800v charging capability, when?

[DuoRivians]

All signs point to the R2 charging at 400v. Same with R1.

So, the question is, when will Rivian provide 800v charging capability?

When looking at the totality of the EV tech landscape, it feels like max 400v charging is becoming outdated really fast.

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[kanundrum]

 

[Jonger1150]

Probably when the next significant update to the R1 hits. I'd guess all emphasis is on getting the R2 released. 7 months until 2026.

 

[SolartoEV]

I heard late 2027 or early 2028

 

[DuoRivians]

I heard late 2027 or early 2028

If so, that feels very late and non-competitive. I was hoping in 2026 for R1 line at least.

 

[COdogman]

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I don't think existing 800V architecture would make DCFC significantly faster? And Solid State battery tech is getting all the attention—with BMW already doing on-road testing and mass production of cells supposedly two ore three years away. I feel like Rivian could skip 800V (with current Lithium tech) and just go straight to Solid State... if promises of charging in 5-10 min hold true and projected cell costs are within reason from a OEM's POV. There is also another hurdle, international trade policy.

 

[VSG]

I thought by 2026 we were all going to have solid state batteries which would have a 600 mile range and charge in 10 minutes. So 800V is becoming irrelevant really fast? Do Tesla superchargers even support 800V yet?

All a bit tongue-in cheek of course, but I'm happy with the range and charging speed of my R1T, and the biggest help would be better DCFC infrastructure. There are places I can't easily get to with the current infrastructure, and 800V won't do anything to change that.

 

[CharonPDX]

The same day they switch to Tesla FSD instead of Driver+/Rivian Autonomy Platform; and add Apple CarPlay.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I thought by 2026 we were all going to have solid state batteries which would have a 600 mile range and charge in 10 minutes. So 800V is becoming irrelevant really fast? Do Tesla superchargers even support 800V yet?

All a bit tongue-in cheek of course, but I'm happy with the range and charging speed of my R1T, and the biggest help would be better DCFC infrastructure. There are places I can't easily get to with the current infrastructure, and 800V won't do anything to change that.

With China being the biggest ore processor and producer of cells... There are dark clouds over that 2026 "promise". So, if you were Rivian, would you devote costly resources to a platform tech that doesn't reduce cost of production? or would you save it for when business conditions are more favorable?

At current pricing, there are already rumors of demand problem for R1s. If true, why would Rivian be in any hurry to do anything to bump prices even higher... for sake of 5~10 (?) minute faster session? If I'm stopping with my T for a 45 min session, shaving that to 35 min isn't a game changer.

 

[DuoRivians]

China may have solid state before everyone else, but I don’t see these taking off any time soon. Tech isn’t sound yet, and mass production is still further out. For the next 5-10 years, I think some version of lithium or sodium ion batteries will dominate.

China’s state of the art is 1MW charging speeds. In 2-3 years, I’m sure this will become more perfected and cheaper.

GM, Hyundai/Kia, Lucid and others in the U.S. are already at 800v.

While I get not all Superchargers are at high speed yet, v4 Superchargers can now do 325kw.

And, I think it’s a silly point that Rivian or other oem should slow charging capacity because of chargers. Tech should be pushing the ecosystem envelope.

Last, at some point, 400v versus 800v charging capability will be a must-have checkbox for EVs.

If Rivian plans on their first 800v car being released in late 2027/early 2028, that seems very late to me.

 

[DuoRivians]

I thought by 2026 we were all going to have solid state batteries which would have a 600 mile range and charge in 10 minutes. So 800V is becoming irrelevant really fast? Do Tesla superchargers even support 800V yet?

All a bit tongue-in cheek of course, but I'm happy with the range and charging speed of my R1T, and the biggest help would be better DCFC infrastructure. There are places I can't easily get to with the current infrastructure, and 800V won't do anything to change that.

V4 superchargers do and all of them can output up to 325kw speeds. (Eventually up to 500kw I believe)

 

[VSG]

As I said, "tounge-in-cheek". Solid state batteries have been only a year or two away for at least the past 10 years. I don't expect those to be a big factor in the US for many years to come. Longer, if we close our automobile industry off from the world, remove the competition that drives battery advancements, and de-incentive EV manufacturing in favor of petroleum.

China isn't the thing that's preventing solid-state batteries from being released "soon". That is just the latest excuse reason.

I remember three years ago when there were people on this forum proclaiming that they weren't going to convert their pre-order and were instead going to wait for the 800V and/or solid-state battery version to arrive, which would be just a few more years ....

I don't claim to have any inside knowledge of what Rivian is doing in regards to battery technology, but it is clear that they are making long-range decisions based on business needs that may not be obvious to consumers. For example the battery deal that they quietly made last year that allows them to avoid tariffs - that was very forward looking and far more advantageous that switching to 800V would have been at this time. They're trying to walk a fine line towards profitability, and cost vs. benefit probably weighs heavily into many of these decisions. 800V will cost a lot, and it's not clear to me that would make any appreciable difference in R1 sales because the technology in the R1 is not the thing limiting sales - it's the size of the market at this price point and the current economic environment.

 

[DuoRivians]

I don't think existing 800V architecture would make DCFC significantly faster? And Solid State battery tech is getting all the attention—with BMW already doing on-road testing and mass production of cells supposedly two ore three years away. I feel like Rivian could skip 800V (with current Lithium tech) and just go straight to Solid State... if promises of charging in 5-10 min hold true and projected cell costs are within reason from a OEM's POV. There is also another hurdle, international trade policy.

Solid state isn’t happening soon. Tech is still not perfected, and mass production is still much further out.

800v capability for a large battery pack, like Rivian’s, can make a big difference. For example, the Silverado EV can add 80kwh of charge (from 10% SoC) in about 20 minutes. In a max pack R1 at 10% SoC, I think it can get about 40-50kwh in the same time.

 

[DuoRivians]

As I said, "tounge-in-cheek". Solid state batteries have been only a year or two away for at least the past 10 years. I don't expect those to be a big factor in the US for many years to come. Longer, if we close our automobile industry off from the world, remove the competition that drives battery advancements, and de-incentive EV manufacturing in favor of petroleum.

China isn't the thing that's preventing solid-state batteries from being released "soon". That is just the latest excuse reason.

I remember three years ago when there were people on this forum proclaiming that they weren't going to convert their pre-order and were instead going to wait for the 800V and/or solid-state battery version to arrive, which would be just a few more years ....

I don't claim to have any inside knowledge of what Rivian is doing in regards to battery technology, but it is clear that they are making long-range decisions based on business needs that may not be obvious to consumers. For example the battery deal that they quietly made last year that allows them to avoid tariffs - that was very forward looking and far more advantageous that switching to 800V would have been at this time. They're trying to walk a fine line towards profitability, and cost vs. benefit probably weighs heavily into many of these decisions. 800V will cost a lot, and it's not clear to me that would make any appreciable difference in R1 sales because the technology in the R1 is not the thing limiting sales - it's the size of the market at this price point and the current economic environment.

Today, Hyundai/Kia are profitably releasing cheaper vehicles than R1 and R2 with 800v tech.

I’d have thought Rivian can wait ~2 years for the cost/benefit for 800v to catch up for them. Speaking for myself, if the next major R1 update doesn’t have 800v, I’m going to pass on it.

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