Rivian has introduced a wide range of updates to the R1S and R1T for the 2025 model year, focusing on improvements beneath the surface while keeping the exterior mostly untouched. However, according to a newly discovered patent, the R1S might be in line for another tweak in the form of a revised tailgate featuring a glass section that opens on its own. This feature is familiar to anyone who's used the Toyota Land Cruiser or the closely related Lexus GX.
The Toyota 4Runner also has something similar, although its rear window can actually roll down just like a side window, rather than opening out as Rivian’s patent shows. It’s a useful feature that allows you to retrieve or store items without having to open the entire tailgate. Rivian’s patent drawings show that this independently opening glass would be integrated into the current R1S split tailgate, maintaining the utility and visual character of the original design.
There may be more than just hardware updates in store. The same filing shows an interior equipped with actual physical buttons and knobs, something the current R1S doesn’t offer. It’s possible these would supplement the screen-heavy layout with tactile controls for climate or audio settings, easing day-to-day usability.
The patent also hints at gesture-based controls, potentially including the now-common feature that lets drivers wave a foot under the rear bumper to pop the tailgate. While there’s no word on when the R1S, and perhaps the R1T too, could be updated for a second time, it probably wouldn’t be at least for a couple of more years, particularly since Rivian has to focus on building the R2 and R3 models. Recent spy shots of the R2 revealed it will get a roll-down rear window just like the 4Runner, so Rivian is clearly thinking about improving practicality with its future models.
Rivian's potential update to the R1S tailgate design could be seen as a nod to the Land Cruiser and GX, while also offering a unique twist. By incorporating an independently opening glass panel, Rivian can enhance the functionality of the vehicle without altering its distinctive design.
