Updated Rivian R1S spotted in Palo Alto

R1T and R1S are two key milestones in Rivian’s electric vehicle (EV) journey and soon we may see updated versions of these two Rivian models

X user @klwtts has shared a video of a Rivian EV. The vehicle was spotted in Palo Alto and heavily camouflaged except for the windows.

The video covers the rear side which includes taillights and diffusers. It hides a wide lightbar on the tailgate and Rivian branding followed by a Californian license plate.

A few camouflaged R1S and R1T have appeared in the past three months. Back in February, RivianTrackr shared a single shot of containing these two vehicles but this time from the front.

The camouflage is identical and carries a wide LED bar along with headlights. Still, not much difference could be seen from this point of view except the similarities with existing R1S and R1Ts.

Updated Rivian R1S and R1T (Image Credit: RivianTrackr)

Refreshed EVs are the mid-life cycle update for on-sale models. These upgrades are launched to regain sales attraction and increase the production momentum. Updated models also bring new design changes for better aerodynamics and efficient motor performance.

A rumor from the Rivian forum suggests that the R1 refresh will add a dual-motor version with 1,000 hp.

Rivian R1S (Image Credit: Rivian)

Rivian recently unveiled its new R2 and R3 crossover. Among these, R2’s design is inspired by R1S but in a mid-sized form. This vehicle will also start at $45,000, which is almost half of the price of the R1 series.

However, these models are slated to start deliveries in the first half of 2026. Until then, the company could release updated R1S and R1T to keep the sales momentum until the new models kick in the delivery procedure.