Electric vehicle maker Rivian has announced that it will join Tesla’s charging network next year, following in the footsteps of General Motors and Ford. Starting in 2025, future Rivian vehicles will include ports with Tesla’s connector, and the company will also offer an adapter for owners of current Rivian EVs.
The backstory: Tesla’s connector, which it calls the North American Charging Standard, is becoming increasingly popular in the auto industry, with many automakers considering switching to it from the CCS connector developed with the Society of Automotive Engineers. Tesla has more direct current fast-charging plugs in the U.S. than any other network, and its stations are in prime locations along freeway travel corridors.
ADVERTISEMENT
- Other automakers, such as Stellantis, are also looking into the switch. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said his company’s U.S. teams are studying the change and will make a decision in a few weeks.
- Rivian is viewed as a key Tesla competitor and will give its owners access to more than 12,000 Tesla Supercharger plugs, which are direct current fast-chargers that can charge EVs relatively quickly as people travel.
- While ChargePoint has the biggest charging network in the U.S. with more than 32,000 stations and 55,000 plugs, most of them are Level 2 chargers that can take up to eight hours to get a battery up to a full charge.
- Despite the growing momentum to switch to Tesla’s connector, vehicles will likely need to be able to use both connectors for a while.
What they’re saying: GM and Ford say they’re not paying Tesla anything for access to the network, but owners will pay Tesla to charge just like any other charging system.
- Rivian said in a statement that in addition to joining Tesla’s network, it will continue to expand its own charging system, where it will incorporate Tesla’s connector.
- Shares of Rivian and Tesla both rose about 4% in midday Tuesday afternoon trading.
