RIVIAN R1S - MARYLAND TO HILTON HEAD, SC - TOWING ROAD TRIP

EV Channels Review

This video documents a 1200-mile road trip towing a 5000+ pound travel trailer with the Rivian R1S from Maryland to Hilton Head, SC, and back. The reviewer highlights significant challenges with the Electrify America charging network, experiencing numerous inoperable or severely underperforming chargers, particularly in South Carolina and Southern North Carolina. This led to drastically extended charging times, turning a 30-35 minute stop into over three hours in one instance. Despite these infrastructure issues, the R1S itself is noted to handle towing well, though the reviewer suggests aerodynamic improvements are needed by adjusting the trailer hitch height. The real-world efficiency averaged around 1 mile per kilowatt-hour, with potential for improvement to 1.2-1.25 miles per kilowatt-hour with better trailer orientation. The reviewer expresses strong disappointment with Electrify America's maintenance and reliability, emphasizing that such issues hinder EV adoption. While Shell Recharge stations were better, they also offered limited speeds. The trip ultimately served as a stressful but informative test of EV towing capability against the backdrop of a struggling charging infrastructure.