American electric automaker Rivian seems to be developing a flagship performance off-road vehicle based on its trademark filing for the “R1X.” Before this new discovery, the company introduced new electric vehicle models to join its expanding portfolio, including the R2 and R3/R3X.
Trademark application
A Rivian Owners Forum member recently spotted the trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO). Rivian reportedly filed the trademark in March 2021. However, the USTPO did not publish the document until October 2023. Members of the online community discovered it only last week.
This trademark application highly suggests that Rivian might be working on a more rugged or higher-performance variant of either the R1T pickup or R1S SUV (or both).
Rivian now has six months from the approval date to decide whether it will file a Statement of Use or a Request for Extension of Time.
Other models in the pipeline
Rivian introduced two new electric vehicle models in early March, including the R2 and R3. It also unveiled a performance variant of the R3 called the R3X.
The Rivian R2 is apparently a scaled-down and more affordable counterpart of the R1S electric SUV. Meanwhile, the R3 seems to be more compact than the R2 due to its shorter wheelbase and an overall narrower design.
The high-performance variant R3X sports a wider body and larger ground clearance than the R3.
Rivian aims to kick off R2 deliveries in the first half of 2026. However, it has yet to announce the R3 and R3X’s availability and specific pricing.
R1S and R1T models’ top spec
Rivian’s potential plans to deliver an R1X to the market as a performance version of the larger R1 models make more sense. For context, the R1S and R1T models’ current top specifications are the Quad Motor variants, which yield an output of 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque. It enables the EVs to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3 seconds.
In that sense, an R1X model would likely generate over 1,000 horsepower, potentially challenging the Tesla Cybertruck’s CyberBeast variant. However, it must be noted that this trademark application does not necessarily mean that the Rivian R1X will be arriving soon. The American EV maker may focus on rolling out other planned models to boost volumes and sales figures.
