Rivian Patent Design For Bed-Mounted Tent

Rivian continues to explore new ways to improve the electric vehicle ownership experience.

The patent application entitled "Retractable Double Width Expanding Camper Shell" was filed by Rivian in 2022 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and published by the agency at 5.30 Am, indicating the potential for retractable tent upgrades for vehicles such as Rivian's r1T pickup truck.

With the design of a retractable tent attached to the bed, the truck bed can accommodate up to 3 mattresses. The tent features a rigid frame that can be extended using an actuator as well as a flat surface that is supported by the side of the bed and extends beyond the track. Rivian called it a camper shell/tent, and the exterior panels are made of collapsible material, so it looks more like a tent than a camper shell.

In the tent, 2 people can sleep in a truck bed and 1 additional person can sleep on both sides of the bed, up to 4 people can sleep. Can accommodate. For comfort, the system incorporates additional accessories such as inflatable mattresses, heating and cooling systems, solar panels and windows with mesh

In a patent application, Livian, the current canopy and rack system, designed for pickup truck beds, usually extends beyond the bed and does not cause excessive drag. He said that this would lead to a loss of efficiency. The Rivian design is fully enclosed within the truck bed when folded.

Rivian has not indicated whether there are plans to put something like a retractable tent into production, but other automakers have already obtained similar products. Volkswagen currently offers a line of camper vans with items such as retractable tents that extend from the roof.

A Rivian patent for a sunshade-like structure extending from a roof-mounted capsule also surfaced on May 5, and the company is also considering designing a removable roof, a bed-mounted workbench and a camp kitchen.