Pictures of this odd Rivian Safari truck are going viral
Published on Apr 05, 2023 at 3:38 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Apr 11, 2023 at 3:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is now using this unusual Rivian Safari truck based on a Rivian R1T.
The pictures were taken in Kenya and shared across various Rivian forums on Facebook and Reddit.
Rivian fans love it, and we do too, but we have a couple of questions.
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This being a Safari vehicle, the Maasai Trust presumably had a charging point installed on location and the truck probably follows the same pre-determined route every day.
Even so, our first question would be, how are they charging the truck?
Kenya is taking EV mobility pretty seriously but a thorough Google search told us there are only around 30 charging points in the country, most of which are located near the capital Nairobi.
According to AfricaNews, only 44 electric vehicles were sold in Kenya last year, and the goal is to sell 500 this year.
The good news is Rivian trucks offer good range.
The entry-level model, powered by a 105 kWh battery pack, has 231 miles (372 km) of range.
Meanwhile, the top-of-the-pops 180 kWh model can travel up to 400 miles (645 km) on a charge.
It’s unclear if, or how, the modifications affected the range, though.
The Rivian R1T has been extensively modded and it’s almost unrecognizable.
The truck was chopped in half and the vehicle has no pillars, no windshield and no windows.
In addition to that, they’ve ditched the original roof and replaced it with a Safari-style one that looks like a surfboard.
Inside the cabin you’ll find an entirely different seating layout because the truck has four rows with eight seats in total.
Also, the steering wheel is now located on the right-hand side of the vehicle because Kenya drives on the left.
Not that long ago, the Maasai Conservation Trust announced a partnership with Rivian for a ‘pilot project’.
It’s unclear whether this is part of said project or a one-off but we’re certainly intrigued.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
