Leak spoils 2025 Rivian R1T, R1S changes: smaller, cheaper LFP battery meets heat pump for cold-weather performance bump

Rivian has earned itself a reputation for brute forcing its way to some very respectable range figures by simply using larger batteries in its R1T and R1S SUVs. Even the Standard battery pack has a reported 106.1 kWh capacity, while similar vehicles tend to make do with far less. This appears to be changing, if a new leak via documentation submitted to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) (via Electrek) is any indication.

According to the document, Rivian will be updating the R1T and R1S with a smaller LFP battery pack and a heat pump for better cold-weather performance and better efficiency. According to the report, which details certification testing and validation:

"Battery pack nominal capacity for Standard Pack is 235 Ah based on a constant current C/5 discharge rate.Standard: 92.5 kWh"

"Rivian has adopted a proprietary heat pump design to enhance the user experience and improve thermal efficiency."

Additionally, in the part of the report that specifies the test group description, Rivian confirms that the 2025 Rivian R1T and R1S refreshes will feature LFP batteries. This means the EV will likely cost less to produce, while the batteries will be more durable than the batteries found in Rivian's launch-spec R1 EVs. Rivian began its shift to LFP batteries last year with its commercial vans, but had intended to start the switch to LFP for the R1T and R1S in 2024.

So, it looks as though Rivian will be decreasing the total capacity of the R1 platform's battery packs by around 10%, although the certification documentation also claims that “Real world range is expected to improve over R1 Launch vehicles (which is equipped with conventional AC system) when cabin reheat or heating is required (roughly below 20°C).”

The company also claims in the report that it will be streamlining and bundling some components in order to cut costs and simplify manufacturing and assembly, indicating Rivian is clearly thinking about a way forward into profitable territory.

These changes to the Rivian R1 platform explain a puzzling Alaskan camouflaged Rivian R1T sighting that we reported on a few weeks ago, as it is typical to see cold-weather testing take place shortly before a new EV launches — especially one that is expected to see changes to things as critical as battery capacity and thermal management.

These battery changes only seem to apply to the Standard Pack and Dual Enduro motor trims for now, but there may be changes further down the line for the larger battery variants of the R1T and R1S.