Rivian R1T Size Comparison: How Does It Stack Up to the Ford F-150 Lightning?
The Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning: How do these two electric pickup trucks compare in terms of size?
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
- Exterior dimensions
- Seating capacity and cabin volume
- Storage and utility of the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning
- Pricing
- Verdict
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Ford offers an electrified version of its F-150—the
F-150 Lightning
—while Rivian is fielding an electric truck designed from the ground up, the R1T
.How do they stack up? Let's take a look.
Exterior dimensions
The F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T aren't too different when it comes to size. The F-150 Lightning measures 232.7 inches long and 83.6 inches wide with mirrors folded, while the
R1T
measures 217.1 inches long by 81.8 inches wide with mirrors folded. If math isn't your strong point, that means the Lightning is nearly a foot and a half longer than the R1T, and just shy of two inches wider.
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Seating capacity and cabin volume
Both vehicles are available in crew cab configuration and can both seat five people. Given the slight size difference, cabin volume is likely to be pretty similar. But only Ford lists its truck's passenger cabin volume on its website, which stands at 131.9 cubic feet.
Storage and utility of the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning
As far as storage, both electric pickups have excellent capacity, but the Lightning has a little more because it's simply a bigger truck. That includes the ubiquitous front trunk (or frunk).
The 14.1 cubic-foot lockable trunk has a weight capacity of 400 pounds and features four electrical outlets, two USB charging ports, and a floor drain, which means it can be used as a cooler for food or drinks.
The Rivian R1T also has a useful front trunk in place of the traditional engine compartment as well.
Measuring at 11 cubic feet with a 12v outlet planned for production models, automotive reviewers have called the R1T's front trunk a useful feature with quite a bit of usable storage space.
Its truck bed, albeit a short 54.1 inches with the tailgate up, features a gooseneck hinge on the tailgate to bring the total bed floor length up to 83.9 inches.
It also features a gear tunnel, which adds 11.7 cubic feet of additional cargo capacity separate from the truck bed and cabin. If you opt for the R1T's available pull-out camp kitchen, however, you'd be sacrificing some of the gear tunnel's utility.
Pricing
In terms of cost of entry, the clear winner is definitely Ford's F-150 Lightning. Starting at under $40,000, it's a decent amount more affordable than the $67,500 starting price of the Rivian R1T.
To be fair, however, you're sacrificing a lot of the premium features for a more bare-bones fleet-level F-150 Lightning—but if you aren't concerned with all those extra bells and whistles and just want a spartan electric work truck, the F-150 Lightning is the choice for you.
Otherwise, you'll have to blow $92,000 for the Platinum trim Lightning.
MORE: Here Are the Official Ranges for the Rivian R1T Pickup and R1S SUV
Verdict
Both electric trucks are certainly impressive, and you're likely to get a little more bang for your buck with the Rivian in terms of features available with the base model.
But in the end, you're getting a bigger truck with a larger bed with the F-150 Lightning for a much lower base price—and if size matters to you, go with the Lightning.
4.7
