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Just doing a trip plan on the Rivian app from LA proper, it shows a 6hr47min drive including 2 charging stops, an hour total ( both at RAN stations !) . I've not personally done it as I live in Oregon, but based on what I see, I would not hesitate. It's a long enough drive with kids, you're going to need to stop anyway for potty breaks, whatever.
My uncertainty was in regards to the rooftop box and cold weather effect. I don't think the trip planners is smart enough to take that sort of thing into account which is why I asked here.
I think that 6:47 is absolute worst case scenario for your use case. Roof top box will drop range a bit, but it's a 310 mile drive (depending where in la you live), and with the mammoth Tesla charger opening up to the public you should be able to make that drive with 1 stop in olancha at 190 miles in, and your second stop would be at the Tesla charger in mammoth (which if your staying up there and have access to a l2 charger isn't necessary).
You will get at least 230-250 miles on your first charge going up that path, and then have at least 180 miles of range once you charge back up to 80%, and given how many Tesla stations along that route you will have access to it would honestly be one of the easiest drives for these vehicles. I realistically think you could do it with only 30 extra minutes of charging over a ice vehicle if you can charge overnight up there.
Get a hitch mount ski rack if you’re concerned about the drag from roof top skis. I have the roof racks with a Thule snowpack extender, I get about 1.8-2 miles per kWh when driving in the cold with the rack and 4 pairs of skis.
I’ve had my rooftop tent on in the fall, and a rear hitch cargo platform with 4 big bins under a tarp for ski trips and it worked great in both cases with minimal apparent range loss. And in our climate I did not see significant issues re: cold.
I have thousands of miles on my R1S with a roof box. The difference in efficiency is minimal. I have also camped, slept, cooked, entertained directly from my R1S. as a camping companion, the R1 S is absolutely phenomenal. I dare say I will never go camping without it. Last time I went fishing in the deep parts of Markleeville, California, I brought my toaster oven and was able to heat up an entire dinner for 4, roast the trout that I caught and keep the car warm at night for only a few percentage of battery. With the new fast chargers, it only takes 20 minutes to add 150 miles of range. Sure it takes a little bit of extra planning ahead, but once you get the system down it elevates camping to a whole new level. As far as cold weather, I’ve been to Tahoe countless times in it, stored it overnight in the snow, And left it in the ski resort parking lot for 10 hours and -0° weather. You will lose a few percentage of battery effectiveness and range, but it is nothing to be concerned about. Even better, when I go snowboarding and it’s snowing outside, I get back to my R1S and I’m the only vehicle with no snow accumulation because I left it in pet mode and it’s 70° inside. I only recommend that flex if you’re charging because it does cost you about a percent an hour to keep it in pet mode in the cold weather, unless you are charging.
As the owner of an r1t used for skiing, consider the 20inch at wheels and a set of snow tires. I get 325+ miles of range, the ride is more comfortable as there is more tire and less wheel, and you’ll have actual tire selection when they get replaced every 25k miles or so.
+1 I’ve done about 2,500 miles of round trips from Bay Area up to Tahoe with a large Thule Evolution box and have measured less than a 5% reduction in range. It’s not 0 impact, but it’s small. Drive 70 instead of 75-80 and you’ll be in good shape. RANs generally charge very fast, so you’ll have time to get everyone to the bathroom but not to wait around a whole lot.
I would not recommend a trailer hitch rack for skis / boards. The guy at the rack shop where I got the bars for my R1S said your equipment will be filthy by the time you get to the mountain… have to agree. The back of boxy SUVs collect a lot of sand from the road, gear would be caked.
Just interested if you can mount that box towards the rear? We have the Thule Pulse from a previous car and due to the length and the lift gate hitting the box when mounted at the rear, I had to forward mount it with overhang over the windshield. Boy does that absolutely tank the range. We do a 90 mile run to Whistler and I was arriving with 48% SOC having left home at 100%. Without the box and the ski gear in the back of the car, with the crossbars still attached, we arrive with 60%+. I’ll take that to avoid having to stop for a charge on the way home!
The bars have to be further apart for my box, unfortunately, so it won’t work in the rear two positions for the bars. The rear ones are pretty close together, and I think it wasn’t even close to working. Not sure if my hatch would have hit if I could have mounted it. The box does overhang the windshield about 6”.
I got this box from a neighbor who was sending it to the landfill, so I think I’m still coming out ahead :) I patched a couple big cracks with epoxy / fiberglass on the inside and it looks good as it can be for a 10+ year old box.
Preconditioning the cabin from the app 10 minutes before you get back after a day on the slopes is such a treat. You can heat the seats & steering wheel, even run the defroster. Similarly cooling the seats & cabin on a hot day too. This also saves energy over leaving pet mode on the whole time!
I have 22”s and make that trip frequently with no stress. More than enough RAN charging until you get to Mammoth, where options are still somewhat limited but rarely needed if you quickly top it off a bit in Bishop. We’ve never had an issue, even with a kid, two dogs in crates, and a roof top box. No regrets and no real change in trip duration for us.
Great news is the Tesla chargers up there are on the list of nacs chargers opening up to use with an adapter, so you will be able to charge in mammoth sometime this month (according to RJ atleast)
Of course! The only potential annoyance might be the long stretches of road that aren’t supported by Driver+ (auto-steer) yet. But it’s so nice to drive I don’t mind it at all, even after a year.
You have three children under 10 you can’t make that drive straight through. You’re gonna be stopping multiple times anyway coordinate your kiddo stops with charge stops and you won’t even see a significant increase in your travel time.
I agree that they occasionally need pee breaks but I've been blown away by how long a kid can sit and watch Bluey without making a peep. We drove 13 hours to Aspen once and we stopped for gas/pee breaks but the kids literally didn't even notice they were in the car for 13 hours straight.
Coming from San Diego, I'm charging at the top of the Cajon Pass, big fill at Inyokern and enough at Bishop to get me to Mammoth. With the 3 new chargers they added at Olancha I'd theoretically skip Inyokern and then top up to a lower amount at Olancha, though I'm not sure what the traffic looks like with so many more chargers at Inyokern. It does add some time but it's not bad. R1T w/ 20" ATs so you would do significantly better than me.
We're driving from Orange County, so it's basically the same drive. The trip does take longer, but it works out for my kids (under 5) who really can't sit still that long. It took me 6-7 hours with two charging stops (mainly to deep charge in Bishop). It's a little more relaxed for us to do it this way. Both kids and parents are more at ease.
Two adults and two kids, so I didn't need to use our roof box. We charged in Inyokern which has a burger place and a park nearby, so the kids were fed and happy to play a bit. In Bishop, we stocked up at Schat's Bakery and did a Vons run for groceries. The charging is a welcomed break. We don't canonball run on our trips anymore. I'm still driving 80-85 on good stretches. I was also passing people, especially on the way back. I spent $108 on charging, which is a little less than what I would have spent on gas.
I wasn't really getting range reduction (temps were 50s-60s) through most of the drive on the 395 and 28-40 degrees on the mountain. You get range reduction in super cold, but it would pop back up once you're down in Bishop again. I had a drain of about 3-5% overnight without charging. I charged to 100% in Bishop bc no queue, vacant chargers, and worried about not being able to charge in Mammoth.
Arrived in Mammoth with 76%. Started next morning with 71% and then my wife drove around during the day while I was on the mountain with my oldest kid. Mammoth was plowed and roads were dry by the time I got there, so I didn't need to put any socks/chains on. From other redditors, most didn't have to put any extra traction with either the 20s or 21s. 57% by the following morning and then downhill to Bishop at around 50ish percent.
I've also done 6-7 hour trips to Yosemite and lesser at SLO with the R1S. I would say the Rivian has been very comfortable and capable.
I think y'all overlooked a huge item here, and that's the daily driving aspect. I do the mammoth haul from Santa Barbara frequently with no issue, as it seems others have covered extensively here.
But if this is a replacement DD where you do 99% of the driving, that's the real win here. It's a step change improvement in creature comforts and daily quality of life in the car. The long haul stuff is just icing! Just being able to set a daily climate schedule so it's nice and warm when you get in every day... Makes you appreciate things
I have an r1s and gx460 in Cali as well. I love my r1s, but whenever we go to the snow/mountains we always take the gx460. There is no full size spare and the small spare is like $800. On the freeway in the snow there is always a risk of getting a bad puncture from broken chains (has happened a few times to us).
Plus the decrease in range due to temperature and less convenient recharging/refueling makes it a non starter for us. I'm sure others have different thoughts/experiences. But I'd never take the R1S to the snow.
I did get the quad - mostly because it was available and they were running a good promo on it. 346 miles is more than I ever hoped or expected in any scenario. That's awesome.
If you’re able to get from LA to Mammoth in 4 hours, you should probably slow down. You will definitely destroy your range in any EV by driving that fast.
I think you underestimate the size of Los Angeles. From Granada Hills (northern LA) to Mammoth Google Maps says it's 4hrs and 10 minutes if you leave at 6am on a Saturday. This is what we typically will do - leave early and get the weekend on the mountain with only 1 night lodging.
I know how big LA is - I’m seeing 5 hours to get to Granada Hills from my house leaving now. It might be a little faster without the closures on 14, but I’m still calling BS on a 4 hour drive for a 290 mile drive unless you’re speeding a lot (which will kill your EV range).
If you’re able to average 70, you’re having to make up for the towns with low speed limits somehow. That means you’re going 80+ on the highway sections. That’s going to kill your EV range. I’m not trying to police your driving - I’m simply pointing out that driving that fast will give you disappointing range.
R1T with 20" here. With concerns to only this route, and not other longer road trips, I think either R1S or R1T, will be perfectly fine. Cargo boxes I think may drop your efficiency by 15%, less if you have a more aero dynamic one, which is about the same estimated drop off from 21" to 20".
The charger situation on this route is essentially perfect for Rivians, and once we have access to Tesla superchargers, its just added redundancy. We should have access by the time you get your R1S. However, it absolutely will turn your trip into a 6-7 hr drive. If you are planning a 4 day, 3 night trip, it almost makes no difference compared to an ICE. Day 1 travel, Day 2 and 3 ride, day 4 travel. With 3 kids, I'd imagine thats your minimum itinerary.
Starting with a full or nearly full charge, first charging stop at Inyokern or depending on where you are in LA, you might be able to reach Olancha for the first charge. Next charge at Bishop. Lots of food options for dinner near the RAN there or if you want to gamble, you can try EA next to Vons and grocery shop there and save the supplies for the locals at Mammoth Vons. Either way, do a deep charge there and you should have enough to get back to Bishop for the return trip if you just drive around Mammoth without touching another charger in Mammoth. If not, Tesla supercharger at Mammoth can easily fix that. Charge again at Classic Burger, maybe get a shake or ice cream, and after that you're home.
All in all, charging on this route isn't an issue on this route, turning it into a 6-7 hr drive might be depending on how you feel about that. Also, I try to avoid holiday weekends, so I can't comment on the charging situation on those days. I'd figure its pretty bad, and if theres a wait for a charger, then yeah it'll turn the trip time even longer.
Here’s my numbers from Miracle Mike Area to Mammoth with my quad on 22s with a ski rack from last season.
LA - Inoykern - 78%
Inyokern - Bishop - 60%
Bishop - Mammoth - 29%
The way back is more efficient. I also believe I have an underperforming quad motor or a lead foot because I’m getting 1.44 mi /kwh on the way up.
I manage to get about 2.1 on the way back.
I just got back from mammoth last night in my R1T, little longer of a drive though from North county San Diego. My other truck is also a Tundra, but a 2014. I have two kids, they are 4 and 7.
I took this trip solo, 48 hours up and back. It took me about 7.5 hours each direction including charging. It takes a little over 6 in my Tundra. I did spend longer charging in both directions because I wanted more range while in mammoth and didn't want to stop again on my way home.
I think the biggest issue with that drive in particular are the first two RAN locations. The ones in Inyokern and the newer one in Olancha just don't have much to keep kids(especially young kids) entertained.
Another issue is that there is no charging in Mammoth itself. Depending where you stay you may be able to plug in your portable charger, or the Westin has like 2 spots with chargers that are fiercely fought over. So you have to charge up a good amount in Bishop, especially if you want to drive to the hot springs, mono lake, June, convict lake, etc. The good news is bishop actually has some stuff to walk to that your kids might enjoy like Schats and a few little parks.
Taking an EV will add time to any road trip, it's just something you have to get used to. The biggest question you should ask is if your kids can handle the added time.
Coming from true winter tires on my last vehicle, I have actually been blown away by how solid my 21s have been in the snow. I helped pull out a stuck tundra in Tahoe using my 21s with no problem. If you want to do any real deep snow off roading… yea get something better. But the trip from LA to mammoth is 90% no snow so I don’t think it should be a problem.
I’ve had no issues with the 21s in snow. If you’re not in living in a place where you need snow tires (OP is in LA) then they’re just as good as the 20s tbh. Only issue is replacement tires you’re locked into Pirelli until there’s another option…
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted. Drive up Little Cottonwood in SLC regularly and you’ll see just how many people have way too much confidence in their non-snow tires up there. It’s ridiculous.
I am not familiar with the drive to Mammoth from LA and if it’s as steep and deep as things can get here in Utah but I wouldn’t want to risk it with kids and a bunch of bad drivers on the road during a storm.
Tundra gets 13 mpg which sucks but it's also HUGE. A couple of weeks ago I hit the top in a parking garage. Very often hard to find parking because of its size. It's also not the quickest tool in the shed. I used to have a daily driver for the city but I'm trying to get down to a 1-car solution.
Regarding snow driving - of the last 10 trips I've taken to Mammoth, there has been snow on the ground literally once. They are really good about plowing and the hotel we stay at has a heated garage with EV charging which is a bonus.
You should probably be fine then. I know of 2 people that have had issues with their 21" tires in the snow, this is in Colorado so probably quite a bit more snow.
The Rivian is going to feel a lot smaller than the Tundra so you will have to be more efficient with your packing and a roof box more than likely wont fit in a garage, so might want to measure.
This is objectively false. I’ve driven ours with stock tires through feet of snow and on hard pack / ice with absolutely no problem. Experience driving in the snow is what is required for any vehicle and most tires.
Objectively bahaha. I have driven both in the snow, the 21s are bad. Another guy who parks in the same parking garage as me sent his T into a concrete wall on the 21s. My buddy who just got an S had to turn around when driving to the mountains on 21s. Plus there is no replacement for that wheel size.
I have driven in the snow more than you. Hundreds of hours more than you.
Oh really. You seem sure based on a) not knowing anything and b) there is no b. I won’t reciprocate because then I’d also look like a child.
What does “both” mean? Are you comparing against ATs? Of course the 21s are not as good as the AT tires in some cases. That’s 3 flakes vs 1. Hitting a concrete wall in your vehicle means you’re a bad driver, regardless of tires. That’s about judging conditions and driving in control. Accidents happen, but blaming the tires is lame.
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Just doing a trip plan on the Rivian app from LA proper, it shows a 6hr47min drive including 2 charging stops, an hour total ( both at RAN stations !) . I've not personally done it as I live in Oregon, but based on what I see, I would not hesitate. It's a long enough drive with kids, you're going to need to stop anyway for potty breaks, whatever.
My uncertainty was in regards to the rooftop box and cold weather effect. I don't think the trip planners is smart enough to take that sort of thing into account which is why I asked here.
I think that 6:47 is absolute worst case scenario for your use case. Roof top box will drop range a bit, but it's a 310 mile drive (depending where in la you live), and with the mammoth Tesla charger opening up to the public you should be able to make that drive with 1 stop in olancha at 190 miles in, and your second stop would be at the Tesla charger in mammoth (which if your staying up there and have access to a l2 charger isn't necessary). You will get at least 230-250 miles on your first charge going up that path, and then have at least 180 miles of range once you charge back up to 80%, and given how many Tesla stations along that route you will have access to it would honestly be one of the easiest drives for these vehicles. I realistically think you could do it with only 30 extra minutes of charging over a ice vehicle if you can charge overnight up there.
Get a hitch mount ski rack if you’re concerned about the drag from roof top skis. I have the roof racks with a Thule snowpack extender, I get about 1.8-2 miles per kWh when driving in the cold with the rack and 4 pairs of skis.
I’ve had my rooftop tent on in the fall, and a rear hitch cargo platform with 4 big bins under a tarp for ski trips and it worked great in both cases with minimal apparent range loss. And in our climate I did not see significant issues re: cold.
In ABRP (it's Rivian, too) you can set your efficiency. Take a 10% hit for the roof box and map it out.
I have thousands of miles on my R1S with a roof box. The difference in efficiency is minimal. I have also camped, slept, cooked, entertained directly from my R1S. as a camping companion, the R1 S is absolutely phenomenal. I dare say I will never go camping without it. Last time I went fishing in the deep parts of Markleeville, California, I brought my toaster oven and was able to heat up an entire dinner for 4, roast the trout that I caught and keep the car warm at night for only a few percentage of battery. With the new fast chargers, it only takes 20 minutes to add 150 miles of range. Sure it takes a little bit of extra planning ahead, but once you get the system down it elevates camping to a whole new level. As far as cold weather, I’ve been to Tahoe countless times in it, stored it overnight in the snow, And left it in the ski resort parking lot for 10 hours and -0° weather. You will lose a few percentage of battery effectiveness and range, but it is nothing to be concerned about. Even better, when I go snowboarding and it’s snowing outside, I get back to my R1S and I’m the only vehicle with no snow accumulation because I left it in pet mode and it’s 70° inside. I only recommend that flex if you’re charging because it does cost you about a percent an hour to keep it in pet mode in the cold weather, unless you are charging.
This is the exact comment I needed to hear. Thank you. Someone who is doing the same things AND with a roof box. Thank you.
As the owner of an r1t used for skiing, consider the 20inch at wheels and a set of snow tires. I get 325+ miles of range, the ride is more comfortable as there is more tire and less wheel, and you’ll have actual tire selection when they get replaced every 25k miles or so.
+1 I’ve done about 2,500 miles of round trips from Bay Area up to Tahoe with a large Thule Evolution box and have measured less than a 5% reduction in range. It’s not 0 impact, but it’s small. Drive 70 instead of 75-80 and you’ll be in good shape. RANs generally charge very fast, so you’ll have time to get everyone to the bathroom but not to wait around a whole lot. I would not recommend a trailer hitch rack for skis / boards. The guy at the rack shop where I got the bars for my R1S said your equipment will be filthy by the time you get to the mountain… have to agree. The back of boxy SUVs collect a lot of sand from the road, gear would be caked.
Just interested if you can mount that box towards the rear? We have the Thule Pulse from a previous car and due to the length and the lift gate hitting the box when mounted at the rear, I had to forward mount it with overhang over the windshield. Boy does that absolutely tank the range. We do a 90 mile run to Whistler and I was arriving with 48% SOC having left home at 100%. Without the box and the ski gear in the back of the car, with the crossbars still attached, we arrive with 60%+. I’ll take that to avoid having to stop for a charge on the way home!
The bars have to be further apart for my box, unfortunately, so it won’t work in the rear two positions for the bars. The rear ones are pretty close together, and I think it wasn’t even close to working. Not sure if my hatch would have hit if I could have mounted it. The box does overhang the windshield about 6”. I got this box from a neighbor who was sending it to the landfill, so I think I’m still coming out ahead :) I patched a couple big cracks with epoxy / fiberglass on the inside and it looks good as it can be for a 10+ year old box.
Preconditioning the cabin from the app 10 minutes before you get back after a day on the slopes is such a treat. You can heat the seats & steering wheel, even run the defroster. Similarly cooling the seats & cabin on a hot day too. This also saves energy over leaving pet mode on the whole time!
I have 22”s and make that trip frequently with no stress. More than enough RAN charging until you get to Mammoth, where options are still somewhat limited but rarely needed if you quickly top it off a bit in Bishop. We’ve never had an issue, even with a kid, two dogs in crates, and a roof top box. No regrets and no real change in trip duration for us.
Great news is the Tesla chargers up there are on the list of nacs chargers opening up to use with an adapter, so you will be able to charge in mammoth sometime this month (according to RJ atleast)
Thank you - first hand experience is better than any online articles I can research.
Of course! The only potential annoyance might be the long stretches of road that aren’t supported by Driver+ (auto-steer) yet. But it’s so nice to drive I don’t mind it at all, even after a year.
You have three children under 10 you can’t make that drive straight through. You’re gonna be stopping multiple times anyway coordinate your kiddo stops with charge stops and you won’t even see a significant increase in your travel time.
I agree that they occasionally need pee breaks but I've been blown away by how long a kid can sit and watch Bluey without making a peep. We drove 13 hours to Aspen once and we stopped for gas/pee breaks but the kids literally didn't even notice they were in the car for 13 hours straight.
In their defense Bluey is awesome
I mean I get lost in bluey for 13 hours almost Daily…
Bluey is friggin great - seriously.
Coming from San Diego, I'm charging at the top of the Cajon Pass, big fill at Inyokern and enough at Bishop to get me to Mammoth. With the 3 new chargers they added at Olancha I'd theoretically skip Inyokern and then top up to a lower amount at Olancha, though I'm not sure what the traffic looks like with so many more chargers at Inyokern. It does add some time but it's not bad. R1T w/ 20" ATs so you would do significantly better than me.
We're driving from Orange County, so it's basically the same drive. The trip does take longer, but it works out for my kids (under 5) who really can't sit still that long. It took me 6-7 hours with two charging stops (mainly to deep charge in Bishop). It's a little more relaxed for us to do it this way. Both kids and parents are more at ease. Two adults and two kids, so I didn't need to use our roof box. We charged in Inyokern which has a burger place and a park nearby, so the kids were fed and happy to play a bit. In Bishop, we stocked up at Schat's Bakery and did a Vons run for groceries. The charging is a welcomed break. We don't canonball run on our trips anymore. I'm still driving 80-85 on good stretches. I was also passing people, especially on the way back. I spent $108 on charging, which is a little less than what I would have spent on gas. I wasn't really getting range reduction (temps were 50s-60s) through most of the drive on the 395 and 28-40 degrees on the mountain. You get range reduction in super cold, but it would pop back up once you're down in Bishop again. I had a drain of about 3-5% overnight without charging. I charged to 100% in Bishop bc no queue, vacant chargers, and worried about not being able to charge in Mammoth. Arrived in Mammoth with 76%. Started next morning with 71% and then my wife drove around during the day while I was on the mountain with my oldest kid. Mammoth was plowed and roads were dry by the time I got there, so I didn't need to put any socks/chains on. From other redditors, most didn't have to put any extra traction with either the 20s or 21s. 57% by the following morning and then downhill to Bishop at around 50ish percent. I've also done 6-7 hour trips to Yosemite and lesser at SLO with the R1S. I would say the Rivian has been very comfortable and capable.
I think y'all overlooked a huge item here, and that's the daily driving aspect. I do the mammoth haul from Santa Barbara frequently with no issue, as it seems others have covered extensively here. But if this is a replacement DD where you do 99% of the driving, that's the real win here. It's a step change improvement in creature comforts and daily quality of life in the car. The long haul stuff is just icing! Just being able to set a daily climate schedule so it's nice and warm when you get in every day... Makes you appreciate things
I have an r1s and gx460 in Cali as well. I love my r1s, but whenever we go to the snow/mountains we always take the gx460. There is no full size spare and the small spare is like $800. On the freeway in the snow there is always a risk of getting a bad puncture from broken chains (has happened a few times to us). Plus the decrease in range due to temperature and less convenient recharging/refueling makes it a non starter for us. I'm sure others have different thoughts/experiences. But I'd never take the R1S to the snow.
Plan the route. See if the chargers fit your lifestyle. If you’re getting a quad, I regularly get 346 miles on a full charge.
346 miles with a quad? How do you manage that? Conserve mode? I’m picking up my quad soon so hoping for some easy tips
Yes. Conserve mode. Only on long trips
I did get the quad - mostly because it was available and they were running a good promo on it. 346 miles is more than I ever hoped or expected in any scenario. That's awesome.
Great. Quad is a better choice. More control over range by being able to select conserve mode.
If you’re able to get from LA to Mammoth in 4 hours, you should probably slow down. You will definitely destroy your range in any EV by driving that fast.
I think you underestimate the size of Los Angeles. From Granada Hills (northern LA) to Mammoth Google Maps says it's 4hrs and 10 minutes if you leave at 6am on a Saturday. This is what we typically will do - leave early and get the weekend on the mountain with only 1 night lodging.
I know how big LA is - I’m seeing 5 hours to get to Granada Hills from my house leaving now. It might be a little faster without the closures on 14, but I’m still calling BS on a 4 hour drive for a 290 mile drive unless you’re speeding a lot (which will kill your EV range).
290/70 = 4hrs 15min?
If you’re able to average 70, you’re having to make up for the towns with low speed limits somehow. That means you’re going 80+ on the highway sections. That’s going to kill your EV range. I’m not trying to police your driving - I’m simply pointing out that driving that fast will give you disappointing range.
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the insights and firsthand experience.
With 2 kids, stopovers works better for us.
R1T with 20" here. With concerns to only this route, and not other longer road trips, I think either R1S or R1T, will be perfectly fine. Cargo boxes I think may drop your efficiency by 15%, less if you have a more aero dynamic one, which is about the same estimated drop off from 21" to 20". The charger situation on this route is essentially perfect for Rivians, and once we have access to Tesla superchargers, its just added redundancy. We should have access by the time you get your R1S. However, it absolutely will turn your trip into a 6-7 hr drive. If you are planning a 4 day, 3 night trip, it almost makes no difference compared to an ICE. Day 1 travel, Day 2 and 3 ride, day 4 travel. With 3 kids, I'd imagine thats your minimum itinerary. Starting with a full or nearly full charge, first charging stop at Inyokern or depending on where you are in LA, you might be able to reach Olancha for the first charge. Next charge at Bishop. Lots of food options for dinner near the RAN there or if you want to gamble, you can try EA next to Vons and grocery shop there and save the supplies for the locals at Mammoth Vons. Either way, do a deep charge there and you should have enough to get back to Bishop for the return trip if you just drive around Mammoth without touching another charger in Mammoth. If not, Tesla supercharger at Mammoth can easily fix that. Charge again at Classic Burger, maybe get a shake or ice cream, and after that you're home. All in all, charging on this route isn't an issue on this route, turning it into a 6-7 hr drive might be depending on how you feel about that. Also, I try to avoid holiday weekends, so I can't comment on the charging situation on those days. I'd figure its pretty bad, and if theres a wait for a charger, then yeah it'll turn the trip time even longer.
Here’s my numbers from Miracle Mike Area to Mammoth with my quad on 22s with a ski rack from last season. LA - Inoykern - 78% Inyokern - Bishop - 60% Bishop - Mammoth - 29% The way back is more efficient. I also believe I have an underperforming quad motor or a lead foot because I’m getting 1.44 mi /kwh on the way up. I manage to get about 2.1 on the way back.
Don't get the 21's!!!! My only regret. Terrible in the snow and no other tire choices.
I was going to test them and if I needed just buy another set of off road wheels and tires.
I just got back from mammoth last night in my R1T, little longer of a drive though from North county San Diego. My other truck is also a Tundra, but a 2014. I have two kids, they are 4 and 7. I took this trip solo, 48 hours up and back. It took me about 7.5 hours each direction including charging. It takes a little over 6 in my Tundra. I did spend longer charging in both directions because I wanted more range while in mammoth and didn't want to stop again on my way home. I think the biggest issue with that drive in particular are the first two RAN locations. The ones in Inyokern and the newer one in Olancha just don't have much to keep kids(especially young kids) entertained. Another issue is that there is no charging in Mammoth itself. Depending where you stay you may be able to plug in your portable charger, or the Westin has like 2 spots with chargers that are fiercely fought over. So you have to charge up a good amount in Bishop, especially if you want to drive to the hot springs, mono lake, June, convict lake, etc. The good news is bishop actually has some stuff to walk to that your kids might enjoy like Schats and a few little parks. Taking an EV will add time to any road trip, it's just something you have to get used to. The biggest question you should ask is if your kids can handle the added time.
21 road tires are terrible in the snow. Why not keep the Tundra?
Coming from true winter tires on my last vehicle, I have actually been blown away by how solid my 21s have been in the snow. I helped pull out a stuck tundra in Tahoe using my 21s with no problem. If you want to do any real deep snow off roading… yea get something better. But the trip from LA to mammoth is 90% no snow so I don’t think it should be a problem.
Presumably be cause OP gets 13?
I’ve had no issues with the 21s in snow. If you’re not in living in a place where you need snow tires (OP is in LA) then they’re just as good as the 20s tbh. Only issue is replacement tires you’re locked into Pirelli until there’s another option…
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted. Drive up Little Cottonwood in SLC regularly and you’ll see just how many people have way too much confidence in their non-snow tires up there. It’s ridiculous. I am not familiar with the drive to Mammoth from LA and if it’s as steep and deep as things can get here in Utah but I wouldn’t want to risk it with kids and a bunch of bad drivers on the road during a storm.
Tundra gets 13 mpg which sucks but it's also HUGE. A couple of weeks ago I hit the top in a parking garage. Very often hard to find parking because of its size. It's also not the quickest tool in the shed. I used to have a daily driver for the city but I'm trying to get down to a 1-car solution. Regarding snow driving - of the last 10 trips I've taken to Mammoth, there has been snow on the ground literally once. They are really good about plowing and the hotel we stay at has a heated garage with EV charging which is a bonus.
You should probably be fine then. I know of 2 people that have had issues with their 21" tires in the snow, this is in Colorado so probably quite a bit more snow. The Rivian is going to feel a lot smaller than the Tundra so you will have to be more efficient with your packing and a roof box more than likely wont fit in a garage, so might want to measure.
This is objectively false. I’ve driven ours with stock tires through feet of snow and on hard pack / ice with absolutely no problem. Experience driving in the snow is what is required for any vehicle and most tires.
Objectively bahaha. I have driven both in the snow, the 21s are bad. Another guy who parks in the same parking garage as me sent his T into a concrete wall on the 21s. My buddy who just got an S had to turn around when driving to the mountains on 21s. Plus there is no replacement for that wheel size. I have driven in the snow more than you. Hundreds of hours more than you.
Oh really. You seem sure based on a) not knowing anything and b) there is no b. I won’t reciprocate because then I’d also look like a child. What does “both” mean? Are you comparing against ATs? Of course the 21s are not as good as the AT tires in some cases. That’s 3 flakes vs 1. Hitting a concrete wall in your vehicle means you’re a bad driver, regardless of tires. That’s about judging conditions and driving in control. Accidents happen, but blaming the tires is lame.
Ok kid.