The Rivian R1T and R1S are each tremendous cool electrical automobiles, providing enormous energy, spectacular vary and distinctive styling. They aren’t low-cost, however if you happen to can afford one, we suspect you’ll discover it’s an absolute hoot to drive. Sadly, no automobile is ideal, and apparently, one draw back of proudly owning a Rivian is that they have a tendency to eat by means of tires a lot sooner than you’d anticipate on condition that the Pirellis they arrive with from the manufacturing facility are warrantied for as much as 50,000 miles.

In keeping with The Drive, house owners have been complaining on Rivian boards that their tires, particularly their entrance tires, haven’t lasted so long as they anticipated. At the very least one proprietor claims to have needed to substitute theirs after solely 6,000 miles. Contemplating they’re giant EVs with huge, heavy batteries, it’s not shocking to listen to that tires put on out sooner than they might in the event that they had been put in on, say, a Mazda Miata. However there’s extra occurring right here than the truth that the R1T is heavy.

Because it seems, this extreme entrance tire put on can possible be tied again to Rivian’s “Preserve” drive mode. With a purpose to maximize vary, while you swap to Preserve, your Rivian switches from four-wheel drive to front-wheel drive and lowers the experience peak. Sending greater than 400 hp to the entrance wheels in a truck that weighs greater than 7,000 lbs is sure to extend tire put on, however it seems that reducing the suspension additionally causes issues.

Apparently, the bottom experience peak causes toe-in and extra destructive camber, which might speed up and in addition trigger uneven tire put on. In keeping with one proprietor who drove in Preserve mode for six,000 miles, the entrance tires misplaced a whole millimeter greater than the rears. Which appears unhealthy but additionally explains why Rivian has reportedly instructed house owners to not use Preserve mode over lengthy distances. Homeowners have additionally reported points with the inventory alignment.

So, primarily, Preserve mode offers you higher vary, however the modifications that enhance vary additionally put on by means of tires sooner. It’s a tradeoff that house owners might want to weigh for themselves, though, as The Drive factors out, house owners who need to maximize vary whereas minimizing treadwear may also get a extra toe-out alignment that can assist protect their tires whereas driving in Preserve mode. Rotating tires frequently may also assist. However finally, there’s no getting round the truth that you’re driving one thing that weighs as a lot as three Miatas.