Exclusive: A Rivian electric SUV has been seen near Queenstown early today with it presumed to be heading to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground for winter testing.

The US electric vehicle manufacturer currently has two vehicles available, the R1T ute and the R1S SUV. But Motor Trend revealed this week that the brand was working on a “rally-inspired performance SUV designed to be as capable as a (Jeep) Wrangler and (Land Rover) Defender off-road and as quick as a (Porsche) Cayenne Turbo” on the road.

It has been dubbed the R1X, and will share underpinnings with the R1S though will be shorter and have two rows of seats. It will have an all-new battery pack and four electric motors, producing 895kW of power and 1625Nm of torque. 

The R1X will go on sale in quarter 4 2023, which makes it likely to be the vehicle the Wanaka resident saw leaving Queenstown today (Friday).

“I was driving towards Queenstown early this morning and passed it on the Crown Range,” the resident exclusively told AutoMuse. “I immediately knew it was a Rivian because of its headlights.”

The Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground (SHPG) near Cardrona is used during the Northern Hemisphere summer for cold weather testing by the motoring industry, including car and tyre companies.

The Wanaka resident later confirmed to AutoMuse that it was a Rivian as he passed it again as it was driving back to Queenstown around 1.30pm today.

Rivain told AutoMuse in June that its products were not available for purchase by New Zealanders. Since then it has announced the vehicles will be in Europe from next year and right-hand drive cars are planned to follow.

So we could see the Rivian electric vehicles here in 2024.