- Rivian’s Adventure Network charging ecosystem is opening up to all EVs, not just the Rivian R1S and R1T.
- Rivian’s first next-generation site is its Joshua Tree Charging Outpost in California, open to the public today.
- More fast-charging sites are coming in 2025 and beyond.
Charging your electric vehicle at home is great and all, but have you ever tried doing it at a closed car dealership at 10 p.m. when it’s raining outside and you’re basically out of luck if you need to use the bathroom? Yeah, I’m not a fan of that experience either.
The good news is that Rivian is the latest company to unveil some very common-sense updates to the charging experience, and the first example of this opens to the public today. Even better, more Rivian Charging Outposts like this are coming soon and they’ll be open to all EVs.
Today, the EV startup announced the launch of its new Joshua Tree Charging Outpost in California. You may recognize the vibe here: the first Charging Outpost opened earlier this year at a converted gas station near Yosemite National Park. Unlike, say, the off-highway strip mall you’ve been frequenting for your fast-charging needs, the Rivian site boasts an on-site library, a trail mix bar, a lounge to relax in and, best of all, 24-hour restrooms.
The same approach is coming to Joshua Tree now but this one’s even more of an upgrade because it’s the first such site that will be open to all EVs and not just Rivian’s R1S and R1T.
Photo by: InsideEVs
Rivian Adventure Network, Joshua Tree
“Using a new charger design to accommodate any compatible EV in North America, these sites are an important milestone in support of electrifying the entire transportation sector,” Rivian officials said in a news release. “Strategically located to encourage more people to drive electric on their next adventure, these chargers will deliver rapid charging up to 900 volts and feature CCS connectors with support for North American Charging Standard (NACS)-equipped vehicles with an automaker-approved adapter.”
A future hardware update will also allow these stations to support EVs with a native NACS plug, like the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and eventually Rivian’s own R2 and R3 models. As an added bonus, these charging stations will support “tap-to-pay” displays so you can charge up without having to install the Rivian app. They’ll also be powered by 100% renewable energy, the company said, countering a frequent criticism that EVs get their energy from fossil-fuel sources. That’s quickly changing as the grid evolves, but Rivian’s getting ahead of it now.
“To achieve widespread electrification, you also need a really good charging network,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a statement. “Now, we’re excited to bring the Rivian Adventure Network—with its ease of use and exceptional reliability—to other EV drivers around North America, investing in a future where charging on the road will be simple, sustainable, and convenient.”
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There’s also good news if you, unfortunately, do not live within the vicinity of Joshua Tree. Rivian said that more fast-charging sites are coming online this year—yes, as in the remaining weeks of 2024—in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York.
Rivian isn’t the first company to try and expand the public EV charging experience beyond the fairly dismal experience many drivers currently deal with. While charging at home is the best way to drive electric, for those who cannot or are on road trips, getting juice out in public often means a hodgepodge of smartphone payment apps, inconvenient locations, long lines and nowhere to get snacks or use the facilities.
But this is changing quickly and evolving into a model that’s a bit more like a gas station. Ionna, the charging conglomerate funded by several automakers, has a new family of sites coming soon that boasts retail options and restrooms too. The Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging network is offering similar amenities, and while Mercedes owners get certain perks, those sites are open to all EV drivers as well.
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