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By any standard, car people are obsessed with numbers. Horsepower, torque, lap times, and, for the new breed of electric truck owners, range. It is the one figure that carries both promise and anxiety, and like all numbers in the car world, it demands scrutiny.
Anand Verma, owner of a 2023 Rivian R1T Adventure, took that scrutiny to its logical extreme, logging his truck’s behavior with the kind of diligence usually reserved for aerospace engineers. The results of his week-long investigation ended up not in a white paper, but in a Facebook group, where it ignited a thoughtful discussion about what it really means to live with an EV.
Here is what Verma wrote in the Rivian Electric Vehicles Discussion group:
“Hi all, firstly, my apologies for the lengthy post. Is 60% Mileage Efficiency reasonable? Appreciate insights from your experience. Recently, I’ve noticed a significant drop in the range of miles compared to the actual miles driven. So, I collected the data for each trip since the previous charge, and here are the results:
Day 1
Charged to 72% = 206 Range Miles
Day 7
No. of Trips = 27
Trip Total (actual miles driven) = 90.7 Miles
Additional drop in range while driving = 23.3 Miles
Ghost Drop (when locked and idle) = 37 Miles
Total Drop in Range = 151 Miles
Mileage Efficiency = 90.7/151 = 60%
Additional Factors
All trips are within the city in the range of 2-7 Miles, except for one on the freeway for about 20 miles.
Total Miles on the Truck = 29,706 Miles
Model = 2023 R1T Adventure w/ 20″ AT Tires, Large Battery Pack
Weather Conditions = Temperature range 55°F (night) to 95°F (day)
Driving Style = Defensive
Drive Mode = All Purpose
Ride Height = Dynamic”
That is not casual observation; that is forensic accounting. The most curious part of Verma’s findings was the “ghost drop,” a 37-mile loss of estimated range while the truck sat parked. EV owners know this phenomenon as vampire drain, the inevitable trickle of energy used by electronics, climate management, and background systems. For Verma, it was evidence worth charting, and for the Facebook group, it was fuel for a spirited exchange.
Tim Higham, another R1T driver, counseled calm.
“Range is an estimate with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of variables. Speed, temp, humidity, headwind/tailwind, cross wind, windows open/closed, tire pressure, tire type, passengers, hard acceleration, duration of deceleration, and so on… If you try and calculate each ride, you will hate your machine. Trust the numbers and enjoy the best EV in the world.”
It was the kind of perspective born from miles of ownership, reminding others that chasing precision can spoil the experience.
Rivian R1T Powertrain Options And Battery Pack Options
- The R1T offers a range of potent powertrain options, from a 553-hp dual-motor setup to a mind-bending 850-hp tri-motor configuration that rockets the truck from 0-60 mph in just 2.7 seconds.
- With three battery pack options, the R1T can travel an EPA-estimated 258 to 420 miles on a single charge and supports DC fast charging up to 220 kW.
- A true workhorse, the R1T boasts a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,764 pounds, making it a highly capable electric pickup.
- Engineered for adventure, the R1T features an adjustable air suspension, all-wheel drive, and impressive approach and departure angles, allowing it to conquer challenging terrain with ease.
Not everyone agreed. Kevin Blasko pointed out that “Range is an absolute best-case scenario, and will almost always be less than whatever the manufacturer quotes.” That reality check was echoed by David Shih, who drew an analogy to modern tech: “EV unfortunately is ‘always on’ just like your smart phone…. If the weather is not ideal, you may lose 2-5% total range per day.
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After 7 days, you can surely lose more range than you imagined.” In his view, owning an EV means accepting that some loss is simply the cost of doing business.
Rivian R1T Testing Methodology
Others focused on methodology. Nathan Waters observed, “I’ve never seen range or efficiency expressed like that. I’m typically used to seeing miles per kWh. Then again, those are pretty steep vampire losses. Running per mode while parked?” His comment raised an important point: as more people share experiences online, the community is still defining the standards for measuring and interpreting efficiency.
Giuseppe Gasparro weighed in with a practical solution: “Reset the odometer, drive for a couple of weeks, then check the average efficiency (mi per kWh). That’s the only thing that matters. I drive a mix of city and highway on 22’’ wheels and get about 2.6 in spring/summer, 2.2 in winter (gen1, no heat pump).”
What emerges from this exchange is not a problem with the Rivian so much as a window into the realities of EV ownership. Short city trips, wide temperature swings, and constant background energy use will conspire to reduce efficiency. The numbers Verma reported do not indicate the truck; they describe the challenge of translating laboratory range estimates into real-world conditions. For owners, that means the conversation is less about disappointment and more about understanding the variables at play.
Rivian R1T Storage Solutions
- The R1T is packed with clever storage solutions, including a front trunk (frunk), a gear tunnel between the cab and bed, and an in-bed trunk, maximizing utility.
- The modern, minimalist interior is dominated by a large touchscreen that controls most vehicle functions, and features premium materials and seating for five.
- Despite its size, the R1T offers a surprisingly comfortable and composed ride, with direct and accurate steering that makes it enjoyable to drive both on and off the road.
- As one of the first electric adventure vehicles to market, the R1T has carved out a unique niche, appealing to buyers who want a blend of performance, utility, and off-road capability.
There is something almost poetic about the way this story unfolded. A driver charts his truck’s behavior in detail, posts it to a group, and sparks a community dialogue that feels not unlike the garage debates of earlier decades. Where enthusiasts once argued over carburetor jets and ignition timing, they now trade insights on thermal management, vampire drain, and miles per kilowatt-hour.
The impulse is the same: to decode the machine, to measure its quirks, and to share the findings with fellow travelers.
And so, in 2025, the new quarter-mile time might just be the spreadsheet of efficiency, and the new dyno chart a Facebook thread dissecting vampire drain. Verma’s 60 percent figure will not make headlines beyond the group, but it matters to those who gather there. It represents a shift in automotive enthusiasm, one where passion and precision meet on the glowing screens of digital forums, and where owners, armed with data, become the storytellers of the electric age.
Image Sources: Rivian Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
