Somehow, despite the Rivian R1T and R1S being unveiled in 2018 and having first deliveries start in late 2021, the American EV startup has resisted the urge to come out with special editions of its excellent electric truck and SUV. That’s finally changing with the release of new California Dune Edition of both the R1T and R1S, which have a number of cool styling cues inspired by, you guessed it, Californian sand dunes.
It all starts with the new color, called California Dune, which Rivian says evokes “the subtle natural undertones of the desert dunes with calming, earthy tones that offer a neutral and warm feeling.” I think beige is in, baby, and this fairly muted tone really suits Rivian’s design language. The 20-inch wheels have a new design reminiscent of our favorite rally cars, and you can either get them in matching California Dune or in dark grey — I have no clue why you’d pick the latter. In case you get stuck in the dunes, the California Dune Edition comes with roof crossbars and a pair of Maxtrax recovery boards. The R1T also has a redesigned power tonneau cover, a feature that’s been buggy since launch.
Started with the sweet spot
The California Dune Edition is based on the mid-range Tri-Motor versions of the R1T and R1S. That means you get 850 horsepower, a 2.9-second 0-to-60-mph time and a 329-mile range. Tri-Motor R1 models already have a Soft Sand drive mode, too, with specific powertrain and chassis tuning geared towards performance and fun in the sand.
While other Tri-Motor R1 models have a higher-end Ascend interior with fancier materials, the California Dune uses the Adventure interior from the lower-end Dual-Motor models. That makes sense, as you don’t want to have to worry about getting your nice interior all sandy while using these Rivians for their intended purposes. It does have a unique interior color scheme that pairs Sandstone with Black Mountain vegan leathers, and the Chilewich floor mats have the Sandstone color woven in as well.
Available to order now
Rivian will display the California Dune Editions for the first time at SXSW in Austin, Texas, which is taking place from March 7 to 15. The trucks will also be on display at select Rivian showrooms across the country. The California Dune Editions are available to order now, with the R1T starting at $99,900 and the R1S coming in at $105,900, both the same prices as their normal Tri-Motor equivalents.
I’m still waiting on a special edition to be inspired by the “Dune” movies, though. Specifically the Lynch one — let’s get really wacky, people!
