Tech Youtuber Marques Brownlee, better known ‘MKBHD’, has praised Rivian‘s range estimates on Wednesday, calling it the “most honest and accurate” he has experienced in an electric vehicle.
Brownlee commented on X as a response to a post from ‘JerryRigEverything’, who had just completed a 1,600-mile road trip in his Rivian.
“I did a 1600 mile road trip this weekend and my Rivian range estimates were within 10 miles on a full charge. Every time,” Zack Nelson, who owns the channel, wrote. “Not every EV company lies to you.”
Nelson was reacting to a post made by a 2023 Tesla Model Y owner, who had shared that “when fully charged, the car displays 419 km of estimated range. However, in my real-world driving, I’m only able to achieve around 259 km on a full charge.”
Brownlee agreed with Nelson, writing that “Rivian actually has the most honest and accurate range estimates I’ve ever seen in an EV.”
The YouTuber has tested several EV models from different brands over the years — including Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW and several other automakers.
The remarks also add to a growing list of positive comments Brownlee has made about Rivian in recent months.
Ahead of its launch, Brownlee said the Rivian R2 “could be Rivian’s Tesla Model Y,” arguing that the SUV had the potential to become the company’s breakout product depending on where it is priced.
MKBHD also revealed in late 2024 that he had sold his Tesla Cybertruck after about a year of ownership, saying he preferred Rivian’s R1T.
EPA Filings
The exchange comes as Rivian ramps up production of its R2 mid-size SUV, for which EPA certification filings published in early April revealed an estimated range of 300 miles.
According to the filing, the Dual-Motor Performance R2 — with which the model launched — is equipped with an 86.8-kWh usable battery pack backed by an eight-year or 150,000-mile warranty.
The documents also suggest Rivian could introduce a lower-cost version using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the future.
EPA test data show the R2 achieved up to 335 miles of range when equipped with 21-inch range-focused tires.
Models fitted with 20-inch all-terrain tires returned 314 miles.
Those figures are based on EPA certification testing and broadly align with Rivian‘s previously stated target of about 330 miles of range for the Dual-Motor Performance model.
The filing also indicates the R2 delivers competitive efficiency for its size.
The 21-inch-wheel version consumed about 26.5 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, while the all-terrain tire version used around 28.6 kWh per 100 miles.
The R2 weighs about 5,000 pounds, depending on configuration, and uses a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain.
For charging, the filing lists peak DC fast-charging speeds of up to 217 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes under ideal conditions.
The R2 also supports AC charging at up to 11.5 kW and uses the North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector — a differentiator from its R1 models, which debuted with the CSS (Combined Charging System).
First Independent Range Test
A recent independent highway test (at 70 mph) suggests the electric SUV comes very close, even under less-than-ideal circumstances.
State of Charge host Tom Moloughney tested a customer-spec Rivian R2 Performance Launch Edition by driving at a constant 70 mph (113 km/h) on Colorado highways.
Unlike the relatively flat routes typically used for range testing, the drive included roughly 550 metres of elevation change, making it a more demanding assessment.
The test vehicle was fitted with Rivian‘s optional all-terrain tyres, which carry an EPA highway range estimate of 276 miles (444 km).
After starting with a full charge, the R2 covered 259.4 miles (417 km) before reaching a near-empty battery, consuming 88 kWh at an average efficiency of 2.97 miles/kWh (4.78 km/kWh).
While the result falls around 6% short of the official EPA highway figure, the challenging terrain likely played a significant role.
Moloughney noted that on flatter highways, such as his usual New Jersey Turnpike test route, the R2 would likely achieve or even match its official EPA estimate.
