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- Rivian and Nike ACG have transformed an R1T into a mobile aid station for ultra-runners.
- The truck carries slushie machines, ice chests, snacks, energy gels and a large shade structure.
- The setup will support runners around mile 80 of the Brink 100 Mile Trail Run, alongside a wider Rivian fleet with misting, medical, food and DJ support.
Rivian and Nike have turned an electric pickup into the kind of trail-running aid station you’d think was the fever dream of an ultra-runner after 80 miles. There are cold drinks, snacks, ice, shade and even a pair of slushie machines waiting at the end of a brutal day of running in the mountains.
According to MotorTrend, Rivian and Nike ACG have transformed a quad-motor R1T into the “R1T Recharge Truck” for the Brink 100 Mile Trail Run in Oregon. The build is designed to address some of the less glamorous problems facing ultra-runners: warm drinks, melted ice, limited shade and aid stations that are difficult to power in remote terrain.
What’s In The Rivian And Nike R1T Aid Station?
The slushie machines are an obvious crowd-pleaser. One will serve Coca-Cola, while the other has been loaded with a mango-pickle blend developed by Nike nutritionists. Not quite the Pepsi Challenge, but I can’t say I’ve ever thought to mix those two ingredients together. The truck also features separate ice chests for drinks and body cooling, plus a slide-out Gear Tunnel snack rack filled with energy gels, water additives and other trail essentials.
But aside from the impressive selection of energising treats and the promise of ice-cold recovery, it’s how much of the truck’s core setup can run from the R1T itself that has us paying attention. The truck’s onboard battery powers the slushie machines, lighting and other equipment, turning the vehicle into a mobile support system once it reaches the trail.
It won’t mean that every electric vehicle on the market is suddenly gearing up for an off-grid adventure, but it’s a clever demonstration of what an electric vehicle can do once it reaches a mountainous setting.
What Other Vehicles Are Included In Rivian’s Ultimate Aid Station?
The Recharge Truck is clearly the star of the show, but it won’t be operating alone. Rivian is sending a wider fleet of electric vehicles to the Siskiyou Out Back Trail Running Festival, creating what it’s calling the “Ultimate Aid Station”.
A second R1T will operate as the “Hot Fuel” station, using Rivian’s Camp Kitchen to prepare protein pancakes for runners who need something more substantial than an energy gel. Another R1T has been converted into a mobile DJ booth, giving competitors some music and morale support as they approach the final stretch.
Then there’s the Rivian R1S, which will serve as a medical support vehicle, offering blister treatment, cold compresses and support for other common ultra-running problems. And because the laws of thermodynamics are a thing, there will be two additional trucks shuttling ice between staging areas and the remote aid station.
Beyond the ice chests, Rivian has another cooling trick up its sleeve for the fleet. Rivian’s R2 SUV will power a motion-activated misting station positioned at the entrance, allowing runners to pass through a short “cool corridor” without stopping.
The setup has been designed to operate without diesel generators, with the vehicles using their own onboard batteries to keep the station running. The obvious upside, beyond removing diesel generators from the setup, is that the aid station should be quieter than the usual remote support setup with generators running in the background.
1/3How Long Does The Rivian And Nike ACG R1T’s Battery Last?
Rivian isn’t content with throwing a few coolers in the back of a pickup truck and calling it a day. The Recharge Truck has been designed to operate continuously throughout the event, which is expected to run for 38 hours and 40 minutes.
Large perforated sail panels made from Nike ACG’s recycled Radical Airflow fabric provide shade while allowing air to move through the station rather than trapping heat beneath. Kammok awnings add extra cover around the truck, while LED strips positioned on the canopy and hidden underbody lighting should help runners find their way during the early mornings and late nights.
The entire setup is also designed to pack back into the R1T when it needs to move. The shade structure fits into storage boxes on the roof rack, while the slushie machines, snack rack and remaining equipment return to their positions inside the truck. No tools are needed for setup or teardown.
Nike ACG is expected to deploy the R1T Recharge at other ultra-running events, while Rivian is reportedly looking at whether some of the custom gear could make sense beyond this single build. Not just for the practical benefits, but because a cold slushie and a few pancakes would go down a treat almost anywhere.
Why Is The Rivian And Nike ACG Aid Station Important?
The location of the Ultimate Aid Station is no accident. Nike says around 30 per cent of Brink 100 entrants are expected to drop out before the finish line, with many making that decision around mile 80.
That makes the R1T Recharge more than just a promotional display of what Rivian and Nike ACG can achieve together. It’s a proper intervention for runners on the verge of quitting. By mile 80, runners are likely dealing with fatigue, heat, sore feet and the creeping suspicion that they couldn’t possibly continue. A cold drink, a handful of energy gels, a misting tunnel and a DJ might not solve every runner’s problem, but they might provide just enough encouragement to keep runners moving.
The R1T Recharge remains a one-off built for a very specific kind of event, but it’s an impressive one. Rivian and Nike ACG have taken an electric pickup and turned it into a quiet, mobile support system for runners who are running on empty. Those slushie machines might be difficult to justify at every event, but the ice chests, storage systems and modular cargo setup could have a life beyond this one very entertaining trail-race build.
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