- Rivian has started retrofitting Tesla-style NACS cables to its DC fast chargers.
- The Rivian Adventure Network has over 400 DC fast chargers in the United States.
- The Rivian-branded chargers with native NACS support come after the company fitted the Tesla-style plug to the 2026 R1T and R1S EVs.
Rivian, the maker of the all-electric R1S SUV and R1T pickup, is adding Tesla-style cables to its DC fast chargers across the country. The company’s charging network, known as the Rivian Adventure Network, already retrofitted two stations, with more to come.
The news, first reported by RivianTrackr, comes after the California-based startup said it would open up its charging network to other EVs later this year as it adopts the Tesla-designed North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector for its models.
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Launched in 2022, the Rivian Adventure Network was initially free and exclusive to Rivian R1S and R1T owners. Now, though, the charging is no longer free, and the stalls are gradually being retrofitted to feature both CCS1 and NACS connectors.
As a reminder, the pre-facelift R1S and R1T, known as the Gen1 models, feature CCS1 charging connectors, while the 2026 versions, known as the Gen2, come with a NACS inlet. All model years can also use Tesla Superchargers, which overwhelmingly offer NACS, so a charging adapter is needed for Gen1 cars.
With Rivian’s upgraded DC fast chargers, R1S and R1T owners won’t have to worry about adapters, as there are cables for both. The first NACS-compatible Rivian fast chargers went live last week at Joshua Tree National Park last week. The Charging Outpost in Southampton, New York, set to open on August 7, will also feature CCS1 and NACS chargers. The Yosemite station will be next, followed by others later this year.
The Rivian app shows up-to-date information about what types of chargers are available at each station, and a notification pops up if a charging adapter may be needed. In the case of the Joshua Tree Charging Outpost, there are currently 12 stalls, four of which offer NACS connectors and eight with CCS1 connectors. The maximum charging power is 300 kilowatts, according to the station’s PlugShare page.
The transition to NACS-equipped stalls was inevitable for Rivian. Besides the upgraded R1S and R1T, the upcoming R2 and R3 EVs, which are expected to sell in much higher volumes, will also be fitted with a NACS port from the factory. They’ll still be able to use CCS1 DC fast chargers, as there are still a lot of them around, but an adapter is needed.
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