Rivian Reveals Plans for Exclusive Charging Network, Public Charging Stations

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Rivian has been talking about its electric charging plans for quite some time, but hasn't provided any concrete information on what the network will look like until now. The electric automaker doesn't have a vehicle officially on sale at the time of writing, but wants to have a charging network to rival Tesla's Supercharger network online in the next few years. In addition to coming out with chargers that will be exclusive for only Rivian owners to use, the electric automaker also has plans to come out with chargers for public use.


Adventure Network Sounds Promising


The Rivian-only charging network is called the Adventure Network. This set of charging stations will span across the continental U.S. and include charging stations in both Alaska and Hawaii. The network will be comprised of 3,500 DC fast chargers across 600 sites and is expected to become available by the end of 2023. These chargers will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.


For Rivian users, using the automaker's Adventure Network is incredibly simple. All they have to do is drive up to the charging station and plug the charger into the vehicle. The automaker won't require owners to have a membership card.


At first, the chargers that make up the Adventure Network will support charging at up to 200 kW. After 2023, the chargers will be able to support 300 kW charging. For R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV owners, that means they'll be able to get 140 miles of range back in just 20 minutes.


"Los Angeles to Tahoe. Manhattan to the Adirondacks. San Francisco to Seattle. I-70 to The Rockies. Michigan's UP via I-75. California's Hwy 395. The entire Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah National Park down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All these routes and more will begin opening this year," states Rivian.


Public Charging Stations Coming


If that wasn't enough, Rivian also plans to come out with charging stations that non-Rivian owners can use, which the company calls Waypoints. In total, Rivian plans to have 10,000 Waypoints across the United States and Canada by the end of 2023. These charging stations will be located at restaurants, shops, parks, hotels, and more. As long as EV owners have a vehicle that is compatible with a J1772 plug, they'll be able to use these chargers. They're going to be far slower than Rivian's exclusive network, with a max charging speed of 11.5 kW.


Rivian's Waypoint chargers will be installed through 2023 with the first batch being installed at Colorado's 42 state parks. Those locations will get two of Rivian's Waypoint chargers each. The electric automaker plans to begin building this public network starting this July.


This is a huge decision for Rivian and proves that the automaker is serious about its electric future. It also shows that Rivian isn't focusing on its vehicles alone, but the good of all EVs, as other automakers, most notably Tesla, have invested millions into coming out with exclusive charging stations for its only its consumers. Now, Rivian only needs to bring its two electric vehicles to market to let people take advantage of the chargers

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods