Firmware Update results in reduced range

[Panhandler]

I have a 2025 R1S Dual Motor with the standard LFP battery. I have always had 260 miles of expected range with a full charge.
Last week I drove my Rivian to the Oklahoma City Service Center for a new windshield and warranty repairs. The navigation system planned for me to stop at the Rivian charger with approximately 20 miles range remaining when I arrived. I reduced my speed to insure that we arrived with battery to spare. However, the estimated range went from 30 miles to Zero immediately. The computer routed me to the nearest charger (with was not operable), but I was able to find a hotel with an overnight charging port so we were saved from having to call a tow truck in the middle of the night.
Everyone has had similar experiences on the road. However, my question relates to the fix. The service center did a diagnostic and confirmed there was a problem. They performed a firmware update to correct the issue. However, now my vehicle shows maximum range at full charge of 221 miles instead of 260 miles. It was challenging returning 250 miles home with such a limited range to start with, but everything else seems to be fine.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Was this related to the recent software update, or is the firmware update something different? Has anyone else experienced a significant reduction of expected range since the December 2025 update?
Thanks for your insights.

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[Dark-Fx]

LFP batteries lose quite a bit of range in cold weather. Rivian wasn't properly compensating for this in previous updates.

 

[ATLRivvy]

The range the car shows you as “available” at full has little relation to actual range. Especially in winter

The more relevant range estimate is what the car estimates when you put in a destination to navigate toward

 

[Panhandler]

The weather doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the change in expected range. We have had 70* weather all week. The battery shows 220 miles range every morning when it showed 260 a few weeks ago when the weather was cold.

 

[VSG]

The "range" on the driver's display is the battery state of charge multiplied by the EPA combined estimate. It is not a prediction or expectation. What you actually get depends on many factors which are unknown because they are in the future - like is the road uphill or downhill from here, etc. The only prediction is what is shown on the center screen when you're navigating to a destination - your vehicle can predict in this case because it knows where you're going, how the altitude changes, and what the speed limits are along the way.

This number on the driver's display is different for the different drive modes. Did you maybe switch drive modes?

If you have the Standard Pack with LFP batteries, you have to make sure you calibrate it often by charging to 100%. Read the manual for what Rivian suggests. If it hasn't been charged to 100% for a while, it won't really know how full the battery is.

 

[Panhandler]

Thanks for the replies. I have learned through 15 years of driving electric vehicles that you cannot rely on the estimated range on the dashboard. The navigation system is better, but as I found out last week, you need to allow more battery capacity than it does.
That leads to the probable reason why the firmware update done at the service center led to an immediate 15% reduction of estimated range. I assume that they installed an update that keeps more capacity in reserve. When I put in a navigation plan that I have used before, it calculated the same stops. However, it consistently shows 220 miles range at full charge instead of the former 260. That is fine with me, but I am concerned that potential buyers will not be interested in a vehicle with such limited range.
I drive the Rivian very consistently 30-40 miles per day and charge to 100% every night. I occasionally run the battery low to allow the computer to calculate range properly. The only explanation I have is that there was a firmware change that is different from the one that was released to all Rivians in December.
If anyone has experienced a similar range reduction, I would be interested to hear from you.

 

[jrmbadger]

Couple of suggestions:

1.) The new update mentioned charging to 100% several times to recailbrate the BMS. Perhaps charging to 100% for a few weeks will reset it.

2.) Try signing up for one of the aftermarket apps like A better route planner, rivian roamer, or the like - those can actually get the actual usable and total battery kwH. I believe they show also what the car had when new. This would tell you if Rivian changed the battery buffer.

3.) Did you try contacting the service center and asking? They may be able to tell you what happened.

Rivian seems to be struggling with getting the LFP cars dialed in lately.

 

[Panhandler]

I have tried contacting the Service Center, but they closed the message thread when the service was complete. I will have to open a new service request to get in contact with anyone.
That is a minor complaint that I have about Rivian. The Service Center personnel were great to work with. They provided a rental vehicle for a week and were very responsive to messages sent on the app. However, it is impossible to contact anyone directly. The only phone number available is the general service number. To contact the service center by phone I had to call the 800 number and leave a message with the operator.
Thanks for the information about aftermarket apps. I will try one of them.

 

[smashweights]

Weren't the LFP Rivians having a major issue with overestimated ranges and vehicles dying with 10% remaining prior to the update?

 

[C12farmer]

Any idea what vehicle software version you were on before the service center did the update?
2025.38.30 released in late November was supposed to fix this calibration issue with LFP batteries. Were you running this version already? What you experienced was a known problem.

To get a hold of the service center directly, they usually text you updates from a local phone number. If you text or call that number, it should take you directly to the service center

 

[portdirect]

The "range" on the driver's display is the battery state of charge multiplied by the EPA combined estimate. It is not a prediction or expectation. What you actually get depends on many factors which are unknown because they are in the future - like is the road uphill or downhill from here, etc. The only prediction is what is shown on the center screen when you're navigating to a destination - your vehicle can predict in this case because it knows where you're going, how the altitude changes, and what the speed limits are along the way.

This number on the driver's display is different for the different drive modes. Did you maybe switch drive modes?

If you have the Standard Pack with LFP batteries, you have to make sure you calibrate it often by charging to 100%. Read the manual for what Rivian suggests. If it hasn't been charged to 100% for a while, it won't really know how full the battery is.

This with one slight adjustment: it’s the remaining addressable capacity of the battery in kWh (SoE) * the EPA cycle estimate for mi/kWh. This differs from SoC as the addressable capacity will fluctuate quite a bit at any particular ’SoC %’ based on a number of factors; primarily temperature of the pack. Rivian do expose this value but don’t display itanywhere via their own UI; ABRP, Rivian Roamer and home assistant are various ways to get this value - you’ll then find that the range remaining value in miles is always a fixed multiplier of this kWh value. Here’s a screenshot from our truck currently, as it’s a little chilly out the battery capacity has dropped from ~140.5 kWh nominal to 136.9 kWh and theres 90.3kWh in the pack that can be drawn currently - giving 252 miles of range at 66% SoC. When it’s warmer out I’d expect to see an extra kWh or two at 66% SoC and a slight higher estimated range as a result. LFP batteries will show larger capacity changes based on temp than NMC.

 

[Panhandler]

Revision 2025.46.0 was installed at the service center. This is apparently the reason for the reduced estimate of range.
However, the release notes make no mention of a change in the estimate of range.
BTW, thanks for the referral to Rivian Roamer. I have signed up. It gives great information.

 

[Panhandler]

https://eletric-vehicles.com/rivian...ttery-calibration-issue-on-gen-2-r1-vehicles/

 

[bagsofcole]

I have a gen 1 quad large pack and it dropped about 50 miles. I didn’t notice for a while because I switched from 21” road to 20” ATs and haven’t been paying attention. But in my last full charge for a road trip it was low. The actual range hasn’t changed since I can still get as far as I could but it’s more realistic for highway miles, and not make believe city miles.

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