Rivian R1T vs GMC Hummer EV : Watch Drag Race for Electric Truck Supremacy

Although we are only at the beginning of the electric truck era, it is never too early for some friendly rivalry.

That is why the folks at the Throttle House decided to drag race the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer EV, the first two battery-powered pickups to reach the market. And if you're familiar with the two vehicles, you might be surprised to learn which one won.

The intriguing contest is featured in the channel's most recent video, which was broadcast on Thursday (h/t Motor1.com). Although this is not an official race and no times were released, Throttle House attempted to balance the R1's (835 hp and 908 ft lbs of torque) with the Hummer EV's performance (1,000 hp and 1,200 ft lbs of torque). Both trucks are around 80% charged, have been dropped to their lowest suspension setting, and have been set to their maximum performance modes ("Sport" for the Rivian and "Watts to Freedom," or "WTF," for the GMC). Additionally, a Tesla Model X Plaid SUV is being used as a benchmark. When the green light flashes, it’s Elon Musk’s EV that rockets ahead of the trucks. Neither can catch up to the 1,020-horsepower beast, but the R1T finishes a full truck length ahead of the Hummer EV.

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Naturally, to ensure that everything was in order and to account for the Rivian's "street" tyres, Throttle House decided to run another race, this time from a rolling start and without the Model X Plaid in sight. Despite these changes, the results were consistent, with the R1T handily winning and even beating the Hummer EV to the line by a wider margin.

Therefore, how, therefore, did the R1T defeat the Hummer, a truck with 165 more horsepower and 292 more ft-lbs of twist? Both trucks are fitted with speed limiters, which contributed to the incident. The R1T has a top speed of 115 mph, while the Hummer is limited to 106 mph. A more compelling reason, though, may be the fact that GMC's vehicle is far larger than Rivian's. At 7,148 pounds, the R1T is far from light, yet it is in comparison to the Hummer EV. GMC's pickup weighs an astounding 9,046 pounds. That is a significant amount of additional weight to carry and one that cannot be overcome in a quarter-mile race.

We're confident that this is just the beginning of a long line of battery-powered truck drag races in the coming years. Between now and the middle of the decade, Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge will all release completely electric versions of their wildly popular pickup trucks. Perhaps even Tesla.

In either case, let the electric pickup wars commence.

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