Rivian has been on the move with publicity efforts surrounding a specialized kitchen set designed for their R1T truck’s gear tunnel that was unveiled at this year’s Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona. Several posts focused on the accessory have been published online recently to help jog potential customers’ imaginations and perhaps inspire a trip or two of their own with food at the forefront. It’s not just an idea being used as a photo prop, either. Rivian has confirmed the kitchen set will be available for sale when its R1T truck and R1S SUV are also hitting the market.
Shortly following the kitchen prototype’s debut, Rivian sent two company team members out on a Memorial Day overland trip to Sedona with the R1T wherein the portable dining station was put to use in the real world. Photos from the journey were subsequently shared via Rivian’s official social media, complete with Arizona’s red dirt and incredible mountain landscape in view. It’s probably safe to say the promo was successful in convincing audiences that the gear tunnel kitchen is a pretty cool accessory to have.
The R1T’s retractable kitchen includes two induction burners, cookware, utensils, and a sink with 5 gallons of water storage to both prep meals with and wash dishes. As demonstrated by Rivian’s Memorial Day road trippers, a ready-made way to cook up onions and peppers to enjoy with avocado and a desert sunrise definitely looks to be a scene that most of Rivian’s primary audience would enjoy. Overall, it’s a creative and convenient way to really tap into all the extra space Rivian’s flagship truck has to offer.
The debut of the kitchen accessory at an event like the Overland Expo makes sense for Rivian’s brand as well as an overland trip with the set itself. After all, overlanders are a creative bunch that embrace all the vehicle-supported living concepts they can imagine to get the most out of their travel experiences, and Rivian is promoting an electric adventure lifestyle in its product development and marketing. The company has also noted that the Overland Expo inspired its vehicle designs, and team members have attended prior expos to help fine tune their products to what future owners would be looking for.
Rivian’s gear tunnel itself gets a lot of coverage these days, and rightly so. Since the R1T doesn’t need to make room for all the extra parts needed for gas and diesel-powered engines, there’s tons of extra space for cargo, and a storage area separate from the truck bed provides the best of both traditional worlds for backend vehicle storage. The bed is great for hauling, as expected, and the gear tunnel is great as a “regular” trunk for things that are better suited to a more contained environment. The added convenience of using the gear tunnel’s door as a seat or stool is a bonus, and a significant one at that.
With the debut of the portable kitchen set, it looks like the Michigan-based startup has decided to tap into gear tunnel enthusiasm in the form of an add-on available direct from the factory. Albeit, with as creative as Rivian’s designs seem to be already, the aftermarket will probably fill up with numerous crazy and/or useful concepts that might be difficult to even imagine right now.
As Rivian’s brand expands, so will its loyalty and audience seeking custom parts and accessories, something that other auto makers with similar marketing focuses like Jeep have fostered over the years. Considering the highly visual and product-centric marketing efforts Rivian has already undertaken, a bright future of inspired utilization definitely looks to be ahead.
Lifestyle
Tesla Model S Plaid battles China’s 1500 hp monster Nurburgring monster, with surprising results
There is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing.
The Tesla Model S Plaid has been around for some time. Today, it is no longer the world’s quickest four-door electric sedan, nor is it the most powerful. As per a recent video from motoring YouTube channel Carwow, however, it seems like the Model S Plaid is still more than a match for some of its newer and more powerful rivals.
The monster from China
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is nothing short of a monster. Just like the Model S Plaid, it features three motors. It also has 1,548 hp and 1,770 Nm of torque. It’s All Wheel Drive and weighs a hefty 2,360 kg. The vehicle, which costs just about the equivalent of £55,000, has been recorded setting an insane 7:04.957 at the Nurburgring, surpassing the previous record held by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
For all intents and purposes, the Model S Plaid looked outgunned in Carwow’s test. The Model S Plaid is no slouch with its three motors that produce 1,020 hp and 1,420 Nm of torque. It’s also a bit lighter at 2,190 kg despite its larger size. However, as the Carwow host pointed out, the Model S Plaid holds a 7:25.231 record in the Nurburgring. Compared to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s record, the Model S Plaid’s lap time is notably slower.
Real-world tests
As could be seen in Carwow’s drag races, however, Tesla’s tech wizardry with the Model S Plaid is still hard to beat. The two vehicles competed in nine races, and the older Model S Plaid actually beat its newer, more powerful counterpart from China several times. At one point in the race, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra hit its power limit due to its battery’s temperature, but the Model S Plaid was still going strong.
The Model S Plaid was first teased five years ago, in September 2020 during Tesla’s Battery Day. Since then, cars like the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra have been released, surpassing its specs. But just like the Model Y ended up being the better all-rounder compared to the BYD Sealion 7 and the MG IM6, there is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing.
Check out Carwow’s Model S Plaid vs Xiaomi SU7 drag race video below.
Lifestyle
500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe
On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y.
BYD is seeing a lot of momentum in Europe, so much so that mainstream media has taken every opportunity to argue that the Chinese automaker has beaten Tesla in the region. But while BYD sales this year in Europe are rising and Tesla’s registrations remain challenged, the raw capabilities of vehicles like the Model Y are difficult to deny.
This was highlighted in a 500-mile challenge by What Car? magazine, which showed that the new Tesla Model Y is more efficient, cheaper to run, and more reliable than rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, and even the nearly 400 KW-charging MG IM6.
Range and charging promises
On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y. The Sealion 7 had more estimated range and the IM6 promised significantly faster charging. When faced with real-world conditions, however, it was still the Model Y that proved superior.
During the 500-mile test, the BYD nearly failed to reach a charging stop, arriving with less range than its display projected, as noted in a CarUp report. MG fared better, but its charging speeds never reached its promised nearly-400 kW charging speed. Tesla’s Model Y, by comparison, managed energy calculations precisely and arrived at each stop without issue.
Tesla leads in areas that matter
Charging times from 25% to 80% showed that the MG was the fastest at 17 minutes, while Tesla and BYD were close at 28 and 29 minutes, respectively. Overall efficiency and cost told a different story, however. The Model Y consumed 19.4 kWh per 100 km, compared to 22.2 for MG and 23.9 for BYD. Over the full trip, Tesla’s charging costs totaled just £82 thanks to its supercharger network, far below BYD’s £130 and MG’s £119.
What Car? Magazine’s testers concluded that despite BYD’s rapid sales growth and the MG IM6’s seriously impressive charging speeds, Tesla remains the more compelling real-world choice. The Model Y just offers stability, efficiency, and a proven charging infrastructure through its Supercharging network. And as per the magazine’s hosts, the Model Y is even the cheapest car to own among the three that were tested.
Watch What Car? Magazine’s 500-mile test in the video below.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck slapped with world’s least intimidating ticket, and it’s pure cringe
One cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of these babies.
A Cybertruck parked at Stanford Shopping Center in California was recently hit with what might be the most try-hard piece of paper ever slipped under a wiper blade: a “fake citation” accusing the driver of supporting a “fascist car.”
The note, shared on X by Tesla staff program manager Ryan Torres, quickly made the rounds on X, where it quickly gained attention as an example of how not to protest.
The world’s least intimidating ticket
According to the citation, the supposed “violation” was “driving a fascist car.” The remedial action? Take the bus, call an Uber, or ride a bike. The note also dubbed Elon Musk a “chainsaw-wielding Nazi billionaire.” Now, protests against Tesla and Elon Musk have become commonplace this year, but one cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of fake anti-Tesla/Musk citations.
Torres pointed out the irony himself in his post on X. Tesla currently employs over 140,000 Americans, and SpaceX has put the U.S. firmly back at the top of space technology. As Torres put it, maybe the person behind the world’s least intimidating ticket should “read a book on innovation before vandalizing” other people’s property.
Peak performative clownery
Not to mention that the fake ticket’s logic collapses under its own weight. EVs like the Cybertruck are literally designed to reduce emissions, not “destroy the economy.” If anything, Tesla has bolstered the United States’ economy by fueling jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and clean energy. It’s not the first time a Tesla has been the target of vandalism or politically charged notes, but this one stands out for sheer cringe value.
Torres summed it up neatly: “Peak clownery.” On that point, at least, the citation earns full marks. In a way, though, perhaps cringe fake tickets are not as bad as the literal firebombs that were being thrown at Tesla stores and cars earlier this year because some critics were gleefully misinformed about Elon Musk.
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