XPEL Puts Special Edition Rivian R1T to the Test

The road to SEMA is frothing with unexpected challenges. Will your car get out of the paint shop on time? Will the final assembly team make the load-in window? Will the overnight push before the show actually end before the doors open? For anyone who’s ever lived that pre-SEMA crunch, those questions hit close to home.

However, at XPEL, we do things differently. Chris Hardy, VP of XPEL North America, enthusiastically responded with “YES” when he was invited to take an all-new Rivian R1T Tri Motor Concept from XPEL headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Alex Jones, owner and CEO of Automobilia Auto Salon joined him on the journey. And in true XPEL fashion, we had to make it a little more interesting. How? We’d hit the rough and iconic route straight through the heart of the Red Sands.

Whenever we are approached to put our products to the test, we take them. Seeing as this special Rivian was equipped with our industry-leading STEALTH(™) PPF, we couldn’t help but put the material through its paces. And anybody who’s enjoyed navigating ruts and sand in the desert knows drivers will encounter a fair bit of vegetation that’s seen greener days.

“The Rivian R1T is an absolute dream to drive — a perfect balance of power, control and adventure,” said Hardy. “It conquers pavement with poise and dominates the off-road like a beast. We tore down dusty backroads, cut through thick brush and plowed into deep sand without missing a beat. The mesquite got gnarly, scraping along the sides, but thanks to our PPF, the paint stayed flawless. A quick rinse with hot water, and the film self-healed right before our eyes — just as promised.”

Our adventure was full of this – plus heat and dead mesquite emerging from mounds of eroded rock and shrub. As if they were reaching for the rejuvenating solar rays only to carve into every single side panel our Rivian had as we navigated the trails. Luckily, with STEALTH PPF, we were able to see the material and panels emerge unscathed.

The truck handled everything we threw at it. As for the STEALTH PPF, it lives to conquer another day of adventures while ensuring your car remains as wickedly menacing as possible.

“After a full week of pushing limits, all it took was XPEL’s DIY chemicals to get the truck gleaming and ready for SEMA,” said Hardy. “Honestly, if you call yourself a ‘car guy or gal’ and you’re not considering a Rivian EV, it might be time to rethink what that really means.”

In a year when EVs continue to redefine off-road performance, it felt fitting to let a fully electric truck blaze a trail toward the industry’s biggest stage. The R1T represents the future of overlanding. From desert dust to the bright lights of Las Vegas, XPEL STEALTH didn’t just survive the journey, it made every mile look effortlessly cool.