R2 Charge Port Location is Moving to Driver's Side Rear (on Production Model)! - Confirms Rivian VP

[Jnz]

It has to be in the rear for the R2/R3 platform. This is not a towing-focused platform. It’s a low-cost, mass market platform, and there will be low cost, single rear motor variants eventually where starting price is critical. Having the charge port in the back minimizes unnecessary wiring to the front on this cheaper, single rear motor variants. Driver vs passenger side isn’t as important. I was personally hoping they keep it on the passenger side just since that’s the better location for Europe, which Rivian needs as a market for long-term survivability. Tesla needs to switch to longer cable superchargers in the US so passenger vs driver side doesn’t matter anymore.

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[MidnightRivian]

This will make charging a little trickier for me in my garage where I plan to park the R2. I have the R1 charger all the way on the other side. I should be able to resolve it by backing in the R2.

For road trips using the Tesla network this change will make charging little easier.

I might end up installing a second charger closer to where the R2 charging port will be located to make it easier for my wife to simply pull in forward instead of having to back in.

 

[Robin]

At the Rivian Space in Pasadena (where the R2 / R3X is currently being shown) one of the Vice Presidents that was there confirmed that in the production R2 they are moving the charge port to the drivers rear! Great news for usability with the current Tesla superchargers

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[R1SFamilyGuy]

Assuming the R2 isn’t intended/designed for towing - this should be an ok move if Tesla compatibility is a win?

 

[SoCal Rob]

Better than where it is now but still not ideal. They had to compromise with existing R1 owners. The ideal place is passenger front. Tesla, towing, and streets side compatibility.

It doesn't matter anymore than which side (front or back) the gas tank filler is located on an ICE vehicle.

Some work better than others in different places and over time chargers will be retrofitted in the middle of island just like gas stations. Already some like that a truck stops.

Here in the United States and Canada where many of us charge in a garage at home, the problem with larger vehicles having the port on the passenger side is that if your home’s charging location is narrow you may have to choose between leaving space to open the driver’s door so you can get out and leaving space to access the passenger side to plug in. If you live someplace with a tight garage, it could be that you’ll be clambering over the center console to exit and enter your vehicle when needing to charge at home.

Our 2-car garage is BARELY wide enough to not cause problems with our 2 EVs because at least with the Rivian I only need space on the driver’s side. Our VW ID.4 needs space on both sides because the charge port is on the passenger’s side (rear). Our 2-car garage would be problematic for 2 ID.4s and I suspect that a narrow 1-car garage would present challenges for a single ID.4. Also, the bigger the driver the bigger the potential for access issues.

Another vote for passenger side front - for streetside parking, especially for smaller commuter vehicles.

Passenger side for smaller vehicles makes a lot more sense to me since width constraints which limit larger vehicles shouldn’t cause any problems with smaller vehicles.

 

[mrodriguez]

So what I don't like about this is where I have my current charger in my garage. Right now I can easily pull the R1S in and the charger is right there. We have an order in for an R2 to replace my wife's vehicle next. Now if she pulls in, I have to rig up some system and probably get an extension to run the cable OVER my R1S to the back corner. OR I likely need to run new electrical and install another outlet or something else. Unless I use two separate outlets I would have cables running over one of them, bent in a less than ideal way. I actually really like the front drivers side.

 

[Volfan615]

Yes. I’m in Florida and trying to figure out if it’s worth a multi-hour flight to go see it…Probably not :/

Here is a list of cities that will be showing the R2.

• Pasadena from August 8 – 11, 2024
• San Francisco from August 24 – 25, 2024
• Vancouver, B.C. from September 2 – 7, 2024
• Portland from September 12 – 24, 2024
• Nashville from October 3 – 7, 2024
• New York City from October 11 – 13, 2024
• Boston from October 17 – 21, 2024
• Austin from November 7 – 11, 2024
• Laguna from November 13 – 17, 2024
• Los Angeles from November 21 – December 1, 2024
• Detroit from January 10 – 20, 2025
• Chicago from February 8 – 12, 2025
• Toronto from February 14 – 23, 2025

 

[moosetags]

If Rivian had been thinking when they designed and developed the R1 platform, they should have included two charge ports, one at the left front and another at the left rear. This would have made charging very conveient is all situations. The cost of this option would have probably been less than that stupid camp speaker that they decided to include.

Brian

 

[HaveBlue]

The R2 is still the size of a 4Runner with a longer wheelbase and probably heavier. It will undoubtedly tow 5K lb. Even a Highlander tows at least 3500lb. Rivian is also pushing their modular accessory rack system for bikes and such. What a joy that will be to remove every time a Tesla stop is needed. I guess MX MY and CT owners are used to it.

At least our charge ports aren't like Ford's.

 

[bac4uw]

I have an R2 order and live in SoCal. Is it worth the 60 mile drive to Pasadena to see the R2?

We have reservations for the R2, but really hope to defer to the R3X. When we saw the R2 in Seattle a few months ago I was surprised at how much I liked it and we are now thinking of keeping that reservation (despite also seeing the R3X and liking it as much as I thought I would). You might want to make the drive and see for yourself.

 

[ssincl3]

Previous discussions show why the rear is not the greatest idea for tailgate access, towing, and parking. Then again no spot is perfect. The R2s and R3s are smaller and prolly won’t be towing.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...never-have-the-charge-port-in-the-rear.27223/

 

[Electrified Outdoors]

Agree - to be sure, the real long term solution is we need better charging infrastructure that allows for pull-thru charging similar to Gas Station pump islands today.

Exactly! The issue to be overcome is the real estate issue which is why we have pull up currently. Gas station layout is one thing that has worked for many years.

Charging port locations have the potential to increase the cost of vehicles too. Having infrastructure that can adapt to pretty much any charge port location would be ideal.

 

[akc5247]

Meh, not much change for those who charge at home 90%+ of the time. Inside the garage (or in front of the house) - unless the EVSE cable is really really short, this is a non-issue.

On a related note, it boggles me why they cannot put a charging port on either side of the car. Audi has been doing it for few years now with its Q8 E-tron, so it is not like Rivian would be reinventing the wheel.

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[KootenayEV]

Driver rear is an excellent location for Tesla supercharger compatibility however its not a good location for folks that tow.

The long term solution lies with the location and orientation of the charging equipment. There are many vehicles out there with different charging port locations.

It would be nice to see an optional 2nd charging port for those who like to tow. The front charging ports are ideal for towing since you don't have to unhook the trailer to get a charge. Pull through sites solve this issue but those are far and few between. Very few operators actually have pull through. Most are pull up which means you need a front charge port if your towing.

Yup! I’m sitting here at a relatively recent install in Canada with 4 Supercharger stalls where you can only nose in while towing due to a small fence/infrastructure on either side. In my R1T it is no problem, but I was chuckling about the quandary a Cyberteuck owner would be in and how Tesla was so dumb to make an own goal.
I think R2 should be on passenger front personally:
- accessible curbside charging
- directly compatible access with Superchargers
- easier access to majority of chargers installed
- supports towing!

Honestly a rear port would put me off - too much hassle if you have anything on the hitch or towing. I have lived with it for 6 years in a Model 3 and have had to unload my bike rack several times due to having to back in and short cords.

 

[savethemanual]

Everything is speculation until Rivian makes a public announcement of said specs.

For me, how much would is cost to add a charge port on both sides of the vehicle? Especially since these open manually on the R2, no fancy power door unit.

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