Model Guide
The 2027 Rivian R1T — and the $10 that decides your build.
The R1T Premium clears Colorado's $80,000 credit cap by ten dollars. It's also the R1T that can't tow 11,000 pounds. That tension shapes every R1T decision a Colorado buyer makes, and nobody else is writing about it. Here's the trim walk, the towing math, and what actually stacks in 2026.
11 min read · Last updated August 2026 · Written by Rick, verified Rivian owner, Morrison, Colorado
The Quick Answer
- Trims: Premium, Performance, Quad — renamed from Dual, Tri, Quad in August 2026
- Starting price: $79,990 for the R1T Premium, plus destination
- Towing: 7,700 lbs on the Large pack; 11,000 lbs on the Max pack
- The tradeoff:base Premium is the only R1T under Colorado's $80,000 cap — and the only one that can't tow 11,000 lbs
- Federal credits: $0. EV credit expired Sept 30, 2025; home charger credit expired June 30, 2026
- Best 2026 savings path: Costco Auto Program + referral code, plus the $750 state credit if you stay in base spec
The $10 problem
Colorado's $750 Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit cuts off at $80,000 MSRP. The 2027 R1T Premium starts at $79,990. It clears the cap by ten dollars — the only Rivian in the R1 lineup that does.
Here's the catch nobody mentions. The Premium ships on the Large battery pack, and the 11,000-pound tow rating requires the Max pack. Moving to Max means the Long Range option, which adds roughly $7,000 and puts you at $86,990 — well over the cap.
So a Colorado buyer has to pick one. You can have the $750 state credit, or you can have 11,000 pounds of towing. Not both. And the same logic applies to the Sound and Vision package and the Power Upgrade — any of the three breaks the cap.
For most buyers this is an easy call: $750 is not worth surrendering 3,300 pounds of tow capacity if you actually tow. But if you don't tow heavy, the base Premium is the single best-value Rivian in the lineup for a Colorado buyer, and it's worth knowing that before you start adding options in the configurator.
| Build | MSRP | Tow | CO $750 |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1T Premium, base spec | $79,990 | 7,700 lb | Yes |
| R1T Premium + any option package | over $80,000 | 7,700 lb | No |
| R1T Premium Long Range | $86,990 | 11,000 lb | No |
| R1T Quad | $115,990 | 11,000 lb | No |
Tow ratings shown are pack-based: the Max pack carries the 11,000-pound rating and the Large pack carries 7,700. Confirm the rating on your exact configuration in the Rivian configurator before ordering, since Rivian has adjusted how these are specified across model years. Full state detail on the Colorado incentives page.
2027 R1T trim walk
Rivian moved the R1 lineup off motor-count naming in August 2026. Dual became Premium, Tri became Performance, and Quad kept its name — the same restructuring applied to the R1S.
| Trim | Motors | Battery | Tow | Base MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | Dual | Large | 7,700 lb | $79,990 |
| Premium Long Range | Dual | Max | 11,000 lb | $86,990 |
| Performance | Tri | Max | 11,000 lb | Confirm in configurator |
| Quad | Quad | Max | 11,000 lb | $115,990 |
Base MSRP excludes the destination charge. The Power Upgrade is a $5,000 Premium-only option. The Long Range option adds the Max pack for roughly $7,000. Performance pricing is not published as a clean base figure — check the configurator for your exact build.
Why owners pick the R1T
The R1T is Rivian's electric pickup — positioned against the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Sierra EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Tesla Cybertruck. It's the only one in the segment with a dedicated EV platform built for both luxury daily use and serious off-road capability.
The distinguishing features are the gear tunnel — an 11.6 cubic foot weather-sealed cargo space that runs behind the cab and opens from both sides — plus Kick Turn on the Quad, an integrated tire compressor, and a frunk larger than most midsize pickup beds.
From an ownership standpoint, the R1T has earned strong reviews for ride quality, off-road capability, build quality that has improved steadily across model years, and software integration. Adventure Network charging plus broad CCS and NACS compatibility makes long-distance towing trips meaningfully more practical than most EV pickup alternatives.
Towing, payload, and capability
Towing — capacity follows the battery pack
7,700 pounds on the Large pack, 11,000 pounds on the Max pack. The 11,000-pound rating exceeds the F-150 Lightning's 10,000 pounds and matches or beats most internal-combustion midsize pickups. Real-world towing range drops 40 to 50 percent from the unloaded EPA estimate — a Max-pack R1T rated around 420 miles unloaded typically returns 200 to 240 miles pulling a 6,000-pound travel trailer at highway speeds. Use Rivian's trip planner with trailer weight inputs rather than estimating.
Payload and bed configuration
Payload capacity is up to 2,317 pounds. Bed dimensions: 54 inches long with the tailgate up, 65 inches wide between the wheel wells, and 4-by-8 sheet capacity with the tailgate down. The frunk adds another 11 cubic feet of dry, lockable storage that most pickup buyers don't anticipate using until they have it. Note that the 54-inch bed is short of the six-foot cargo length that would exempt the R1T from the Section 179 heavy-SUV cap — see the Section 179 guide if you're buying through a business.
Off-road capability
Over 14 inches of ground clearance in Off-Road Mode, 32 inches of water fording, hydraulic cross-linked suspension that articulates each wheel independently, and underbody protection across all trims. Kick Turn, which rotates the vehicle in place through independent wheel control, remains Quad-only.
Range and charging strategy
Peak DC fast charging on the Max pack reaches approximately 220 kW, with a 10 to 80 percent charge in roughly 35 to 40 minutes at high-output stations. The Large pack charges slightly faster on a percentage basis but takes a similar absolute time given the smaller capacity.
Adventure Network is Rivian's dedicated network, designed with longer pull-through stalls that accommodate trailers. Combined with broad CCS and NACS compatibility, R1T owners have one of the most comprehensive charging footprints among EV pickup options.
Home charging at Level 2 delivers roughly 30 to 35 miles of range per hour, enough to fully recharge overnight on the Large pack. The Max pack needs a longer window — Xcel's overnight time-of-use rates are worth enrolling in either way, and with the federal charger credit gone, the Xcel rebate is the only charger incentive left.
Real total cost: R1T Premium in Colorado
Base-spec Premium, staying under the $80,000 cap deliberately.
- MSRP (excludes destination)$79,990
- Costco Auto Program discount (est.)−$1,500
- Colorado state EV tax credit−$750
- Xcel Energy charger rebate (avg)−$800
- Referral code (RICK4348389)−$250 + 3 mo. charging
- Federal Clean Vehicle Credit$0 — expired Sept 30, 2025
- Federal home charger credit (30C)$0 — expired June 30, 2026
- Total stacked savings~$3,300
- Effective starting cost~$76,690
Illustrative. Costco discount varies by configuration ($1,000–$5,000). A Performance or Quad earns 500 referral points instead of 250, but forfeits the $750 state credit. Verify all incentives at time of purchase.
How to order an R1T with the code applied
1. Decide the cap question first
Before you touch the configurator, decide whether you need 11,000 pounds of towing. If you do, the state credit is off the table and you should optimize freely. If you don't, stay in base-spec Premium and keep the $750.
2.Route through Costco first if you're a member
The Costco discount cannot be applied retroactively to an order placed on the public configurator. Go through costcoauto.com before you finalize, and provide referral code RICK4348389 at the same time. Full walkthrough here.
3. Place your deposit and take delivery
Delivery typically runs 4 to 10 weeks depending on configuration and location. Schedule your Xcel charger rebate paperwork before installation, not after. Referral points post to your Rivian Rewards account within about two weeks of delivery, and your three months of Adventure Network charging starts the day you take delivery.
Ready to configure your R1T?
Use referral code RICK4348389 to earn 250 Rivian Rewards points on a Premium or 500 on a Performance or Quad, plus 3 months of complimentary Adventure Network charging.
Frequently asked questions
What's the towing capacity of the R1T?
Up to 11,000 pounds with the Max battery pack. Configurations on the Large pack — which includes the base 2027 R1T Premium — are rated at 7,700 pounds. That matters more than it sounds: the Premium is the only R1T that clears Colorado's $80,000 MSRP cap, and it's also the one that can't tow 11,000 pounds. Real-world towing range typically drops 40 to 50 percent from the unladen EPA estimate, so plan trip stops accordingly.
Which R1T qualifies for the Colorado EV tax credit?
Only the 2027 R1T Premium at its $79,990 base price, and only in base spec. It clears Colorado's $80,000 MSRP cap by $10. Adding the Sound and Vision package, the Power Upgrade, or the Long Range battery pushes MSRP over the cap and forfeits the entire $750 credit. Every other R1T trim, and every R1S trim, sits above the cap. The cap applies to MSRP including factory-attached options, not the price you negotiate.
Does the R1T qualify for the federal tax credit?
No. The federal Clean Vehicle Credit expired September 30, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Both the consumer credit under Section 30D and the lease pathway under Section 45W ended on that date. The federal home charger credit under Section 30C also expired, on June 30, 2026. What remains for a 2026 R1T buyer: the Costco Auto Program discount, the Colorado state credit if you're in base-spec Premium, Xcel charger rebates, the auto loan interest deduction if your income qualifies, and the Rivian referral code.
How many referral points does an R1T earn?
It depends on the trim. Under Rivian's current Rewards tiers, a Performance or Quad earns 500 points and a Premium earns 250 points, since Premium is the renamed dual-motor trim. Each point is worth $1 in credit. Both tiers also include 3 months of complimentary Adventure Network charging. Points post to your Rivian Rewards account within about two weeks of delivery, not at order placement.
How does the R1T compare to the F-150 Lightning?
Both are capable electric pickups targeting different priorities. The F-150 Lightning is a more traditional truck buyer's vehicle — familiar form factor, established Ford service network, and dealer pricing. The R1T is built on a dedicated EV platform with genuine off-road capability, the gear tunnel that's unique to Rivian, higher peak charging speeds, and Adventure Network charging infrastructure. The R1T's 11,000-pound Max-pack tow rating exceeds the Lightning's 10,000 pounds, though the Large-pack R1T at 7,700 pounds does not. The Lightning wins on dealer accessibility and traditional truck buyer expectations.
How long is the R1T delivery wait?
R1T delivery timelines typically range from 4 to 10 weeks after order confirmation, varying by configuration and delivery location. R1T tends to deliver slightly faster than R1S in many markets due to higher production allocation. Once you place your deposit, Rivian provides updated delivery estimates in your account dashboard. Quarter-end delivery slots sometimes open up if you're flexible on configuration.
Apply the code at checkout
Referral code RICK4348389 stacks with the Costco discount and the Colorado state credit.