Photo: Rivian, @ORourkeSean via X, Isaiah Louis via Rivian Forums
Rivian discontinued its very impressive Camp Kitchen in 2022, although it promised to work on an improved variant. Two years later, a new model arrived at a much lower price, but R1 owners are not convinced it’s worth the money.
Things have lingered for longer than expected, something that we’ve also seen with other Rivian parts and accessories, including the powered tonneau cover. Last year, Rivian quietly removed the Camp Kitchen and the accompanying Gear Tunnel Shuttle from the Gear Shop after they were previously listed as “Coming Soon.” People lost hope that Rivian would ever consider bringing an updated variant of the Camp Kitchen to the Gear Shop. However, third-party accessory suppliers were happy to step in and fill this void.
During the R2 launch in March, Rivian teased a new Travel Kitchen concept. Instead of a full-featured kitchenette, this is more like a briefcase integrating an induction cooktop and a storage area. When open, it’s the size of the tailgate, and it will easily fit all current and future Rivian EVs, not just the R1T. Its main feature is arguably the “hot dog light,” a light stripe that attaches to two poles and illuminates the cooking surface. This new design has been showcased recently during an R2 promo event in Pasadena.
To work as a camp kitchen, this briefcase cooker must be complemented by a storage box designed to attach to the R2’s Accessory Port. It’s unclear whether this is possible on the R1 vehicles, which don’t come with such a port. Due to the simplified design, the price has dropped tremendously to $1,400. However, people still wonder if it’s worth paying that much for a glorified induction stove. The initial reception has been mixed, as people’s comments on social media revealed.
The original Camp Kitchen was indeed expensive, and it was likely that not many R1T owners would have ordered it. This made it hard to justify economically, especially As Rivian struggles with cash burn. However, the new design lacks a unique selling feature, as you can buy a two-zone induction cooker for less than a tenth of the price. That would make it a lot easier to store when not in use, and if you’re picky, you can DIY a briefcase that mimics the one that Rivian sells.
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