When that trail-induced hunger hits, bust out the kitchen and whip up some eggs and bacon. No biggie—if you have the right setup. The Rivian R1T electric truck hides a nifty secret in its self-contained outdoor Camp Kitchen, a big deal for those who prefer to cook outside in the fresh air rather than inside a tiny box. The setup is not stored in the bed, nor is it bundled with some futuristic Rivian bed-mounted camper setup. Rather, like magic, the Camp Kitchen slides out of the truck’s Gear Tunnel storage compartment via the Rivian Gear Tunnel Shuttle. The Gear Tunnel, located between the cab and bed, is accessed from the exterior via drop-down doors on either side of the bed just behind the rear passenger doors.
To get the full gist of Rivian’s Camp Kitchen setup, check out this video walkthrough with Rachel, the lead design engineer. The kitchen consists of separate flip-up cooktop and sink modules that connect to the Gear Tunnel Shuttle (that’s the tray that glides in and out) by sliding onto the shuttle’s T-slot system. Support legs on the shuttle keep the kitchen sturdy when in use. In addition to holding the Camp Kitchen, the 6063 aircraft grade anodized aluminum Gear Tunnel Shuttle powers the Camp Kitchen.
Drawers located on the other side of the cooktop and sink area house a 30-piece kitchenware set from Snow Peak that includes a three-piece nonstick cook set, prep tools, water kettle, stacking mugs, tableware set, and more. There’s a coffee grinder and coffee drip for those accustomed to a morning pick-me-up, and of course there’s a charcuterie board for home-away-from-home charcuterie-ing. The pieces all fit nicely into molded inserts in the drawers, guaranteeing there’s no banging and jostling of the precious titanium goods.
The 1,440-watt two-burner induction cooktop looks slick and provides the heat to make any meal or snack palatable. Its smooth Richlite surface allows for easy clean-up. The collapsible sink includes a cover in the event that countertop space is preferred. What’s a sink without water? A spray faucet fed by a 4-gallon water tank nestles nicely next to the sink.
The Rivian Camp Kitchen x Snow Peak package includes the Camp Kitchen, Rivian Gear Tunnel Shuttle, and Snow Peak Kitchen Set—for a limited time, at least. The package adds a hefty $5,000 to the Rivian R1T, which has understandably created some skepticism about its value. But at least the Camp Kitchen isn’t a permanent commitment—it’s fully removable, leaving the Gear Tunnel Shuttle available to attach any accessories that Rivian may offer in the future.
The post Here’s How the Awesome Rivian R1T Camp Kitchen Works appeared first on MotorTrend.
