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Rebelle Rally has become a proving ground for the EV maker
Motorsports and off - route competition is n’t the typical fodder over here at TechCrunch — unless , of course , there also happens to be a ambo - deliver the goods team driving an all - electric 2023RivianR1T.
TheRebelle Rally , the longest off - route map - and - compass rally in the United States , wrapped up Friday evening with a unexampled EV milestone under its whack . This was the first time that a team driving an all - electrical vehicle ( that would be the Rivian R1 T ) come in first spot . The Rebelle Rally , in which all - woman squad competed along a 2,120 - km course using only paper maps , ambit and plotters , is in its eighth year .
The2023 Rivian R1 T , with Lilly Macaruso behind the wheel and Alex Anderson behind the compass and map , take first situation in the 4×4 class . ( An EV has yet to make the podium in the X Cross class . ) Macaruso and Anderson , who are both Rivian employee , come in fourth place in the 2022 Rebelle Rally . This year , in another first , Rivian customer Mandy Brezina took her personally owned R1 T in the competition . Brezina and navigator Alex Gilman finished 11th .
The Rivian R1 T , which Anderson and Macaruso playfully nicknamed “ Timmy , ” is actually considered a bone stock , meaning nothing apart from tires were change on the fomite that would pretend its public presentation . However , Macaruso and Anderson , both of whom solve Rivian , made a number of modifications to the interior to keep them organized during the event .
Anderson , a senior mechanical engineer atRivian , design a number of point that her co - workers helped wreak to life story , include insert for secure storehouse of a five - Imperial gallon water jug , incase the Department of the Interior of the A piller with velcro and fabricating mounts for a shovel and firing asphyxiator . Anderson also 3D impress an upper cup holder that hooked onto the center console table and a low tray that sat just below it .
“ All of these picayune changes added up for us , ” Anderson said after the Rebelle Rally reason out .
Proving ground
The Rebelle has also become a proving earth of sorts for Rivian .
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While Rivian locomotive engineer told me that“sand mode”was always the design , feedback from Hall as well as Rivian employees who have competed in Rebelle helped the company hone the drive mode . Rivian ’s 2022 Rebelle teams were instrumental in final validation of the software build , according to the company .
The latest good example can be obtain in Rivian ’s new 2023.38.0 software . In that OTA software update Rivian add a gauge sentiment , which adapts each drive modal value and devote actual - prison term info about the vehicle ’s batteryand motor temperature , torsion , steering angle , pitch and roll and tire pressure .
Charging up in the wilderness
The Rebelle Rally brings competitors far from established charging stations or gaseous state stations , for that matter . Rebelle has partnered with companies like Pennzoil for gas and Renewable Innovations for green atomic number 1 . What does green atomic number 1 have to do with charge an EV ?
Renewable Innovations has been providing DC fast charger for the race since 2020 . But until this class , the companionship used diesel engine generators to power up the chargers . The purpose , Rebelle Rally founder Emily Miller tell TechCrunch , was always to utilize H .
“ The biggest challenge was the EV base , ” Miller differentiate TechCrunch at the finish billet of Rebelle Rally 2023 .
It take twelvemonth to find the right partner , build out the base and ensure the 800 kg of green H ask for the 10 - twenty-four hours event , she added .
Today , there are four bang points useable to competitors . These chargers are trailered out to berth along the course for teams driving eV .
