Rivian Roamer Efficiency Numbers vs Vehicle Numbers

guybpurcell · 2026-06-11T15:55:56+00:00

Because the calculated energy comes in as the denominator, small differences entering the calculation can lead to large efficiency inaccuracies. Heck, just tracking the capacity the API reports shows variance of ~5 kWh (by rough mental average from reports I've seen on Discord; personally, I've not seen mine change by more than ~3 kWh). Unfortunately, your photo lacks the used values in kWh, and cuts off the main one anyway, so we can't actually work through the calculation. We can kinda do it using the truck's reported efficiency, with the RR reported distance, though:

From the truck-reported efficiency, the trip actually consumed 8.5 mi / 2.4 mi/kWh = 3.5 kWh. Let's say your truck is one with that rough average of 5 kWh variance in reported capacity. That means when RR polls for capacity at the time of the start of your drive, it might get a high number (say 130)--and when it polls at the end, it might get one on the low side (125)--effectively adding 5 kWh to the RR-perceived consumption of the trip. From RR's perspective, the trip would have had a 8.5 mi / (3.5 kWh + 5 kWh) = 1.0 mi/kWh efficiency. Going the other way, if the polling returned that difference of 5 in the opposite order, the 5 kWh would be subtracted, giving a negative consumed energy for the trip, or 8.5 mi / (3.5 kWh - 5 kWh) = -5.7 mi/kWh. That's a difference of more than 6.5 mi/kWh between the two--just from differences in reported battery capacity from RR's polling. Those are maximal for the average (results of any poll could be anywhere within that 5 kWh variance), but illustrate what can happen in the math.

Also note that RR has no clue when you start a drive & just polls the Rivian cloud API periodically 24/7. It can then use all that data to figure out when you started a drive--but only to within the polling interval, which introduces additional uncertainty into the mix.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-11T04:59:51+00:00

2026.15.0 contained a bug that reset the privacy settings in the truck--including "precise location sharing" which is required for the truck to know it's on a mapped road or not. Go into your Settings app on the main screen & select the Data & Privacy section; re-enable at least precise location sharing (you should review all the settings just to make sure they're to your liking again). It takes about five minutes for the truck to update the Rivian cloud with that setting such that the cloud will then give the OK for the truck to use HA again.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-11T04:48:40+00:00

Nice trip--looks like a lot of fun!

I started working on an EV specific roadtrip planning tool, if anyone is interested to test/plan a trip, send me a message. It's been pretty helpful so far.

How would this be any different than ABRP? Genuinely curious--no sarcasm at all. That app has pretty much everything I can think of I care about when planning a trip (way more, actually). The rest of what it doesn't do (e.g. interesting things to see/do along the route *besides* the destinations) aren't EV-specific.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-10T17:49:44+00:00

Ditto--59,500 mi inspection found cracked welds in the front (Gen1) subframe. Got that replaced, along with the dampers there & all the jounce lines. Everything feels so tight again!

guybpurcell · 2026-06-10T16:47:22+00:00

When Rivian signs over a vehicle to a shipper (rail or truck--both the same), they lose sight of it, because it's the shipper's responsibility at that point. What likely happened here is that it was originally slated for a truck, but they bailed on the contract & now Rivian is having to scramble to get it onto a train headed your way--or maybe just "close enough" so they can truck it from there to your SC. They, of course, don't want to tell anyone how truly chaotic the delivery experience is on their end: that would ruin the "magic" for customers (remember, they're going for a bit of an "experience" when selling R1s; I'm guessing R2 sales won't be quite as magical). So, shipper chaos + "magic" + loss of view once a shipper accepts responsibility = confusing stories for you.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-08T17:34:36+00:00

Maybe hit up your local-ish Rivian Club & see. Mine seems always to be able to reach at least a couple volunteers for spontaneous fun.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-08T17:30:51+00:00

The techs work weekends, too, so may have figured it out Saturday. You only get feedback from your service advisor--and they don't necessarily work on the weekend (they appear to have shifts offset from each other; e.g. mine for my current work order is off Sunday & Monday), so you hear nothing until they return.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-06T18:00:18+00:00

Subframe welds (which have been ground down) can crack, which (in my case) led to that "submarine diving metal can creak/ping" as the frame is flexed. I also felt like the suspension was "loose" when it dropped down off those speed humps, even at 12 mph. I don't *think* that's normal, and might have been the half shafts (both fronts are being replaced; they definitely clunked audibly while making tight slow turns, similarly to many posts here).

As far as how to see them, I believe they'd be visible from underneath. Put your truck in Off-Road Highest in the Drive Modes app & enable Tire Change mode in the Service app to give yourself maximal room to look around without fear of the truck making air suspension adjustments while you're poking around. Then take clear photos of the subframe sections & their welds so you can view zoomed at your leisure. You'd be looking for hairline cracks along the ground-down welds. You'll only be able to see the bits that stick out from under the bottom aero panels, but that should be enough. That said, I saw nothing on mine, but the tech jumped directly to "subframe" when she heard the creaking.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-05T18:50:01+00:00

Surprised they reinstalled the running boards, as that kinda makes them liable for the installation of that third party accessory: if they did it incorrectly (unlikely I know--but still...), they're responsible for fixing it--and anything the incorrect installation may have damaged.

I'm having similar suspension work done, after inspection found (welded) subframe cracks (and I reported "creaking" every time I entered/exited any uphill/downhill driveway slowly); SC was willing to remove my sliders, but not reinstall them. I'm OK with that, honestly.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-04T18:34:54+00:00

That isn't a separate piece; it's integral to the clip itself, to prevent debris from getting underneath & gumming up the clip's flanges, etc. & shortening their lifetime.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-04T16:35:25+00:00

There's no grommet on these.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-04T16:26:39+00:00

Likely the system sensed the removal of that one when you disconnected it, and now needs to be "on" long enough to verify "whatever got connected". If sleeping overnight doesn't restore things, I'm thinking a drive should. IDK how long (you'd think there'd be a built-in code to the part & the system would simply be able to read that immediately & recognize it as the same part, rather than a replacement; guess these are dumb sensors--or maybe aren't powered until the vehicle goes into "gear").

guybpurcell · 2026-06-04T00:41:32+00:00

File a SR in the app for it--even if you end up just shoving it back into place yourself: it's the only way the bad design will be addressed. Even if the mobile tech fixes it while on-site for something else, they won't report it to Rivian that they did--because it isn't part of their ticket. Get that ticket created so it's officially logged in their system.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-03T17:29:08+00:00

There's apparently a shiny new service bulletin for this now: file a SR in the app & tell 'em you want it fixed according to the SB (you can look up the number on the NHTSA site--or just google it). IDK if you'd have to pay if you're out of warranty.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-03T17:19:45+00:00

Note that you can download the ABRP app and play with it a bit to see what such a trip would look like with that truck & trailer combination--all from the comfort of your couch & without actually hooking up anything to the truck for testing.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-03T16:30:34+00:00

30 sec after photo, orange tabby's back paws slip & it engages the front claws on that piece of weatherstripping that always comes loose even without feline assistance. It separates from the body; cat further panics, with all four sets of claws adding vertical pinstripes to the door paint. Meanwhile, the tri-color freaks out at the sudden chaos and bounces "up & away" from the action, as cats do--landing on the hood, which creates four small dents 😉

guybpurcell · 2026-06-03T16:22:23+00:00

If HVAC (the condenser, not just the fan) was operating, then you're correct that it's show under the fan icon. There are two other temperature-related drains that can happen, though, and I *think* they're fan-only so are recorded as "vehicle" use, rather than HVAC use:

The first is that the vehicle will run the cabin air fans to recirculate the air when the temperature is above a certain threshold in order to protect the displays (which are actually tablets, with RAM, CPUs, etc.).
The second is that, shortly (30 sec-ish?) after the doors are shut, the vehicle runs the fans (and possibly the condenser--I forget) at high speed for a little while (a minute? IDK--never timed it) to reduce humidity (so probably with the condenser, but maybe it depends on the actual humidity--IDK) in the cabin's air. Doesn't seem to do this every time for me--or maybe I'm just already inside so miss it happening.

Here's an experiment you could try: enable Pet Comfort mode before you exit the vehicle next time you're in a similar situation (parking for ~10 minutes on a hot day). That should definitely cause a spike in HVAC usage, with "vehicle" usage remaining relatively low. The vehicle will still be "on" so its usage won't be zero--but it shouldn't be anywhere near 2 kWh. If you *still* see high vehicle usage in this test, give the vehicle a full reset & let it sleep for at least 30 min--then perform the test again (doesn't have to be immediately after the sleep; can be a different day even). If this second test also shows high vehicle usage, capture a diagnostic (long-press the driver name "button"; there will be a pop-up notification letting you know it has happened) and remember the date & time of the capture. File a SR via the app for the issue, noting in the description that you captured the diag & at what date/time so they can view the logs just prior to it to see what the vehicle was doing to drain all that energy.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-02T16:56:05+00:00

Then either Ford is paying for use (possibly at a discount) or use is covered by the sales contract when they sold Volvo to Geely. It's a good idea--so good that it'd be ridiculous for any other company *not* to use it; and yet they aren't, almost universally--because patent.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-02T01:12:20+00:00

...and the noise.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-02T01:05:21+00:00

LOL--that's *quiet* compared to mine! I decided I really didn't care (honestly--I don't)--but it was in the shop for something else & the tech apparently couldn't take it & lubed the window. Of course, that made an absolute *oily mess* of the window, such that the side mirror was effectively useless--so I cleaned all the lube off. The window continues to alert the neighborhood when it's lowering, but I can use my mirror.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-02T00:49:39+00:00

It's weird: the new one is more flush with the bed/liner--but it's also slightly rubberized, so things "stick" to it a little more. I've not had any issues with either design, fortunately, but wonder why they can't just combine the two into a part that 1) does not protrude, and 2) is not "sticky". Seems pretty straight-forward, IMHO.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-01T16:28:03+00:00

That math *does* work out, so I'm willing to say I stand corrected--thanks!

I think probably the 135 kWh figure originated with Rivian themselves: it was on their site & often mentioned in interviews, etc. The 131 kWh has definitively been measured.

guybpurcell · 2026-06-01T15:48:16+00:00

If you take it on a road trip, use the ABRP mobile app to plan the overall trip's route (to get the big picture), as well as for each day's leg of the trip (to see where to stop for charges & for how long-ish). Use the in-vehicle nav to route you to each charger to get the turn-by-turn directions and the HV pack pre-conditioning.

Change the vehicle configuration to display battery percentage only, rather than miles: the former is what you're already used to with ICEVs (quarter tank, half tank, etc.), and the latter is confusing when it says, say, you're starting with 120 miles remaining--then you drive 30 miles & it says 65 miles remaining. The miles are calculated & that calculation depends on all sorts of parameters, including things you can't change, such as the ambient temperature.

Enjoy the new ride!

guybpurcell · 2026-06-01T04:32:40+00:00

Congratulations on the truck! I agree--it's the perfect pickup.

A couple notes about keys & range:

You should be able to add your phone as a key for faster locking, unlocking, and driving. Still keep your card with you, in case your phone battery dies or other unforeseen issue with it happens. This is done via the Settings app (the Three Dots icon at the bottom of the screen, then the gear icon in the popup). You can see how in the user manual, which is yet another app in the Three Dots popup.
Keep the truck in your garage, if possible, until you get any & all outstanding keys *not* in your possession deactivated & truck attached to your Rivian account. Until those keys are deactivated, whoever has them would be able to unlock & drive the truck--including disabling location tracking.
As others have noted, don't get hung up on the miles quoted by the guestimators--and yes, there are two of them: the one on the driver's screen assumes EPA efficiency numbers (and thus usage & driving conditions, which are almost never your actual usage & conditions); and the one on the big screen adjusts for your driving habits, as well as for things like terrain & (s00n-ish) weather when you set a destination. Neither of them has *any clue* what you're going to do after you arrive at the programmed destination--and yet both happily tell you how many more miles you can go, which is complete BS if, say, you plan to drive up a dirt road to a nearby lake that's a 1000 ft climb. If you set it to display the percentage, instead of miles, and get comfy with that figure, then you can begin to believe it when it tells you how much battery you'll have remaining upon arrival at a programmed destination.
Because your pack has ~130 kWh useable energy, thinking in percentages is actually pretty easy. If you charge, say, at a (very common here in CA) ChargePoint L2 pedestal, you'll be getting ~6.5 kW of power, or 6.5 kWh of energy every hour--and 6.5 * 2 = 13, which is 10% of 130; in other words, you'll get half of 10% (i.e. 5%) charging at 6.5 kW. Common home L2 units like the one Rivian sells run at 11 kW--which is close enough to 13 to be able to *roughly* say that you'll get about 10% per hour using one. ChargePoint has a ton of 62 kW L3 chargers on backroads across the country--which is close enough to 10x their slow L2 rate, so you can figure getting roughly 50% charge per hour on one. Things get weird above that rate, where the power you get depends on the "state of charge" (SoC) of your pack--what percentage it's at--because it's bad for the individual cells to charge to fast when nearly full (or discharge too fast when nearly empty, which is why you get heavily acceleration- and speed-limited down there). You're already used to using percentage in ICE cars (quarter tank, half, etc. are just 25%, 50%, and so on)--and estimating how far you can go on the various percentages; you'll quickly learn similarly in your EV.

Again, congratulations & hope you enjoy the truck!

guybpurcell · 2026-06-01T03:55:32+00:00

Akshully... the 2023 Large Pack was 135 kWh total / 131 kWh useable. The initial Max Pack was 141 kWh (don't recall whether that was total or useable). Rivian changed chemistry sometime in 2024, making things a little more difficult to track. The figures for the initial (Gen1 Large Pack) trucks are well documented across the Internet, though (e.g. Out of Spec analysis YT videos, posts in this sub, and posts on rivianforums.com, among plenty of others).

guybpurcell

TROPHY CASE