Electric truck and SUV builder Rivian will open a network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers for use by owners of other brands’ cars. The company launched the effort today, opening a new location in Joshua Tree, California, complete with an upscale lounge area.
The company plans up to 3,500 chargers in 600 sites located near travel hubs and, in keeping with Rivian’s rugged image, locations popular with off-roaders. More locations will open to all drivers as Rivian builds out the network.
Related: EV Charging Stations: Everything You Need To Know
Lounge Seating, Make-Your-Own Trail Mix
Most public EV chargers are just that – an EV charging unit about the size of a refrigerator located in a parking lot or highway rest area.
Increasingly, charging networks are starting to recognize that as a missed opportunity. Charging takes longer than refilling a gas tank. People plug in and look for something to do while their battery refills.
One recent study found that installing an EV charger increases spending at nearby businesses…if there are any.
So Rivian will build many “Rivian Outposts” as lounges. The company will maintain the freestanding chargers it has already built but focus new construction efforts on locations like the Joshua Tree effort, which has an indoor seating area. Amenities, Electrek reports, include “an on-site library, branded merchandise, a make-your-own trail mix available for purchase, complimentary coffee, and a water bottle refill station.”
Rivian isn’t the only charging provider with this idea. Mercedes plans its own network of charging lounges, as does charging network Electrify America.
NACS Users Need an Adapter, for Now
Rivian says the chargers themselves “will deliver rapid charging up to 900 volts and feature CCS connectors.” Those whose cars use the Tesla-style North American Charging System (NACS) port will need an adapter at first.
However, InsideEVs reports, “A future hardware update will also allow these stations to support EVs with a native NACS plug.” Rivian will need to support both charging ports to support its own fleets – Rivian has built thousands of vehicles with CCS ports and plans to switch to building the NACS port into its vehicles soon.
Cox Automotive, the parent company of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, is a minority investor in Rivian.
