Is there life after Tesla? All over the world, for various reasons, a lot of electric vehicle owners are asking themselves that question right now. While many competitors are catching up or even surpassing the Elon Musk-led automaker these days, most EVs on the road globally are from Tesla. Figuring out what’s next is can be a big adjustment.
YouTuber Robert Rosenfeld is one such owner who’s asking himself that question. We have covered his videos before. He has only owned Tesla EVs since 2019, going from the Model Y to the Model X and now to a Cybertruck and building up his YouTube channel along the way. But when he got the chance to see how “the other half lives,” as he put it, he went for it, driving only a loaner 2025 Rivian R1S for a week.
I’ll spoil the ending a bit here. Rosenfeld likes the R1S, but decides to keep the Tesla for reasons we’ll cover next. (It’s also worth noting that he has a big audience of Tesla devotees and is slinging referral codes as part of his videos, so officially making the switch may have had bigger implications for what he does.)
Yet this is still a good look at the differences between two of the most advanced EVs for sale in America right now. Rivian and Tesla are the only two brands that I believe make truly software-defined vehicles for first-rate smartphone app integration and continual over-the-air updates. And anecdotally, when I talk to Tesla owners looking to move on, Rivian’s EVs are often at the top of their list—although right now, Rivian’s choices are fewer and more expensive than Tesla’s lineup. That should change next year with the debut of the $45,000 Rivian R2.
In terms of pricing, this R1S Tri-Motor Max Pack costs about $111,000, making on par with a well-equipped Cybertruck or Model X Plaid. This Rivian configuration would get 371 miles of range, handily beating the Model X’s 314 miles and the Cybertruck’s 325 or 301 miles, depending on its configuration.
So how do these two brands really stack up? First and foremost, Rosenfeld likes the customization and options of Rivian’s R1S and R1T, including trim levels, colors and wheels. Tesla’s configurability is far more sparse. But he likes the boxy design, versatility and SUV capability of the Rivian too. “I’ve got a whole lot of room for hauling, which is nice,” he said.
Photo by: YouTube
Rosenfeld is obviously a veteran of Tesla’s “very few buttons” approach, so he’s at home in the Rivian. (Personally, I wish both brands would add more physical controls.) He feels like it’s a premium vehicle inside and said it “checks most of the boxes,” but admits Rivian’s adventure-y vibe isn’t quite his jam. To each their own.
Rosenfeld heaps a lot of praise on the 360-degree top-down camera system and said he wishes Tesla would adopt something similar. He also really loves the driving experience and admits that even Tesla fans would like the increased degree of customization over the R1S’ driving dynamics: adjustable regenerative braking, customizable displays, different driving modes and so on. “I’d have no qualms about taking this on a road trip,” he added.
Photo by: YouTube
But Rosenfeld said that software is what keeps him loyal to Tesla. He doesn’t love the Rivian’s menu setups (in part because it’s just different from what he’s used to) and he feels like the maps and HVAC controls are clunky. Frankly, I’m not a fan of the climate controls on either car and wish both of them would add some air vents. He’s also a big user of Full Self-Driving, which many Tesla owners are not, and said that not having a direct Rivian equivalent is a letdown. Right now Rivian is just now branching into hands-free highway driving assistance but has more plans for autonomy down the road.
In the end, Rosenfeld likens the experience to Apple vs. Android: one company tells you exactly what you’re going to get, and the other offers a lot more options, customizations and configuration. It can be tough to switch ecosystems, but I’d argue it’s a little easier for your car than it is for your smartphone and gadget universe.
If you want a second opinion, check out this video from YouTuber Darren Byrd, a pilot who normally makes content about aviation but just posted a video about trading in his Model X for a similar R1S. He explains the upsides and downsides in a very fair way, but overall, he’s happy with his purchase. “The R1S is a more normal car that happens to be electric” than his Falcon Door-equipped SUV was, he said.
In the end, for those considering moving on from Tesla, I’d tell them to ask themselves this: what did you like most about your car? If it was range and ease of charging access, I’d recommend the new NACS-equipped Hyundai Ioniq 5. If was software, arguably Rivian is the closest Tesla competitor and likely to close any existing technology gaps soon enough. If it was performance, very few EVs are slow, but the Polestar 3 or the Porsche Taycan are always compelling options. And the entire field of options is getting better all of the time.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
