Rivian's Big Snow Mode Update Gets Its EVs Winter-Ready

Rivian is the de-facto EV of choice for more outdoorsy buyers. The R1T was one of the first EV trucks to ever hit the market; it starts at $73,000 (if you can get one), and the price can quickly rise to $97,000 when equipped with four motors that put out "more than 800 horsepower" and the "Max pack" battery that Rivian says will go upwards of 400 miles on a charge (via Rivian). The R1S SUV is a similarly adventure-focused SUV that likewise sports a high price tag, starting at $78,000.

One of the advantages of a new EV is over-the-air updates, meaning that Rivian (as with other EV manufacturers) can send updates to the car to fix software issues, add new options to the infotainment system, or add entirely new drive modes to the vehicle. Tesla used this service to great effect, fixing a problem with its window motor program that triggered a safety recall. Rivian's newest over-the-air update adds a new Snow mode, just in time for the holidays.

According to a press release from Rivian, Snow Mode makes driving in wintry conditions less nerve-wracking. Generally speaking, slamming on the brakes abruptly or rapid acceleration in a conventional car can cause the vehicle to lose traction in the snow and make driving much more difficult. Rivian's Snow Mode hopes to mitigate this by "softening" the driver input to allow the EV to accelerate or decelerate more gently.

Rivian

Per Rivian, the new drive mode works best on snowy roads and is explicitly not for off-road driving; for that, Rivian still recommends switching to Off-Road All-Terrain Mode. With the update, Rivian will now allow users to defrost their R1T or R1S's windshield, crank up the heat, and turn on heated seats remotely with the Rivian app. While driving in cold weather, the car will not automatically switch to Snow Mode, but it will tell the driver to switch when it's both below 34 degrees Fahrenheit outside and the wheels start to slip.