Rivian Details Adventure Network, Waypoint, and Home Charging
By Edward A. Sanchez – March 20, 2021
Of the scores of EV startups vying for market share and consumer attention, one perhaps best poised to take advantage of the popularity of trucks and SUVs in the U.S. market appears to be Rivian. Thanks to funding and investment by such heavyweights as Ford and Amazon, the company that has operated in stealth mode for more than a decade is finally on the brink of a breakout, and consumer products on the road. As such, this week the company shared more details about its charging network and home charging products.
Rivian’s proposed Adventure Network will include 3,500 Level 3 DC fast chargers designed exclusively for Rivian vehicles.
The company announced a nationwide network of more than 3,500 Level 3 DC fast chargers at 600 locations by the end of 2023 for its Rivian Adventure Network, with a high concentration in California and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. The locations were also targeted to cover popular recreational areas such as Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Sites will begin opening later in 2021. These chargers will be reserved exclusively for Rivian owners, despite using the (non-Tesla) industry standard CCS Type 1 plug and port. The company is claiming these chargers will have a charging rate of 200 kW at launch, and a provision for 300-plus kW in the future.
In additional to the Level 3 Rivian Adventure Network chargers, the company also announced the Rivian Waypoints Level 2 charging network, with 10,000 charge points planned by the end of 2023. These will be located at shops, restaurants, hotels, parks, and other popular locations. These will offer plug-and-charge charging for Rivian owners. Unlike the Adventure Network chargers, these J1772 chargers will be open to the public, although specific provisions in regard to payment were not detailed.
Rivian showcased its Adventure Network (left) and Waypoint (right) chargers.
The company also showed its wall charger unit for home charging. Rivian is claiming this will offer a charge rate of up to 25 miles/hour at 11.5 kW, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity to enable over-the-air updates, and a weatherproof design for use indoors or outdoors. This charger will feature a J1772 connector and will be able to be used with any EV utilizing a J1772 port (including Teslas with a J1772 adapter). All Rivian vehicles will also include a portable 120/240V charger to use when on the road and at places such as RV parks.
Details on pricing and specific site openings will be announced at a later date.
(Images courtesy Rivian)
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