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While the electric Rivian R1T is technically a truck, it’s engineered more for exploring the outdoors than for normal pickup truck work. Fans of traditional pickup trucks might be surprised to hear that the Rivian R1T’s bed can easily handle a stack of 4×8 sheets of plywood. Reviewers have found that the flexible bed can handle most things you throw at it.

How long is the bed in a Rivian?

The bed in a Rivian truck is just 54 inches long. That’s 4.5 feet, and the same length as the Ford Maverick. That said, an innovative design gives the Rivian R1T a loading floor over six feet long with its tailgate down.

Closeup of the bed of a Rivian R1T electric pickup truck.
2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

Can the Rivian electric truck haul plywood?

The new Rivian R1T electric truck can absolutely haul a sheet of plywood. The “gooseneck” tailgate hinges increase the bed’s loading floor when you drop the Rivian’s tailgate. The resulting space is 6’9″ long. A stack of plywood fits neatly between the wheel wells and hangs off the tailgate slightly more than one foot.

A man slides a sheet of plywood into the bed of a pickup truck, Home Depot visible behind him.
Pickup truck hauling plywood | Mario Villafuerte/Getty Images

When the folks at TFL Off-Road got their hands on a Rivian R1T, they immediately took the 4×4 EV to a Colorado ranch to put it through its paces. Test one was whether the all-new 2022 truck could haul a piece of plywood. What they found was very interesting.

When they threw a stack of regular 4×8 plywood sheets in the truck bed, it handled them admirably. Unlike some other trucks, its wheel wells are a full four feet apart, so the plywood could sit on the bed’s loading deck. The sheets hung off the tailgate a bit, but not enough to make the load unstable.

When the reviewers set one piece of plywood in the truck bed, they did not have many tie-down options. There are no anchor loops on the loading floor of the Rivian R1T. TFL found you can strap a single piece of plywood to the tailgate latch loops. A stack of several sheets, however, sits above the anchors in the bed of the truck and is easy to strap down.

What truck has a gear tunnel?

The main bed compartment of the Rivian R1T electric truck is just one of several spaces for hauling cargo. The Rivian R1T is also well-known for its 65-inch long gear tunnel. This truck-width pass-through sits between the cab and the bed and is designed with many purposes in mind.

A Rivian driver slides a duffel bag into the electric truck's gear tunnel under its bed.
2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

The Rivian’s gear tunnel has rubber floor mats, perfect for hosing out after hauling muddy outdoor gear. The entire compartment is actually waterproof. Its doors fold down and are steps to reach the vehicle’s roof rack. What’s more, these doors each have small compartments.

The gear tunnel is even powered: It not only has LED lights but comes with power plugs, both in 12 volts and 110 volts.

Next, read about why the Rivian electric truck’s ground clearance is the highest of any pickup truck or watch TFL test the truck on a ranch in the video below:

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