Rivian is opening its charging community to different automakers’ electrical automobiles for the primary time. Starting with its new station in Joshua Tree, California, the EV model has begun to supply chargers appropriate with non-Rivian automobiles. Drivers can anticipate different Rivian stations to observe swimsuit earlier than the top of the 12 months.
At the moment, the 560 chargers alongside Rivian’s “Journey Community” possess Mixed Charging System (CCS) plugs—the business normal. Just about each non-Tesla EV up to now makes use of CCS to facilitate DC quick charging. However these with legacy automakers’ EVs nonetheless cannot use Rivian chargers. Rivian makes use of particular software program to make its chargers unique to Rivian drivers, and it solely accepts fee through the Rivian app.
To obtain funding from the federal authorities to construct new charging stations, nonetheless, automakers at the moment are required to make their stations appropriate with all EVs. That is why Tesla dubbed its once-proprietary charging port the North American Charging Commonplace (NACS) final 12 months, and vowed to make the expertise open to different EV manufacturers. Extra automakers are switching to NACS, together with Rivian, which is able to start to provide NACS-compatible automobiles in 2026. Within the meantime, its R1S and R1T are CCS-exclusive.
Credit score: Rivian
Located a couple of miles away from Joshua Tree Nationwide Park, Rivian’s new “charging outpost” options 12 chargers, a classy present store, an indoor-outdoor lounge space, and restrooms that require the Rivian app to unlock. In contrast to Rivian’s different 92 stations, the outpost’s chargers lack the software program that blocks drivers from juicing up their non-Rivian EVs. The chargers additionally function extra-large screens with a tap-to-pay choice that precludes drivers from having to obtain yet one more brand-specific app. This implies Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Kia, Volkswagen, and different non-Tesla EV drivers will have the ability to use the Rivian charging outpost; Tesla drivers might want to provide their very own CCS-to-NACS adapter.
Rivian reportedly plans to make its forthcoming Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas charging websites, that are set to open earlier than the top of 2024, equally pleasant to non-Rivian EVs. The model may also retrofit present stations with software program updates that take away their Rivian exclusivity. As Rivian adopts NACS, it is going to replace its stations with NACS-native {hardware}.
