Over the past year or so, electric vehicle manufacturers have become a little friendlier to each other, at least when it comes to charging networks. Many automakers now support Tesla’s North American Charging System (NACS), which is quickly becoming an industry standard. Now, Rivian is opening its doors to drivers of other brands’ EVs.
For the first time, non-Rivian EV drivers will be able to charge their batteries at the company’s charging locations. This pertains to the next generation Rivian Adventure Network charging locations. Its first facility opens today at Joshua Tree Charging Outpost in California. Rivian plans to open more charging locations in Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York later this year.
The station offers up to 900 volts fast charging and has a CCS connector that works with NACS vehicles equipped with an adapter. Rivian says support for native NACS connectors will be available in the future.
Of course, this is not a completely altruistic step. Rivian sees this as a way to generate revenue from EV drivers who probably happen to be closer to one of its charging stations than others. The charger has a tap-to-pay option and does not require the Rivian app.
Rivian plans to deploy more than 3,500 DC fast chargers to its Adventure Network. The automaker has 91 Adventure Network sites in the U.S. and plans to open 12 more, according to Ars Technica. However, Rivian drivers can also use Tesla Superchargers.
