{"id":27121,"date":"2021-03-31T09:48:15","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T13:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=27121"},"modified":"2021-03-31T09:57:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T13:57:36","slug":"ev-maker-rivian-plans-tesla-like-mega-charging-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/ev-maker-rivian-plans-tesla-like-mega-charging-network","title":{"rendered":"EV-maker Rivian plans Tesla-like, mega-charging network"},"content":{"rendered":"

Electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive is borrowing\u00a0a page from Tesla Inc. and building an exclusive, fast-charger network for its coming R1T pickup and R1S SUV.<\/p>\n

Dubbed the Rivian Adventure Network, it promises an ambitious, 600 super-charging stations offering 3,500 chargers by 2023 on routes across the United States\u00a0and Canada.\u00a0The chargers will be exclusive to Rivian owners, though a\u00a0secondary, so-called Waypoint\u00a0network of 10,000, 240-volt chargers will be open to the public at hotels and other businesses.<\/p>\n

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With big capital reserves, Rivian and Tesla are\u00a0separating\u00a0themselves from the electric-vehicle\u00a0pack by building exclusive charging networks. Other\u00a0legacy automakers (as well as less capitalized EV startups like Lucid\u00a0and Fisker\u00a0Inc.)\u00a0intend to rely on third-party, fast-charging networks like Electrify America, Chargepoint and EVGO.<\/p>\n

Each Rivian charging station will operate six chargers on average at speeds starting at 200 kW (with planned 300 kW). Tesla’s 150-250 kW fast-charging stations \u2014 “Super Chargers” in Tesla speak \u2014 average nine stalls per station with the largest housing 56 stalls south of San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Tesla\u2019s Supercharger network launched in 2012 with its Model S sedan and has grown to 1,101 stations across North America. It has added enormous overhead cost to the young electric automaker\u00a0\u2014\u00a0but has also been a key factor in establishing its EV dominance as Teslas can reliably slake their thirst for electrons\u00a0on long-distance trips.<\/p>\n

Competitors like the Chevy Bolt, GMC Hummer EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Volkswagen ID.4, by contrast, cannot use Tesla or Rivian fast chargers. They must rely\u00a0on the\u00a0patchwork of third-party chargers.<\/p>\n

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Legacy automakers hope Electric America’s fast-growing network of 500 stations (built by VW as penance for the Dieselgate scandal) \u2014\u00a0as well as anticipated spending\u00a0from electric utilities and the Biden Administration’s forthcoming, $3 trillion infrastructure bill \u2014 will help them\u00a0compete.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Our) nationwide network of DC fast chargers are capable of adding up to 140 miles of range in 20 minutes to the R1T and R1S,\u201d said Rivian in announcing its network on its website.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rivian Adventure Network is designed for quick recharges so you can keep moving. Los Angeles to Tahoe. Manhattan to the Adirondacks.\u00a0I-70 to The Rockies. Michigan\u2019s UP via I-75. The entire Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah National Park down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The network also extends further into more remote destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The remote destination promise dovetails with Rivan\u2019s marketing as an adventure brand bringing battery power to off-road vehicles.\u00a0The brand is aimed\u00a0at well-heeled\u00a0overlanders who\u00a0want to get away to national parks and other locations.<\/p>\n

Rivian promises its Waypoint 240-volt, “Level Two” chargers in every state park. It jump-started that goal this week by committing to install at least two charging stations in all 42 Colorado state parks by July.<\/p>\n

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The EV-maker\u00a0is also committed to producing 10,000, battery-powered delivery trucks for Amazon by 2022 (100,000 by 2023) \u2014\u00a0but the Rivian Adventure Network will operate separately from infrastructure charging those trucks.<\/p>\n

Rivian says its charging network will be conveniently located on highways and roads near cafes and shops. Tesla Superchargers are commonly found at Meijer mega-stores with dining and shopping nearby to kill time while its vehicles charge up to an hour depending on the amount of range required. Electrify America stations are frequently found at Walmarts. A Toledo area EA station is located at a Ohio turnpike service plaza.<\/p>\n

Rivian says that details on pricing will be released for customers soon. Third-party charging companies typically have subscription plans with some automakers covering their costs for first-time EV buyers. Tesla rolled out its service free to Model S owners in 2012 but has since begun charging as more vehicles\u00a0like the hot-selling Model 3 sedan have come to market.<\/p>\n

Unlike Tesla, Rivian\u2019s plug\u00a0is based on the common\u00a0CCS American standard so R1Ts, for example, can plug directly\u00a0into EA fast chargers. Teslas require an adapter.<\/p>\n

Utilities are getting in on the fast charging act, too. Six Midwest utilities \u2014\u00a0including Consumers\u00a0and DTE Energy \u2014\u00a0have committed to building a fast-charging network from Michigan to Kansas by 20022. Currently, Consumers claims fast-charging stations in Cadillac, Gaylord, Marshall, Big Rapids and Saugatuck, with plans for 30 more.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re excited to see automakers like Rivian building their own networks,\u201d said Kellen Shefter, Electric Transportation director for the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the power industry. \u201cTesla\u00a0has used their network to serve and build loyalty with their customers, so we\u2019re not surprised to see Rivian\u00a0following suite.\u201d<\/p>\n

EEI\u00a0expects 20 million EVs on the road by 2030 (up from an estimated 1.4 million\u00a0today). Shefter\u00a0says the numerous parallel fast charging networks bring\u00a0high voltage power into new areas like shopping centers but that the ramp up will be evolutionary\u00a0and should not strain the power grid.<\/p>\n

Rivian claims its chargers will be \u201cpowered by 100% renewable energy.\u201d That\u2019s likely a reference to company plans to buy carbon offsets like Renewable Energy Certificates \u2014 as the Adventure Network will draw juice from a power grid made up of natural gas, coal, and nuclear power.<\/p>\n

The secondary, 10,000 Level Two Waypoint chargers will be found at\u00a0restaurants, hotels, and campsites, to deliver up to 25 miles of range an hour.<\/p>\n

Like Tesla, Rivian plans charging management\u00a0via in-vehicle navigation or through a phone app. Details will be forthcoming as R1Ts and R1Ss roll\u00a0off\u00a0Rivian’s Normal, Illinois, manufacturing line this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the road, our in-vehicle navigation automatically routes you through any needed charging stops, prioritizing Rivian chargers as well as DC fast chargers from CCS partner networks,\u201d says the company of its vehicles, which boast up to 300 miles of range. \u201cSimply enter your destination, our maps will plan charging for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The EV maker with operations in Plymouth and California\u00a0offers a wall charger for home installation at\u00a0vehicle purchase. EV makers recommend 240-volt charger installations for about 16 miles of charge per hour. A standard, 120-volt outlet returns a meek few miles of charge per hour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive is borrowing\u00a0a page from Tesla Inc. and building an exclusive, fast-charger network for its coming R1T pickup and R1S SUV. Dubbed the Rivian Adventure Network, it promises an ambitious, 600 super-charging stations offering 3,500 chargers by 2023 on routes across the United States\u00a0and Canada.\u00a0The chargers will be exclusive to Rivian owners, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27122,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27121\/revisions\/27122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}