Rivian provided flights from Albany, New York, to Reno, Nevada, and accommodation so Ars could drive the quad-motor R1s. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. It's getting harder to find hyperboles to describe the performance of modern EVs. Horsepower figures measured in four digits and acceleration figures clocking in well under three seconds aren't exactly de rigueur, but they're well short of rare these days. Rivian's latest generation ticks those boxes, joining the automaker's range alongside the cheaper dual-motor models we tested last year. The new Gen 2 Quad-Motor versions of the company's R1S SUV and R1T truck offer 1,025 hp (764 kW) and 1,198 lb-ft (1,624 Nm) of torque, enough to get the pick-up from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds—the heavier SUV is a tenth slower. That's awfully quick for a truck that weighs in at around 7,000 pounds (3,175 kg) and can tow 11,000 pounds (5,000 kg) or, in the case of the SUV, seat seven comfortably. That spread of performance and practicality is impressive, but as I learned in a day behind the wheel of both the $115,990 truck and $121,990 SUV, winding around and over the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, that's just scratching the surface of what they can do. Tim Stevens Rivian launched its second-generation R1 last year, with a cheaper dual motor version. Now it's time for the more powerful quad motor powertrain to hit the road. And the trails. Rivian launched its second-generation R1 last year, with a cheaper dual motor version. Now it's time for the more powerful quad motor powertrain to hit the road. And the trails. Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Rivian first drives usually involve some rather challenging off-road work. Rivian first drives usually involve some rather challenging off-road work. Tim Stevens Tim Stevens Rivian first drives also involve a lot of spectacular scenery. Rivian first drives also involve a lot of spectacular scenery. Tim Stevens Rivian first drives usually involve some rather challenging off-road work. Tim Stevens Rivian first drives also involve a lot of spectacular scenery. Tim Stevens More motors, more potential As you can guess by the name, the Quad-Motor editions of Rivian's R1 machines offer four motors, one per wheel. That, of course, provides those astronomical performance figures, providing the sheer force necessary to accelerate them so quickly. But it goes well beyond that. Most EVs with all-wheel drive—including the cheaper dual-motor R1S and R1T that Rivian started selling last year—rely on a pair of motors: one up front and one out back, each splitting its power across two wheels courtesy of a differential. Each differential divvies up the twisting force from a motor but introduces extra friction and drivetrain losses into the equation. Most traditional differentials also struggle with wheelspin, such that when one wheel starts to lose grip, the EV actually needs to apply the brakes on that wheel to keep it from spinning wildly. Hitting the brakes while you're trying to accelerate isn't great for maximum performance.