Meet Alex Honnold

Free Soloist. Sustainability Champion. Rivian Brand Partner.

By Rivian

December 20^th, 2018

This time last month, we were preparing to unveil the world’s first Electric Adventure Vehicles. On our way to the LA Auto Show, we made a pit stop in Nevada to visit a friend — someone who has been waiting a long time for the chance to go electric and get behind the wheel of the R1T — our brand partner and favorite climber, Alex Honnold.

Though we met Alex before we could show him the finished product — he embodied the kind of person we were making it for.

“Alex is magnetic. I think it’s because he is a seemingly ordinary person doing extraordinary things,” Rivian Creative Director Larry says. “The fact that he achieves mind-bending physical feats, then leverages that same determination and focus to make the world better for someone else — it’s infectious. It makes me to want to do more."

Beyond his superhuman achievements, including his ropeless ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan, Alex’s commitment to sustainability and social justice resonated deeply with our team. Through his organization, The Honnold Foundation, Alex uses his platform to reduce environmental impact and address inequality by supporting solar energy initiatives.

"Though climbing, I've been fortunate to travel the world and felt a responsibility to do something positive for it in return. The Honnold Foundation supports environmental projects that simultaneously improve the standard of living for communities and people who need it most."

Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos of Alex “No Big Deal” Honnold getting to drive the R1T before the rest of the world gets to see it. On hand to show him around all the bells and whistles — our founder and CEO RJ “How Hard Can It Be?” Scaringe — another ordinary human being with an unrelenting desire to challenge what’s possible and put something good in the world.

Alex’s (left), RJ (middle) and Ben (right) enjoying the moment.

Alex about to take the R1T for a little spin.

Alex, Ben and our creative director, Larry.

Roadside chat with RJ (left), Ben (middle) and Alex (right).

(Below) Rack break before Alex and his girlfriend, Sanni, take off for a climb. Despite his hectic Free Solo tour schedule, Alex still makes time to do what he loves most. We love that about him.

Some images shown may contain pre-production vehicles and vehicle specifications mentioned in this blog post may have changed. Please refer to our website or reach out to Customer Service for current vehicle information.