Rivian is partnering with ChargeScape to connect its EVs to utility-managed home charging programs across North America, giving owners a new way to cut charging costs while helping utilities balance demand. It is the second deal of its kind after last year's WeaveGrid collaboration, and a sign Rivian is leaning into its batteries as a grid resource.
Rivian's new Rocklin location combines charging, retail, service, and demo under one roof for the first time. Friend of the site Mark went and shared his take.
Big one this week, straight from the R2 First Drive event in Park City. Ordering opened, I drove the R2 on road and off road, RivianOS 2.0 got its first real look, the autonomy roadmap filled in with Universal Hands-Free 2.0 and Point-to-Point, and a lot more.
RJ Scaringe went on Masters of Scale and put fresh dates on Rivian's autonomy rollout, with supervised Point-to-Point arriving this year and eyes off driving next year. Here is what he confirmed on the VW deal, Uber robotaxis, and Mind Robotics, plus where I land on whether the timeline actually holds.
The R2 does not come with a traditional FM tuner. It leans on iHeartRadio instead, streaming your local stations over the internet for free. For most owners that is a non issue, since FM usage on the R1 was already sitting in the single digits. The real catch is what happens once you drive past the last bar of signal.
