10 things to know about EV road trips

If you’re new to road-tripping with an EV, there are some new habits to form as you begin taking longer trips. Nothing holding you back, just new ways to explore. We’ve put together this road trip guide to help you spend less time wondering and more time adventuring.



Trip planning simplified

Trip planning is intuitive and simple in a Rivian vehicle. All you need to do is add your destination and the vehicle will automatically plan the best route.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it.

1. Plan, or don't

Of course, as with any sort of travel, there are lots of ways to dig in and optimize. Planning things down to the last detail is part of the fun for lots of people. That’s why, with our trip planning tools, you can fine tune your trip preferences and plot stops till the cows come home, like setting your preferred charge networks and your desired range when you arrive at your destination. But if you prefer a no-brainer approach, Rivian has you covered.

2. Powered by real-world data

Our automatic trip planning is powered by real-world data. If you need a charge on the way, the vehicle will automatically choose the most reliable chargers. We use Google Maps to ensure the most reliable map data, routing and points-of-interest. We also factor data from individual charger locations and reliability scores drawn from our customer vehicle fleet.

It is all deeply integrated into your vehicle, so your route is calculated in real time based on actual traffic, state of charge, efficiency, charger availability and other factors like elevation change and temperature. We want you to feel confident that your arrival time is correct and your state of charge is accurate when you get there.

3. Seamlessly digital

You can plan almost any trip from the comfort of your couch, too. Just use the Rivian App to dial in your trip and hit “send to my vehicle” and all your trip details will be there when you’re ready to drive. You can also send route details to your vehicle directly from your Google Maps app.

A road trip should be about the joy of the drive. Our trip planning tools take the fuss out of managing your route so the only adventures you have on the way are the ones you choose.

4. Your built-in tour guide

Adding stops on the fly is easy. Our in-vehicle Rivian Assistant is a conversational AI companion, so you can ask questions and get ideas about local attractions, things to do and adventures you can take along your journey. It will also add them to your route without lifting a finger.^1



All about range

Your range is how far you can drive on a single charge. R1T offers up to 420 miles of EPA-estimated range, R1S up to 410 miles and R2 up to 330 miles. Longer range means fewer stops as you eat up the miles.^2

5. Estimating your range

There are lots of factors that go into exactly how far you can drive on a full charge. Unlike gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are most efficient driving around town at lower speeds. On long trips where you’re typically driving at highway speeds with higher wind resistance, you’ll see a drop in efficiency and range. The EPA-estimated range of your vehicle represents a mix of city and highway driving, so you may experience a higher or lower estimated range based on your typical driving patterns and current driving conditions.

Your vehicle will estimate your remaining range based on your efficiency, which is shown in miles per kilowatt hour (kWh). You can choose to have your vehicle display your range estimate in miles, in battery percentage, or both. This number is designed to be accurate, so you’ll want to charge when your vehicle recommends doing so. (When range is zero, it’s really zero.)

6. How to optimize your efficiency



Charging on the way

For any long trip requiring a charge stop, you’re going to want a DC fast charger, which your vehicle will automatically find en route to your destination. Charging on long road trips is new for some. The great thing is that charging infrastructure continues to grow, with more than 79,000 fast chargers available to Rivian drivers in North America, so charging anxiety is becoming a thing of the past.

7. No apps required

Rivian vehicles are compatible with all major charging networks, including super convenient plug-and-charge with automatic billing at most sites — no apps required. Rivian Adventure Network chargers are located near shops and amenities, so this is a great opportunity to stretch your legs, get a coffee or grab a bite to eat.

8. Charger speed

Some fast chargers are faster than others — so the Rivian navigation will always try to route you to the fastest chargers along your way. Rivian Adventure Network chargers can charge at up to 300 kW. Some other networks will advertise speeds between 150 kW and 350 kW, but actual speeds vary. Any charger over 50 kW is technically considered a “fast charger” but will be much slower than the above speeds, so it’s worth verifying the rated speed when you can.

9. When to unplug

EV batteries charge fastest up to 80 percent and will usually slow down significantly the closer they get to 100 percent. For this reason, to minimize stop times, most people unplug once they get to 80 percent and move on. However, it’s common to charge past 80 percent if the next leg of your trip is especially long. Your Rivian will display your target charge and let you know when you’re ready to continue.



Arriving fresh for adventure

Long-distance road trips are more comfortable in a Rivian for two reasons.

The first is that stops are pre-planned at regular intervals along the route, which means predictable opportunities to stretch your legs and grab a snack. For many people, it helps make long hauls less of a slog.

10. Advanced autonomy features

The second reason is Autonomy+.^3 Our advanced driver assistance technology, including Universal Hands-Free driving on divided roads, helps reduce the cognitive load for the driver. Once you’ve used it on a cross-country trip, it might be hard to go without it. You’ll find it’s far less work than driving manually when all you need to do is keep your eyes and attention on the road.

With other assistive features, such as point-to-point navigation, coming later this year, and eventually eyes-off driving, Autonomy+ will help you arrive fresh and ready for adventure.



Where will you explore? What memories will you make on the way? Enabling adventure is core to who we are. That’s why we’ve made trip planning a breeze with all the tools you’ll need to get out there.