Blog Posts
Jan 14, 2022
by Roger Biermann Trucks / Comments
The age of tailgate wars is upon us!
Trucks have by and large not really evolved significantly over the last two decades. Sure, the chassis are stronger, there's more tech, and they can haul more, but when you buy a truck, you know what you're getting.
Electric trucks are really the biggest leap the segment has taken in a long time, but the world still isn't ready for a full switchover yet. Of late, manufacturers have sought to refine the details and make simple aspects of a truck more appealing and user-friendly, with multi-function tailgates becoming the weapon of choice.
Ram has a split swing-door design, Chevy has the MultiFlex Tailgate on the Silverado, and Ford will introduce its own design soon, as uncovered just this week. But now, electric truck maker Rivian wants in on the action.
In a patent filed with the USPTO and uncovered by CarBuzz, we see Rivian's take on the bed-step for the R1T.
Rivian envisages the central portion of the tailgate, when open, to separate and drop down, providing a midway point to allow you to step into the rear of the Rivian R1T. Side steps and bed steps are not new tech, but seeing how each manufacturer is implementing them is interesting. Ford's deploys from within the tailgate itself, while the Chevy MultiFlex system deploys a step from the upper portion of the tailgate when opened.
The Rivian R1T is already an innovative truck. Not only is it the first electric truck to actually hit the market, but it has a clever central Gear Tunnel that can be decked out with a kitchen among other cool accessories. When open, the doors to the tunnel on either side of the truck also act as functional steps.
There's no indication as to when such an accessory might be available, but given the integration of automatic functions in the R1T already, expect the step to be deployable via a button on your key fob.
