Photo: Rivian, u/jazelart via Reddit
Rivian surprised everyone when it began charging for using the Rivian Adventure Network (RAN). The move was rumored to start next year, but it is now in effect at RAN chargers. The pricing is very reasonable, making RAN more affordable than third-party charging networks, including the Tesla Supercharger.
Rivian announced earlier this year that charging EVs at a RAN charger would no longer be free as it scrapped the Membership beta program. Initially, the change was planned to happen at the end of April, although Rivian owners continued to benefit from the complimentary charging sessions after that. To be fair, Rivian never hid the plan to start charging for electricity at some point.
Last month, owners who used Rivian Adventure Network to charge their Rivians noticed the screen displayed payment details in the charging session summary. It was the first indication that Rivian was preparing to end complimentary charging sessions. Based on owners' discussions with service center employees, Rivian would've likely started paid sessions next year. It turned out this was not accurate. Payments are already in effect at most RAN stations across the US, as reported by those who used them.
The good news is that Rivian set up clear and straightforward pricing. The charging fees also compare favorably with other charging networks, including the Tesla Supercharger. The energy price is a flat $0.36 per kWh, regardless of location and time of day. The idle fee is $0.50, with a 10-minute grace period after the charging finishes. Based on some Rivian owners' reports, not all RAN chargers offer paid sessions. At least Georgia RAN chargers are still free. This might indicate that Rivian hasn't updated the software on all its chargers to accept payments.
So far, there are not that many RAN stations and some are placed in remote areas to cater to the adventurous Rivian owners. This means there's not a lot of overlap with other charging stations, which lessens competition. Considering that the Rivian Adventure Network is so far exclusive to Rivian EVs, the pricing strategy is geared toward serving Rivian's customer base first and foremost. The situation might change when the EV startup decides to open RAN to other EVs, as Tesla did.
When it does, the Rivian Adventure Network will compete for customers with other charging networks. Depending on Rivian's goal, the prices might go up or down to keep the chargers less busy or attract new customers. Rivian owners, of course, want other EV owners to pay higher fees so that they would not clutter RAN chargers. Tesla owners are a clear threat, as there are so many of them who would try to benefit from more favorable pricing.
Whatever the case, Tesla proved that charging networks can be an essential revenue stream when it's done right. Rivian is the closest behind Tesla in this regard, and I have no reason to believe it will mess up charging, considering it has done everything right so far. Having Tesla as an example helps speed things up tremendously, just like having a bigger brother helps one get smart faster.
Last month, owners who used Rivian Adventure Network to charge their Rivians noticed the screen displayed payment details in the charging session summary. It was the first indication that Rivian was preparing to end complimentary charging sessions. Based on owners' discussions with service center employees, Rivian would've likely started paid sessions next year. It turned out this was not accurate. Payments are already in effect at most RAN stations across the US, as reported by those who used them.
The good news is that Rivian set up clear and straightforward pricing. The charging fees also compare favorably with other charging networks, including the Tesla Supercharger. The energy price is a flat $0.36 per kWh, regardless of location and time of day. The idle fee is $0.50, with a 10-minute grace period after the charging finishes. Based on some Rivian owners' reports, not all RAN chargers offer paid sessions. At least Georgia RAN chargers are still free. This might indicate that Rivian hasn't updated the software on all its chargers to accept payments.
So far, there are not that many RAN stations and some are placed in remote areas to cater to the adventurous Rivian owners. This means there's not a lot of overlap with other charging stations, which lessens competition. Considering that the Rivian Adventure Network is so far exclusive to Rivian EVs, the pricing strategy is geared toward serving Rivian's customer base first and foremost. The situation might change when the EV startup decides to open RAN to other EVs, as Tesla did.
When it does, the Rivian Adventure Network will compete for customers with other charging networks. Depending on Rivian's goal, the prices might go up or down to keep the chargers less busy or attract new customers. Rivian owners, of course, want other EV owners to pay higher fees so that they would not clutter RAN chargers. Tesla owners are a clear threat, as there are so many of them who would try to benefit from more favorable pricing.
Whatever the case, Tesla proved that charging networks can be an essential revenue stream when it's done right. Rivian is the closest behind Tesla in this regard, and I have no reason to believe it will mess up charging, considering it has done everything right so far. Having Tesla as an example helps speed things up tremendously, just like having a bigger brother helps one get smart faster.
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