The Rivian-Volkswagen joint venture, RV Tech, has successfully completed winter testing of its software-defined vehicle architecture, and the milestone comes with real money attached. Volkswagen Group is unlocking another $1 billion investment into Rivian, with the VW ID.EVERY1 being the first vehicle to actually use the tech both companies have been building together. With over $3 billion already invested and potentially $5.8 billion on the table total, this partnership is anything but a side project.

Volkswagen is delivering its second $1 billion investment to Rivian this week after the EV maker hit key financial targets, including back-to-back quarters of gross profit. This follows VW’s initial $1 billion buy-in last year, which gave the German automaker an 8.6% stake in the company. The funding is part of VW’s broader $5.8 billion commitment, which includes equity and…

Volkswagen just unveiled a super-affordable electric car for the European market, the ID. EVERY1, and while the focus is on its budget-friendly price tag, there’s a major Rivian connection under the hood. According to TechCrunch, this little EV will be the first to roll out with Rivian’s software and vehicle architecture—marking a huge moment for the American EV maker’s expansion…