The NACS era is slowly gaining momentum, but not all can take advantage of it right away.
Some time ago Rivian promised to open up its Adventure Network to EVs from other automakers, including those that use Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters.
And now it's delivering on that promise by opening the first of its next-generation stations just outside Joshua Tree National Park, which welcomed the first EVs over the weekend.
Rivian has invested in not one but two networks over the past few years, even though neither approaches the reach of Tesla's Supercharger Network. And the Rivian Adventure Network was designed from the start just for the benefit of Rivian owners, with slower Rivian Waypoints intended for users of other EVs.
This is now changing as Rivian rolls out a new generation of chargers that will be more inclusive, though with a couple of asterisks.
The station's compatibility doesn't extend to all Teslas or other vehicles with native NACS ports -- only to those with CCS adapters. This means it's still a CCS cable station at its core.
"Support for native NACS connectors, also known as SAE J3400, will come with a future hardware update," the company added.
The stations will also feature a tap-to-pay option, in addition to a larger screen compared to those previously used. Rivian also said the new hardware will support rapid charging up to 900 volts, but did not indicate the kW rates of the station.
Later this year, or rather in the remaining days of 2024, Rivian says it plans to add more sites in Michigan, New York, Texas, Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Montana, though the next-gen stations aren't expected to arrive in massive numbers in a short period of time.
New Rivian vehicles will begin featuring the NACS port starting in 2025, with the EV maker being one of over a dozen major automakers that have made plans to transition to the NACS standard in the US.
"Since the beginning, we've understood that creating great products like the R1T and R1S only made up half the equation," said Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. "To achieve widespread electrification, you also need a really good charging network."
Perhaps the biggest question when it comes to Rivian's charging network is whether the automaker has the will and the funds to grow the network in a way that can be visibly appreciated in a few years, or whether its stations will remain rare, making only cameo appearances near national parks.
The EV maker's priorities, of course, are launching new models in the next couple of years, and quite a few other charging networks, including Volkswagen Group's Electrify America, have a serious head start on Rivian's Adventure Network.
Should Rivian make it a priority to grow its charging network substantially, or should it focus on its next-gen vehicles and leave the charging landscape to others? Please comment below.