Rivian Wall Charger gets thumbs up from me!

[kizamybute']

Question for those who have it in last paragraph?

Bought the Rivian wall charger with my truck. It had been sitting in a box. I used a Lectron adapter on my Tesla charger previously since the Tesla charger was already there. Worked fine and was good for 20 miles per hour in range.

Am redoing / expanding my garage, charger was on the wall being removed. So just had them wire in the Rivian charger using the same cable for the Tesla charger. Happy to report, now getting 24 miles per hour. But, as little of a difference as it is, the thing I'm most satisfied with is how easily the Rivian charger plugs into the charge port. The Lectron adapter and any other charger I've used, have always been a tight fit into the Rivian port, having to always fiddle around to get it lined up ever so perfectly to go in. The Rivian plug just goes right in with no effort. For a daily use case, it's a little thing that turns out to be very nice. I care more about that than I will every notice the difference between 20 and 24 miles per hour of charge rate.

I haven't yet tried to figure out how to connect it to Wifi yet. Personally, have no real need for doing so. But did hear that if you do, you can connect to it via the app and use it to start/stop charging sessions. Is that true? Since the Rivian doesn't give you that capability (which they absolutely should), that would be the one benefit I could see in getting it connected to Wifi.

Sponsored

 

[jerseyff]

You cannot start/stop charging session via the app. It is explicitly just a view info feature once you connect it to wifi, and it will log your charging session details (duration and kWh).

 

[Sgt Beavis]

You cannot start/stop charging session via the app. It is explicitly just a view info feature once you connect it to wifi, and it will log your charging session details (duration and kWh).

Yup. I like the charger and it hasn’t given me any problems but I’d like to eventually see some more software features. But for now I’ll be happy to have a functioning, trouble free, unit.

 

[EVnewb]

Probably should’ve searched before asking this, but since I’m already here. Is there a way to set a charging schedule like on the Tesla? For those unfamiliar with the Tesla chargers, we have ours set to automatically start charging overnight during off-peak hours. From the Tesla app you can set your planned departure time for every weekday at 7am for example. My wife plugs the car in when she gets home from work and the charger/car/app will determine when to start charging based off of your current battery level to hit your preset max charge percentage and precondition the car so it is ready to leave at 7am. It works pretty great and the car is always ready to go when she leaves in the morning.

So does the Rivian charger let you do this? Or does it just start charging as soon as you plug it in?

One of the Tesla techs told us to leave the car plugged in whenever possible for best battery life. Not sure why exactly but figured it was using the house power for battery management or to mitigate vampire drain maybe? Anyway, we also like the fact that the Tesla charger starts charging automatically during off-peak hours even if it’s plugged in all day. We ordered a Rivian charger and we’re hoping it has this feature or atleast it can be added via software update.

 

[godfodder0901]

Probably should’ve searched before asking this, but since I’m already here. Is there a way to set a charging schedule like on the Tesla? For those unfamiliar with the Tesla chargers, we have ours set to automatically start charging overnight during off-peak hours. From the Tesla app you can set your planned departure time for every weekday at 7am for example. My wife plugs the car in when she gets home from work and the charger/car/app will determine when to start charging based off of your current battery level to hit your preset max charge percentage and precondition the car so it is ready to leave at 7am. It works pretty great and the car is always ready to go when she leaves in the morning.

So does the Rivian charger let you do this? Or does it just start charging as soon as you plug it in?

One of the Tesla techs told us to leave the car plugged in whenever possible for best battery life. Not sure why exactly but figured it was using the house power for battery management or to mitigate vampire drain maybe? Anyway, we also like the fact that the Tesla charger starts charging automatically during off-peak hours even if it’s plugged in all day. We ordered a Rivian charger and we’re hoping it has this feature or atleast it can be added via software update.

You can set up a schedule from the truck.

 

[EVnewb]

You can set up a schedule from the truck.

I was hoping they had some way to schedule it. Much appreciated!

 

[kizamybute']

You cannot start/stop charging session via the app. It is explicitly just a view info feature once you connect it to wifi, and it will log your charging session details (duration and kWh).

Thanks for the info. Sounds like there's no point to hook up the charger to Wifi. Don't care so much about the stats, just that's charged to where it needs to be. Hoping Rivian adds the ability to start/stop charging, and a charging range bar to the app soon. Would be very useful.

 

[SANZC02]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like there's no point to hook up the charger to Wifi. Don't care so much about the stats, just that's charged to where it needs to be. Hoping Rivian adds the ability to start/stop charging, and a charging range bar to the app soon. Would be very useful.

You would need it hooked to WiFi to get the charger software updates.

 

[Lil'O Annie]

Just got our Rivian Wall Charger up and running. Got the charger connected to wifi through the app, but am really disappointed that it doesn't do much for you, other than providing some stats. NEEDS TO LET YOU CHANGE SCHEDULING, CHARGE LEVEL PERCENT, START & STOP CHARGING...PLEASE RIVIAN!! I know all that can be done in the pickup itself, but our charger is way out away from the house in a big shop and I'm too lazy to go out and have to change it, or start up charging, for a new setting. Hoping for an update SOON!!

 

[JamesPolk24]

Just got our Rivian Wall Charger up and running. Got the charger connected to wifi through the app, but am really disappointed that it doesn't do much for you, other than providing some stats. NEEDS TO LET YOU CHANGE SCHEDULING, CHARGE LEVEL PERCENT, START & STOP CHARGING...PLEASE RIVIAN!! I know all that can be done in the pickup itself, but our charger is way out away from the house in a big shop and I'm too lazy to go out and have to change it, or start up charging, for a new setting. Hoping for an update SOON!!

None of your desired features will be an update for the charger, but for the app software. The truck determines all those parameters, not the EVSE and would work with any EVSE as well.

Does the Rivian wall charger provide power usage history?

 

[Lil'O Annie]

None of your desired features will be an update for the charger, but for the app software. The truck determines all those parameters, not the EVSE and would work with any EVSE as well.

Does the Rivian wall charger provide power usage history?

App software for more features is good enough! Hope that's soon.
Maybe someone that has been using the charger for awhile can answer your question. We just used it for the first time today...not seeing any charge or usage history info yet.

 

[godfodder0901]

Does the Rivian wall charger provide power usage history?

Yes.

 

[SANZC02]

None of your desired features will be an update for the charger, but for the app software. The truck determines all those parameters, not the EVSE and would work with any EVSE as well.

Does the Rivian wall charger provide power usage history?

They can do it on either side. Not using a Rivian charger but I can set schedules, start and stop charging, and change amps from my charger through the charger app. It Can connect to my power company and check my rate plan so I can have it not charge in peak times unless I override through the app.

A lot of this I can do through the Tesla as well but I prefer to do it through the charger so I do not have to change the car based on which house I am at. When I get the R1S I will stay with controlling it through the chargers.

 

[pc500]

They can do it on either side. Not using a Rivian charger but I can set schedules, start and stop charging, and change amps from my charger through the charger app. It Can connect to my power company and check my rate plan so I can have it not charge in peak times unless I override through the app.

A lot of this I can do through the Tesla as well but I prefer to do it through the charger so I do not have to change the car based on which house I am at. When I get the R1S I will stay with controlling it through the chargers.

My Nissan Leaf supports home/GPS location to accommodate location-based charge schedules. I'm sure the Rivian can to.

Sponsored