What it’s like to road trip in a Tesla vs. a Rivian

Road tripping in an EV feels different, but you only notice it after a few hours. The quiet stretches hit harder, and the time kind of slows down. Still, both Tesla and Rivian have their own moods on the road. Sometimes it feels like the car is doing most of the thinking while you just follow along.

Tesla Model Y

The hum is soft but constant, almost like it’s part of the air. I remember driving into a long empty road with a song playing low and not saying a word for miles. The screen glowed a bit too bright after sunset, but I didn’t bother changing it. Price was maybe fifty-something, not sure exactly. It felt like the kind of car that takes you further than planned.

Rivian R1T

The R1T felt wide, solid, like the ground mattered more. The silence outside and the faint buzz inside mixed together in a strange way. I stopped near a diner, watched the reflection of tail lights in a window for too long. Maybe seventy grand or close. It carried the weight of the trip without asking much back.

Tesla Model 3

This one felt lighter, like I could drive forever if the road didn’t end. Still, there’s that whisper of power under your foot, subtle but steady. The air conditioning felt colder at night, or maybe I was just tired. Around forty grand, I think. It has that mood where you forget the time until the map says something.

Rivian R1S

It’s quiet, but not empty. There’s warmth in how it moves through space. I remember headlights reflecting on trees like a movie moment. Feels like seventy-something honestly. Also, I kind of missed the silence when I stopped for coffee.

Tesla Cybertruck

It doesn’t really feel like a normal car. The road sounds sharper, and I could hear gravel under the tires in a different way. I laughed once because it looked so strange parked next to regular cars. Maybe ninety or something like that. It feels like a memory before it’s even over.

Rivian R2

Smaller but doesn’t feel small. Driving it late at night, I caught myself turning the music down just to hear the wind. The seats held a strange warmth, maybe from the sun earlier. Probably around fifty grand. Still, I liked how it stayed calm on rough stretches.

Tesla Model X

I opened the door once just to watch it lift. The sound was soft, like a sigh. On the highway, everything blurred into one long silver line. Feels like eighty-something maybe. Also, there was this moment where the lights from another car danced across the dash, and I didn’t blink.

Rivian R3

Simple rhythm to it. The kind of drive where you keep your hand loose on the wheel. Music low, road hum steady. Around forty grand, more or less. The trip felt quieter in this one, but I think I needed that.

Tesla Model S

Something about this one feels like returning to an old road. Smooth, still powerful, but calm. I turned off the radio after midnight and just listened to the empty sound outside. Maybe ninety or close. It made even the long straight drive feel like part of something bigger.