In 1886, a genius named Karl Benz got a patent for his 3-wheeled self-propelled machine known as the Motorwagen. He drove this incredible machine over dirt roads at no more than 10 mph. More than 135 years later the internal combustion self-propelled machines are still very much alive but with many more makes and models. They have become far superior in everything from suspension to fuel economy, from power output to onboard electronics. A true advancement for the modern age.
However, the past decade has shown growth in another form of self-propelled vehicles. This may be turning into the age of electric cars. They have considerable torque on command and are becoming much more affordable. A rivalry is brewing and to put it to the test, Edmunds Cars has released a new video on YouTube showcasing the Ram TRX and the Rivian R1T.
The difference? They are on dirt. Karl Benz would be proud.
The Dirt On These Trucks
What makes this video interesting is that unlike other videos on tarmac, it doesn't really show the off-road application of these trucks and that's what they're made for. Our host Ryan ZumMallen gets into the stats of the two trucks quickly, starting with the TRX, which boasts an incredible 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2-liter supercharged V8.
Impressive, but not when compared to the Rivian R1T, which has 835 horsepower and 902 lb-ft of torque provided by four electric motors.
The Drivers Of These Pickup Trucks
In the driving seats, we have Reese Counts and Jonathan Elfalan from the Edmunds' team. Jonathan is driving the TRX and straight away gets to the point that the Rivian on paper looks more powerful. However, for the first race, he hopes that using launch control will help his case. He tells us that he plans to dial it up just a hair, so he can get maximum launch. Meanwhile, Reese in the Rivian has a solid plan of just smashing the accelerator on go.
Electric Pickup Vs ICE
The first race begins at the 2:28 mark of the video in a flourish of theatrical, drone-captured, video footage. The music intensifies as the video gets closer to the trucks until 2:37 when the two trucks take off on the sandy drag way. The Rivian takes off like a missile, leaving the TRX way behind, quite literally leaving the Ram to eat his dust. A very clear win for the Rivian.
Our second race is a rolling start race which begins at 6:08. This race does not go any better for the TRX, and the R1T crosses the line first again.
The results are in with the TRX 0-60 time in 4.7 seconds, with race 1 getting a time of 13.2 seconds at 100.7 mph and race 2 getting a time of 12.3 at 103.7 mph. The R1T reached 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, with a time for race 1 of 12.4 seconds at 106.7 mph and a time for race 2 of 11.3 seconds at 109 mph dead.
This is a clear win for the Rivian.