Rivian, an electric vehicle (EV) maker, has announced that its customers will soon have access to Tesla’s widespread Supercharger network in North America, thanks to a new adapter they’re introducing. This move makes Rivian the second car company, following Ford, to allow its EVs to use Tesla’s charging stations.
Starting in April, Rivian will give these adapters for free to its vehicle owners, though it’s not clear if they might charge for them in the future. Ford did something similar but will start charging $230 for their adapters after June 30.
Expanding Charging Options for Rivian Owners
Tesla opened up its charging network to other car makers in late 2022, introducing the North American Charging Standard (NACS). Before this, most EVs used a different system called the Combined Charging System (CCS). Now, many car manufacturers are planning to use Tesla’s system in their new EVs.
Rivian’s current models, the R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck, and its future vehicles will come with Tesla’s charging technology built-in. The next-generation R2 SUV, coming in 2026, and the R3 hatchback, arriving later, will also have this feature.
Rivian owners will be notified on their vehicle’s screen with a QR code they can scan to reserve their free adapter. This access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, which has about 15,000 fast chargers, is a big deal for Rivian owners. It greatly increases the number of places they can charge their vehicles quickly. Rivian is also building its own network of fast chargers, called the Rivian Adventure Network, which currently has 424 chargers in 70 locations across 22 states.
This initiative shows Rivian’s effort to make charging more convenient for its customers by using Tesla’s established Supercharger network. It’s a significant step toward making EVs more practical and appealing to more people by ensuring there are plenty of places to charge them quickly and easily.
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Featured Image courtesy of Rivian