Rivian has modified 600 elements on its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck in a bid to drive down manufacturing prices, whereas enhancing efficiency of its flagship autos.
The top aim, which is able to play out over the approaching yr, is an existential one. Rivian misplaced about $38,784 on each automobile it delivered within the first quarter of 2024, in response to its earnings report. And the automaker received’t have the brand new, cheaper R2 SUV on the highway till the primary half of 2026.
That leaves Rivian with one route: promote extra R1S and R1T autos with out shedding cash.
The clock begins now. Rivian has not too long ago began producing the second-generation R1T and R1S, with the primary deliveries starting as early as this week.
The results of Rivian’s second-generation reboot is an all-electric truck and SUV with improved journey high quality, extra highly effective drivetrain choices and different bells and whistles, together with an electronically tinted sunroof and a so-called “launch mode” that may catapult the brand new R1T quad-motor trim from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in lower than 2.5 heart-pumping seconds.
However you wouldn’t know any of this simply by wanting on the second-generation EVs.
Rivian has left the outside of the second-generation R1 line principally untouched — except for a brand new lighting function that gives a charging standing bar throughout the entrance, Storm Blue paint colour and wheels — a choice that executives advised TechCrunch was intentional.
As an alternative, Rivian has targeted its efforts on transforming the heart, altering every little thing from the battery pack and suspension system to {the electrical} structure, inside seats and sensor stack. There’s even a redesigned software program consumer interface that gives detailed illustration-like graphics utilizing Unreal Engine in addition to deeper integration with Apple and Google.
“Some changes are small, some changes are big, but every single aspect of the experience of the R1 will improve with this platform,” Rivian’s head of software program, Wassym Bensaid, advised reporters in a media briefing forward of the official launch.
Vertical integration is the underlying theme right here. Rivian nonetheless has suppliers. However its engineers, designers and manufacturing unit employees are accountable for making extra elements of the R1 EVs than ever earlier than.
Rivian now designs, engineers and makes its motors in home, for instance. The corporate can be accountable for redesigning a warmth pump-based thermal system to enhance rider temperature consolation and saving vary, and for growing a brand new electrical structure and compute platform that reduces the variety of digital management items (ECUs) used to regulate the automobile from 17 completely different ECUs in its first technology to seven. This new zonal structure permits Rivian to chop greater than 1.6 miles of wiring from every automobile — a 44-pound weight financial savings — and to construct its autos sooner, in response to director {of electrical} techniques Kyle Lobo.
Rivian says it even internally developed the 11 new high-resolution cameras that, together with 5 radar, make up its notion stack and assist its security and superior driver help system.
Drivetrains and batteries
The second-generation Rivian R1 lineup has 4 main configurations: dual-motor, efficiency dual-motor, tri-motor and quad-motor. As soon as a buyer strikes past the drivetrain, there may be an array of battery pack choices and different options that pushes the value tag ever larger. Rivian has additionally redesigned the battery modules within the giant and max battery packs, which executives say make them simpler to construct and repair.
Each the dual-motor and efficiency dual-motor drivetrains may be configured with three completely different battery packs. The bottom model, the dual-motor with a normal battery pack, begins at $69,900 for the R1T and $75,900 for the R1S. Notably, this model is outfitted with a lithium-iron phosphate-based battery that gives an EPA-estimated 270 miles of vary.
From right here, the battery ranges and the costs tick larger with the dual-motor giant pack and dual-motor max pack trims. The R1T dual-motor and efficiency dual-motor with a max pack will get 420 miles of vary. The R1S, in an analogous configuration, can journey an estimated 410 miles on a single cost.
Rivian has dialed up the choices by including a tri-motor drivetrain trim — solely out there with the max battery pack — that makes use of two motors within the rear and one within the entrance. This combo delivers 850 horsepower, 1,103 pound-feet of torque and a zero-to-60 mph time of two.9 seconds. The tri-motor max pack trim, which has an estimated vary of 380 miles, begins at $99,900 for the R1T and $105,900 for the R1S.
Rivian rounds out its choices with a quad-motor max pack trim, which delivers an eye-popping 1,025 horsepower, 1,198 pound-feet of torque and an off-the-line to 60 mph acceleration time of lower than 2.5 seconds when utilizing the so-called “launch mode” function.
Google, Apple and autonomy
Rivian has put effort in direction of growing and enhancing its personal software program stack, which incorporates every little thing associated to real-time working techniques (RTOS) that handle the automotive comparable to thermal dynamics, ADAS and security techniques in addition to one other layer associated to the infotainment system.
Engineers use free RTOS and protected RTOS as the idea of its working system for automobile controls.
In the meantime, Rivian’s infotainment system has two working techniques. QNX is the host working system, which is barely used for security features, and an open supply model of Android Automotive for every little thing else. Bensaid mentioned the corporate is transferring away from QNX to a Linux-based software program.
On the autonomy entrance, Rivian makes use of a mixture of Linux and free RTOS software program.
“It’s been really a continuation; since day one we’ve been super intentional about owning our own ECUs, our own computers, and our own software,” Bensaid mentioned, describing the corporate’s long-term strategy. “Gen one was ramping up the internal knowledge to get to a domain-based architecture. And now that we have those foundations, we’re able to move to a zonal-based architecture, which is much more challenging from a technical standpoint.”
Solely two corporations — Rivian and Tesla — have a real zonal structure, Bensaid claimed.
“This is what the industry is calling software-defined vehicles — a term that is absolutely abused,” he added.
The corporate has additionally developed its personal middleware software program, which communicates with the real-time ECUs, the infotainment ECUs and the cloud.
These deep-in-the-weeds particulars matter as a result of theoretically, Bensaid defined, Rivian can take any perform within the infotainment system and produce it over to a cell phone or a third-party software. In different phrases, this enables for purchasers to have a linked automotive and hints that Rivian may develop its personal app retailer whereas sustaining safety.
All of this effort exhibits Rivian’s excessive curiosity in controlling your entire expertise. So, maybe it’s not stunning that Rivian’s second-generation R1 line doesn’t supply the favored smartphone projection options of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. And it possible by no means will, in response to Bensaid.
As an alternative, Rivian is working with Google and Apple to combine the merchandise that prospects need most: music, maps and messaging. As an example, Rivian homeowners will now be capable to use automotive keys in Apple Pockets on iPhone and Apple Watch, or with choose Google Pixel gadgets, to unlock and begin up their autos or share keys digitally.
Rivian can be launching a brand new subscription service referred to as Join+ that can give prospects entry to extra Apple and Google merchandise for $14.99 per 30 days, or $149.99 yearly. Later this summer season, Join+ prospects will be capable to stream video (whereas parked) through Googlecast, which incorporates 3,000 apps in addition to entry to Apple Music. Rivian additionally labored with Apple to carry its Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos to the automotive.
Join+ subscribers will even have entry to Spotify, Tidal and Alexa and have the power to share their WiFi hotspot with as much as eight gadgets.
Rivian mentioned it additionally plans to combine voice assistants Siri and Google Assistant within the autos.
The corporate has taken an analogous in-house-is-best strategy to its “Rivian Autonomy Platform,” which is able to come commonplace on all second-gen R1 autos and consists of 11 cameras, 5 radar sensors and a pc that’s 10 instances extra highly effective than the earlier system.
Rivian could use the phrase “autonomy” however its system will not be self-driving, and even shut. The superior driver help system, which TechCrunch examined, requires the driving force to stay alert with their arms on the wheel.
The system consists of adaptive cruise management, which maintains velocity and distance behind autos on the freeway, and a freeway help function that routinely steers, brakes and accelerates on choose highways.
Rivian can be releasing a premium model referred to as Rivian Autonomy Platform+, which can be supplied without spending a dime to second-generation R1 prospects for one yr. Later this summer season, the system will roll out a lane change on command function that can routinely transfer the automobile into one other lane when the driving force prompts the blinker.
