Pirelli Scorpion range selected for Rivian electric vehicles

Electric vehicle start-up Rivian’s R1T pickup, which begins production in June 2021, and its R1S electric SUV will roll off production lines on Pirelli’s Scorpion range. The premium tyre manufacturer has developed special versions of its Scorpion Verde All Season, Scorpion Zero All Season and Scorpion All Terrain tyres to meet the OEM’s specifications. The OE fitments follow its “Pirelli Perfect Fit” strategy – all Pirelli tyres developed for Rivian have a special marking on the shoulder: RIV and Elect. The latter denotes Pirelli’s development of tyres for electric vehicles, which play a crucial role in key EV performance goals; safety, performance, and range optimisation.

Pirelli says its Elect-marked tyres offer a number of advantages for electric vehicles. Low rolling resistance helps to maximise range. Their lower noise accentuates another advantage of electric driving. Finally, Pirelli’s Elect tyres offer improved traction in line with the intense demands from the transmission. Electric motors deliver the maximum torque available right from the bottom of the rev range, so they need tyres that can bite into the asphalt instantly.

Pirelli and Rivian co-developed these products over almost two years, and this collaboration has resulted in three special edition tyres: 20, 21 and 22 inches. The 21” Scorpion Verde All Season has a unique global size, introduced specifically for Rivian: 275/55 R21.

Pirelli says its technical partnership with Rivian underlines its focus on sustainable mobility and American car brands.

The Rivian R1T electric pickup also runs on redeveloped Pirelli Scorpion range tyres (Photo: Rivian/Pirelli)

Scorpion Verde

The Scorpion Verde (Italian for green) All Season is Pirelli’s eco-friendly Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tyre developed for the drivers of crossovers, sport utility vehicles and pickups. Pirelli says Rivian’s low rolling resistance targets were the main challenge for its technicians in developing a dedicated version of these tyres. Pirelli worked on a higher-silica compound that decreases the vehicles’ energy consumption for the range. They then worked on a dedicated design of the mould, narrowing the tread pattern, and keeping an optimal footprint pressure distribution. In this case reducing surface-to-ground contact translates into less energy dissipation.

Pirelli’s Scorpion Verde All Season tyres for Rivian are constructed from lighter raw materials that do not compromise durability or performance, Pirelli says. The Rivian version of the Scorpion Verde All Season therefore increases efficiency and range, while combining dry and wet road handling, comfort and year-round capabilities, including all-season traction in light snow

Scorpion Zero

While “Verde” defines environmentally friendly tyres with low rolling resistance and weight, “Zero” indicates Pirelli’s high-performance range. The Scorpion Zero All Season is developed for powerful crossovers and SUVs, as well as sport-tuned and performance pickup trucks. It combines high-performance capability with all-season utility, including the ability to drive in snow.

Rivian asked Pirelli to develop a “grippier” version of the tyre. To achieve this, Pirelli’s engineers introduced nano-composite compounds to ensure maximum grip and stability. Then they focused on the tread pattern, introducing a dedicated mould with a larger tread width, able to provide more contact area and, consequently, leading to a better handling performance. Pirelli says this has been achieved “without compromising the low rolling resistance targets needed to support a longer vehicle range.”