer Nikola Tesla, Nikola Motor Company took the inventor’s first name. This American company is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty electric vehicles. It develops a line of EV pickups that run in lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Nikola Motor Company is founded by Trevor Milton and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
The automotive company presented a blueprint of making zero-emission vehicles back in 2016, and frequently stated that it will begin production in the future. The company went public in June, 2020. A year later, the company promised it will start delivering its first line of battery-electric trucks called the Badger. Preorders are available for the truck.
Nikola claims that the Badger is superior to other pickups in its class, adding that the truck is powered by plug-in batteries and hydrogen fuel cells that generate power without needing an outlet. The Badger is equipped with a 15 kilowatt power outlet, which the company says is enough to power a construction site for up to 12 hours. That’s impressive!
The Badger is expected to cover up to 300 miles in battery-electric mode. Additionally, the maximum horsepower is 906.
Rivian Vs. Nikola: Differences
Rivian and Nikola are relatively new in the automotive industry, but are gaining traction at an alarming rate. Focusing on the pickup and SUV segment is a great idea and will make them household names, given that only a few companies manufacture this type of vehicle.
At the moment, Rivian and Nikola don’t have many vehicles available for purchase like Tesla. This will make it hard for consumers, especially pickup lovers to purchase the vehicles. The Rivian R1T was introduced in 2018, but available for purchase in a few locations. Nikola’s ‘The Badger’ is available for pre-order, as we previously mentioned.
We will use the two vehicles produced by the companies to determine which is better. No doubt, Both companies have done a marvellous job by introducing battery-powered pickups. Judging by the features of the two vehicles, it’s evident that they pack incredible features. Although they share a few common aspects like appearance and size, they still have some quite notable differences.
So far, the major difference between the two vehicles lies in the range, torque, battery pack, and horsepower. While Rivian R1T boasts of 400+ miles in range and can run from 0 – 60 mph in three seconds, The Badger can only cover up to 300 miles and run in 2.9 seconds from 0 – 60 mph. In terms of horsepower, Nikola’s The Badger wins. It’s maximum horsepower is 906, while that of Rivian is 750.
Based on the torque, The Badger is 980 foot-pounds. On the other hand, Rivian R1T is 10,326 foot-pounds. Rivian 1T also has a higher battery pack of 180 kWh, while that of the Badger is 160 kWh.
Although Rivian has revealed the price of the R1T, Nikola is yet to communicate about the exact price of the The Badger. This is why we didn’t compare their vehicle prices. It’s a tight comparison between the two vehicles, and that explains their quality. It shows that the companies are ready to dominate the automotive world.
Rivian Vs. Nikola: Pros
Rivian
- Better range
- Higher battery pack
- Rugged
Nikola
- More horsepower
- Lovely design
Rivian Vs. Nikola: Cons
Rivian
- Smaller horsepower
Nikola
- Lower battery pack
Conclusion
Nikola and Rivian are doing pretty well in the automotive industry. It’s only a matter of time before their vehicles flood the market. The Badger and R1T are incredible pickup trucks that will revolutionize the way electric trucks will be made.