The Rivian R1S and R1T have been on sale for a while now, and the automaker reportedly has significant changes planned to keep them relevant. Electrek found a document posted to Rivianforums.com that shows the automaker will introduce new battery configurations and offer a more affordable entry-level trim for the often very expensive EVs.
The automaker looks poised to shift to a cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry for the 2025 R1 models, making them more affordable and durable than the current offerings. They should also cut reliance on conflict minerals. LFP batteries aren’t as energy-dense as lithium-ion systems, but they’re more durable, letting owners charge to 100 percent every time instead of limiting charging to prolong battery life.
Rivian is also expected to introduce heat pumps to the R1 vehicles. Current models lack the components, which are more efficient than resistive heating coils, making the vehicles much better for people not living in the Southwest. The document also showed that the R1 will retain its CCS charging port instead of shifting to NACS, though the company is already shipping adapters to let owners use Tesla’s Supercharger network.
The R1 updates will come roughly a year before we see the automaker’s newest vehicles, the R2 and R3. No pricing details are available yet, but they’re expected to be smaller and more affordable than Rivian’s current offerings.
[Images: Rivian]
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