- Rivian made a brand-new powered tonneau cover for the R1T.
- The troubled automated bed cover is now at its third iteration.
- The first version started having problems soon after it was released, and the second version was quickly dropped.
Rivian R1T owners can finally get a brand-new powered tonneau cover that actually works, as the California-based electric car startup has officially launched the third generation of the troubled bed cover in its online Gear Shop.
The new version of the powered tonneau, which is priced at $3,300 (including installation), has been long in the making. The first version, launched in 2022 with the first batch of customer-spec R1Ts, was immediately riddled with issues.
Photo by: Rivian
Owners like Zack Nelson, who’s best known as JerryRigEverything on YouTube, experienced a tonneau cover failure less than 1,500 miles into his R1T ownership. The cover was loud, and it jammed either when closing or opening it, so Rivian eventually stopped making it altogether.
The automaker promised a revised version would become available soon, with CEO RJ Scaringe even showcasing it in a short social media post alongside a manual tonneau option. The second version of the powered cover started reaching customers in December of 2023, as noted by some Rivian Forums users. The service technicians who had installed the revised version said at the time that the mechanism had upgraded springs, an updated bottom panel system and reinforced gearing.
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Source: Rivian
That said, some owners who got the second-generation tonneau said that it sounded exactly like the first one, and questioned what actually changed under the skin.
Well, that version didn’t last long. After owners reported ongoing problems, Rivian stopped installing it last year. Now, a year later, a brand-new version of the powered tonneau has surfaced on the company’s website. The EV maker says that the new variant is water-resistant, opens smoothly in seconds, and is “virtually noise-free.” That last part is particularly interesting, as the previous versions were quite noisy.
The first two iterations of the powered cover had eight big slats that retracted at the push of a button. The latest, and hopefully much improved, version has smaller 36 roll-up slats. According to Rivian’s website, not all R1Ts are compatible with the redesigned tonneau cover. Some cars that came with a manual tonneau or without a powered tonneau might not be compatible with the new automated cover due to wire harness limitations.
The $3,300 price tag includes the aluminum assembly, mounting hardware and replacement trims, as well as the installation, which can be done at a Rivian service center by appointment only.
