Rivian, an electric vehicle startup backed by Amazon, will install more than 10,000 fast chargers in the United States and Canada by 2023, the company announced. The Rivian Adventure Network is designed to allow quick recharges along highways and also includes Tier 2 charges at more remote locations close to parks and other destinations.
Rivian described the network in a blog post:
Each location will have multiple porters and will be conveniently located on major highways and roads, usually close to cafes and shops. These DC quick chargers will be for Rivian owners only, with details on pricing and associated programs coming soon.
The company is also installing AC level 2 waypoint chargers, each with a charging speed of 11.5 kW, to add about 40 kilometers of reach every hour for Rivian’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV. These porters will be located along the routes that Rivian believes his drivers will take. The first waypoint chargers are being installed in Colorado state parks starting in July and will be accessible to any electric vehicle with a J1772 plug.
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Rivian says that drivers can locate waypoints and fast chargers in their vehicles’ navigation systems and in the Rivian app. The network will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy, says the company.
It is an ambitious plan for sure, and Rivian is still a relatively new player in the EV market, with his pickup and SUV debuting in late 2018 (he started operating in stealth mode in 2009). But the company managed to raise several huge financing rounds, with Amazon leading a $ 700 million round in February 2019, and Ford adding $ 500 million in April 2019. In January, Rivian raised $ 2.65 billion T Rowe Price and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund.