I'm going to cheat a little on this one. I didn't buy the Rivian Torch with referral points — it comes with the car. Every R1T and R1S ships with one tucked into the driver's side door. But it is listed on the Gear Shop at $175, and for those of you who don't have a Rivian yet (or lost yours), I think it's worth an honest look.
What Is It?
The Torch is a compact LED flashlight — about 6 inches long — that slides into a slot in the driver's side door of your Rivian. It charges passively while it's docked. When you need it, you press it in and it ejects from the door frame, ready to go. Up to 1,000 lumens, three brightness settings, IP67 waterproof, clear anodized aluminum construction, and up to 18 hours of battery life.
How I Actually Use It
Here's the thing — I use a flashlight way more now than I ever did before owning a Rivian. Not because the Torch is some life-changing invention, but because it's always there and always charged. That changes the equation completely.
I've used it for everything:
- Sump pump maintenance — crawling around the pit trying to diagnose an issue? Having a 1,000-lumen light in your pocket is a game-changer.
- Neighborhood watch duty — kids across the street were causing trouble in the park late at night. I was able to shine the Torch from our upstairs window, across the street, all the way into the park. That's serious reach.
- Power outages — when the lights go out, this thing lights up a room. Way beyond what I expected from something this small.
I own a couple other flashlights, including a 12-inch battery-powered one I always thought was pretty powerful. The Torch makes it feel like a toy. It genuinely changed my concept of what a flashlight can be and how bright something this compact can get.
Battery Life
Rivian rates it at up to 18 hours, and I believe it. I've never come close to running out of battery. Not once. Between the passive charging in the door and the generous runtime, battery anxiety just isn't a thing with this product.
The $175 Question
Here's where it gets real. The Torch is $175 on the Gear Shop. That's a lot for a flashlight.
For comparison, the Milwaukee REDLITHIUM 2161-21 — a well-regarded professional-grade flashlight — goes for around $50-80. Here's how they stack up:
| Rivian Torch | Milwaukee 2161-21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $175 | $50-80 |
| Lumens | Up to 1,000 | 1,100 |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hrs | Up to 14 hrs |
| Waterproof | IP67 | IP67 |
| Focus | 3 brightness modes | Twist focus + 3 modes |
| Beam Distance | Not rated | 175m (574 ft) |
| Charging | In-door passive | USB-C, swappable battery |
| Warranty | Standard Rivian | Lifetime |
| Charges in your door | Yes | No |
On pure specs, the Milwaukee wins. It's brighter, it has twist focus, a lifetime warranty, and costs a fraction of the price. You can get a very similar flashlight for $50 to $80.
But the Milwaukee doesn't slide into your car door and charge itself. And that's really what you're paying for with the Torch: the ecosystem. The fact that it's always there, always ready, always charged. You're paying for reliability and integration into the Rivian experience — and you're paying a premium because if you lost yours, this is the only thing that fits in that slot.
The Bottom Line
As a pure product, the Rivian Torch is a 5 out of 5. It's strong, it's high-quality, it's reliable, and I always know where it is. It has genuinely made me use a flashlight more in my daily life than I ever have before.
But at $175, I can't give it a perfect score. You're paying a significant Rivian premium — roughly 2–3x what a comparable flashlight costs from established tool brands. For a replacement? Sure, you don't have much choice. But as a standalone flashlight purchase, the value proposition is tough.
4 out of 5 stars. Incredible flashlight. Incredible price. Both things can be true.
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