Rivian launches smaller $1,400 camp kitchen, 5 years after initial demo

The Rivian camp kitchen attracted buzz from almost the moment it appeared as a prototype in 2019 at Overland Expo West. Despite interest in the accessory, Rivian never actually sold the camp kitchen, which was kind of massive and designed to slide into the R1T pickup truck’s trademark gear tunnel.

Until now. Sort of.

The company launched Thursday a new reimagined and renamed — and importantly, smaller and cheaper — “travel kitchen” that retails for $1,400. And unlike its prototype predecessor, this one is available immediately. The travel kitchen and its related add-ons are part of Rivian’s broader push to establish itself as a brand aligned with outdoor enthusiasts — and make a little extra money in the process. Earlier this year, the company showed off a new “treehouse” rooftop tent, one of the many accessories the automaker plans to sell alongside its next-generation R2 SUV and future R3 EVs. The rooftop tent is equipped with a movie projector, which is run using power from the Rivian.

The original camp kitchen shown five years ago was a bit beastly and actually required a special shuttle system to be affixed to the inside of the R1T pickup truck’s gear tunnel, allowing it to slide in and out for use. That version cost $5,000 for the kitchen and $1,500 for the shuttle system. It also had a few items that this version does not, such as the refillable water tank.

This new version is smaller and folds up, making it easy to move from the frunk or gear tunnel to the tailgate for use. The travel kitchen comes with a two-burner induction cooktop — the burners are optimized to share 1500W — that can be powered by R1 vehicles or any 120V power source with 15A of current, according to Rivian.

The travel kitchen also includes a food-safe prep space, designed to remain level on tailgates, and dimmable lights with retractable poles that can be set up for nighttime cooking or to create those Instagram-able moments. The poles retract and can be stowed in the kitchen’s storage drawer.

Keeping with Rivian’s branding as an environmentally sustainable company, the travel kitchen comes with a cutting board made from recycled materials; the inside of the kitchen is made from castor plants.

Rivian is also selling a bunch of add-on accessories for the travel kitchen, from cookware and utensils to an apron and a coffee grinder. The automaker isn’t making these accessories; instead the company partnered with established outdoor company Snowpeak to deliver these goods.