Rivian Adventure Network Opens First Chargers to All EVs

Rivian, the California-based automaker that manufactures the electric R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck, is following in Tesla’s footsteps and opening parts of its proprietary charging network to electric vehicles of all makes. Like Tesla, the company appears to be motivated in part by government subsidies aimed at expediting the build-out of a public-charging infrastructure that will support a rapid transition to EVs, noting in a statement that chargers available to all “meet the design and siting requirements to be eligible for relevant federal and state infrastructure funding, allowing Rivian to further expand its charging infrastructure with a keen focus on reliability and access for all EV drivers.”

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Big Moves for a Little Network

While the announcement is meaningful for Rivian and its customers, it is less impactful than Tesla’s decision. Tesla operates approximately 2,500 Supercharger stations in the U.S. with more than 28,500 plugs — more than half of the publicly available DC fast chargers in the country. Rivian’s Adventure Network comprises only about 100 stations, most with six plugs apiece.

For now, non-Rivian EV drivers looking to use the Adventure Network have access to exactly one charging station, appropriately situated in Joshua Tree, Calif. Featuring the company’s next-generation hardware, the location can support charging at up to 900 volts, which will allow the fastest-charging EVs to add dozens or even a hundred or more miles of range in just minutes. Rivian says it expects to open additional next-gen charging stations in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York before the end of the year.

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Ease of Use for All

All of the brand’s compatible next-gen charging equipment will feature large displays and tap-to-pay functionality that does not require an app (the various apps and payment methods required by the existing charging infrastructure are a chronic pain point for EV drivers). Rivian owners, however, will be able to use their existing Rivian account for a streamlined experience.

The new chargers also use the Combined Charging System plugs that have until recently been installed by every brand but Tesla. Now that Tesla’s vast network is open to other makes, including Rivian, many manufacturers have been fitting their new EVs with the company’s North American Charging Standard port, which takes a much smaller plug. But adapters that allow drivers to plug either type of charger into a car with either port — basically jumbo versions of the piece you use to plug a USB accessory into a USB-C port or vice versa — are readily available.

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