The Rivian electric truck now has a real-world range of 200 miles and comes with AWD
Rivian has begun delivering the first major technical update to its electric truck since production started in 2021. The update features a larger LFP battery that provides an additional 30% in range, along with a new dual-motor version equipped with all-wheel drive.
The American manufacturer confirmed this during its third-quarter 2026 investor presentation, stating that deliveries of the new variants began in the first days of October. This is the first significant upgrade for a truck that for years had remained stuck at a claimed range of around 160 miles (257 km).
A 129 kWh battery and all-wheel drive
Rivian had hinted at work on this update in its 2025 fourth-quarter shareholder letter, where it mentioned a larger battery and all-wheel drive “under development” to extend range on Amazon’s delivery routes. Today, that promise becomes a delivered product.
Rivian EDV Now Available
Photo by: Rivian
According to Rivian, the new variants are designed to expand coverage to more rural areas, combining all-wheel drive with an upgraded battery pack that offers "a 30% increase in range." EPA certification documents for the 2027 EDV 700, released on September 17, 2026, indicate a usable capacity of 129 kWh: about 29% more than the 100 kWh LFP battery in the current model, a figure consistent with what the company has stated.
Rivian EDV now available
Photo by: Rivian
The update applies only to the EDV 700, the largest model with 652 cubic feet of cargo space (about 18.5 cubic meters). Its smaller sibling, the EDV 500, retains the current battery pack and front-wheel drive only.
How much does real-world range change?
EPA tests yield unrealistic laboratory figures that are consistently higher than actual values because they don’t account for everyday driving conditions. The current front-wheel drive EDV 700 achieves a range of 261.7 miles (421 km), compared to 355.5 miles (572 km, +36%) for the new front-wheel drive version and 322.25 miles (519 km, +23%) for the all-wheel drive variant.
Applying Rivian’s claimed 30% improvement to the current 160 miles (257 km) range, the new front-wheel-drive version should achieve around 208 miles (335 km) in real-world conditions. Using the lower percentage gain recorded by EPA tests for the AWD variant, the estimate drops to about 195–200 miles (315–320 km).
Rivian EDV now available
Photo by: Rivian
Thus, all-wheel drive costs roughly one-third of the additional range, which is a reasonable compromise for a work truck. Rural routes involve longer distances between stops, along with unpaved roads, mud, and snow—conditions in which a front-wheel-drive truck loaded with packages struggles more.
Rivian Seeks Customers Beyond Amazon
This move comes at an opportune time for business purposes as well. Rivian’s truck business still relies almost entirely on Amazon, despite the exclusivity period ending at the end of 2023.
A Rivian truck with Walmart+ livery was spotted on a semi-truck in Indiana, though neither company has confirmed an agreement.
Amazon Delivery Electric Truck Rivian EDV on the Road
Meanwhile, competition has narrowed: General Motors halted production of the BrightDrop vans in Ontario, and Canoo went bankrupt, leaving the Ford E-Transit as the main large-scale electric alternative in the United States. Those interested in Rivian’s other models can also read about how many kilometers the Rivian R2 electric SUV can actually travel on the highway, or find out why R2 production has already moved to a second shift.
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