Rivian Announces Adoption of Tesla NACS

Rivian has announced the adoption of Tesla’s NACS. Rivian EV owners will have access to over 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America starting in 2024. Starting in 2025, the company’s EVs will include new charging ports.

Rivian announces partnership with Tesla

Rivian announced on Tuesday it has signed an agreement with Tesla to give Rivian customers access to the Tesla Supercharger network in the US and Canada. The move comes just a day after consumers criticized the manufacturer for abandoning the North American Charging Standard (NACS). On Monday, Tesla Magazine published an article pointing out that such a move is a huge mistake. Many consumers expressed their disappointment with Rivian’s decision.

Rivan owners get relief

Last week, Rivian CFO Claire McDonough spoke at the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference. She stated that the company would not accept NACS and would go its own way. The manufacturer sought to build its own Rivian Adventure Network (RAN) using CCS. After that, many said that they stopped considering Rivian as an EV option to buy. However, Rivian’s change in strategy brought them some relief.

Starting in the spring of 2024, an adapter will be available to owners of Rivian vehicles that allows the R1T and R1S to be charged on the Tesla Supercharger network. Beginning in 2025, the company will incorporate North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge ports as standard on future R1 vehicles starting in 2025, as well as on its upcoming R2 platform.

The manufacturer will continue to expand the Rivian Adventure Network

Rivian announced that, despite the new partnership, it will also continue to expand its own RAN. Previously, the network used CCS. It remains unknown whether the company will continue to equip chargers with this connector type. As planned, RAN will include about 600 charging stations in North America, which will offer 3,500 charging connectors.

Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure said:

“It’s great to see the industry coming together to adopt the North American Charging Standard. By doing so, we’re collectively ensuring all EV drivers have access to easy to use, reliable charging hardware. We look forward to welcoming Rivian owners to thousands of our Superchargers across North America.”

RJ Scaringe, Founder and CEO of Rivian said:

“We’re excited to work with Tesla and to see collaborations like this help advance the world toward carbon neutrality. The adoption of the North American Charging Standard will enable our existing and future customers to leverage Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network while we continue to build out our Rivian Adventure Network. We look forward to continuing to find new ways to accelerate EV adoption.”