As an R1T owner, one of the most important investments you can make is in a set of tires purpose-built to maximize your electric truck‘s potential. The right tires enhance performance, efficiency, ride quality, and capability across varying roads and conditions.
I‘ve tested and researched dozens of tire options compatible with the innovative R1T to select the top recommendations across needs and priorities. Whether conquering Moab‘s rugged trails or cruising down California highways, these tires allow your R1T to thrive.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn:
- How tire selection impacts EV range, noise, comfort
- Key metrics to compare across off-road, all-season and winter tires
- Specification considerations around dimensions, load index, and speed ratings
- Tailored suggestions based on performance, capability, efficiency, and price preferences
- Overview charts of top models with comparisons on traction, treadwear warranties, and more
Let‘s explore the options so you can make an informed decision for your unique lifestyle!
Understanding the Role of Tires on an Electric Truck
While often overlooked, your selection of tires impacts a number of key areas:
Driving Range – Rolling resistance greatly affects the miles you can drive on a single charge. Prioritize fuel efficiency rated tires.
Ride Comfort – Softer compounds and tread patterns determine the quietness and smoothness of your drive.
Capability – All-terrain, mud-terrain and winter tires unlock the R1T‘s potential for adventure.
Performance – Summer tires engineered for responsiveness and grip accentuate acceleration and handling.
Durability – The tread life warranty of your tires determines how often replacements are needed.
Carefully balancing these considerations will ensure your Rivian lives up to its promise as the ultimate electric adventure truck.
Tire Sizes for the Rivian R1T
The R1T comes equipped with premium 20" or 22” wheels and tires from the factory. While aftermarket wheel upgrades are possible, sticking to factory fitted options ensures ideal fit and clears room for suspension travel:
| Trim | Wheel Size | Tire Section Width |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 20-inches | 275 mm |
| Other | 22-inches* | 275 mm |
* Larger wheels reduce range
I suggest budgeting for a second set of wheels if opting for winter tires to simplify changeovers between seasons.
The 8 Best Tires for the Rivian R1T
1. Best Overall All-Terrain: Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
The Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus strikes a winning balance of off-road capability, on-road manners, long 65,000 treadlife, and critically – low rolling resistance. Real world range loss is minimal for an aggressive tread, especially impressive lifting up to 1,764 lbs per tire.
Owners praise the enhanced stability at highway speeds, along with impressive wet weather and light snow traction for a single set solution. Balanced and capable, it maximizes the R1T‘s dual personalities without compromise.
| Intended Use | All-terrain, multi-surface |
| Treadwear Warranty | 65,000 miles |
| Traction Rating | A (Excellent) |
| Tire Rack Rating | 4.7/5.0 |
2. Best Highway All-Season: Michelin Cross Climate 2
Michelin‘s CrossClimate 2 is engineered specifically with electric vehicles in mind – delivering low rolling resistance without compromising performance. Rapidly evolving EV technology inspires advanced compounds like Michelin‘s Helio+ Technology for maximizing longevity, responsiveness, and range.
Owners experience a quiet, comfortable ride across varying temperatures and conditions. The intelligent tread design evacuates water rapidly while retaining winter traction. For R1T‘s staying on paved roads, it achieves an ideal balance of efficiency, reliability and capability.
| Intended Use | All-season highway and street use |
| Treadwear Warranty | 65,000 miles |
| Wet/Snow Traction | A/A |
| TireRack Rating | 4.7/5.0 |
3. Best Heavy Duty: Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT
When pushing your R1T to its full capacity towing or hauling, having a tire to match is crucial. That‘s where the Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT comes in – engineered for commercial-grade durability with the highest load index rating in its class.
Each tire supports a mammoth 3,858 lbs maximum load while the asymmetric tread and durable casing ensures traction after deep treadwear. Owners routinely push them to the limit towing, rocky off-roading, and carrying heavy payloads without failure. When your adventure demands overlanding upgrades, this hardworking tire completes the package.
| Intended Use | Heavy duty all-terrain and towing |
| Treadwear Warranty | 65,000 miles |
| Max. Load Index Rating | 3,858 lbs |
| TireRack Rating | No data |
4. Best Winter Tire: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3
Facing ice, heavy snow and blizzards requires advanced winter rubber able to excel when other tires fail. That‘s precisely why Nokian‘s Hakkapeliitta R3 earns praise from owners across northern latitudes – mastering brutal conditions through state-of-the-art frozen traction tech.
Thousands of complex siping edges provide tenacious winter grip bolstered by durable construction to handle rough terrain. And the difference driving in feet of snow is transformative – cruising through drifts that leave other trucks helplessly stuck. It earns its reputation as world-class tire for cold weather operation.
| Intended Use | Extreme winter conditions, ice/snow |
| Treadwear Warranty | 32,000 miles |
| Winter Traction Rating | A |
| Snow Tire Reviews | 4.6/5.0 |
5. Best High-Performance Summer Tire: Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4
While winter traction conquers the cold, mastering warm pavement with precision and responsiveness requires an advanced summer tire compound. That‘s where Michelin‘s Pilot Sport All-Season 4 raises the bar – engineered specifically for athletic trucks, SUVs and crossovers like the R1T.
Next generation design and rubber enhances grip, braking, and cornering whether carving canyon roads or merging onto highways. Owners praise the immediacy of turn-in response and acceleration bite behaving like a sports car. If your adventures demand maximum summer performance, it delivers for electric trucks.
| Intended Use | Summer performance driving, responsiveness |
| Treadwear Warranty | 45,000 miles |
| Dry Traction Rating | AA |
| Wet Traction Rating | A |
6. Best Hybrid All-Terrain Tire: Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax
The Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax strikes an optimal balance between off-road capability and long highway mileage – achieving impressive wet/winter traction without efficiency losses. Engineers paired jagged tread blocks with low rolling resistance compounds targeting 100,000 miles.
The innovation pays off for R1T owners racking up freeway commutes and weekend trails. Added sound absorption makes it quieter than conventional mud tires too. If your adventures split time between country and pavement, it‘s a refined hybrid choice.
| Intended Use | Hybrid all-terrain, mixed on/off road use |
| Treadwear Warranty | 60,000 miles |
| Wet/Snow Traction | A/B |
| TireRack Rating | 4.4/5.0 |
Additional Guidance Choosing Your Tire
All-Terrain vs Highway Tires – If driving predominantly on pavement, favor options engineered for lower rolling resistance and high mileage over aggressive treads. Hybrid tires strike a balance for light trail usage.
Load Index Ratings – Heavier R1T payload and trailer weights require an increased tire load capacity. Choose a higher number to match needs.
Tread Condition – Inspect for irregular wear patterns indicating alignment or suspension issues during install. Address underlying problems that accelerate wear.
Rotate Tires – Follow patterns every 5,000-8,000 miles to distribute wear. Consider a second set of rims for winter wheel swaps.
Investing in the optimal rubbers makes a world of difference maximizing your R1T ownership experience. Reach out directly as an EV owner if you have any other questions!
