Rivian has modified 600 components on its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck in a bid to drive down manufacturing prices, whereas enhancing efficiency of its flagship automobiles.
The top objective, which is able to play out over the approaching yr, is an existential one. Rivian misplaced about $38,784 on each car it delivered within the first quarter of 2024, in line with its earnings report. And the automaker received’t have the brand new, cheaper R2 SUV on the highway till the primary half of 2026.
That leaves Rivian with one route: promote extra R1S and R1T automobiles with out dropping cash.
The clock begins now. Rivian has just lately began producing the second-generation R1T and R1S, with the primary deliveries starting as early as this week.
The results of Rivian’s second-generation reboot is an all-electric truck and SUV with improved journey high quality, extra highly effective drivetrain choices and different bells and whistles, together with an electronically tinted sunroof and a so-called “launch mode” that may catapult the brand new R1T quad-motor trim from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in lower than 2.5 heart-pumping seconds.
However you wouldn’t know any of this simply by trying on the second-generation EVs.
Rivian has left the outside of the second-generation R1 line principally untouched — except for a brand new lighting function that gives a charging standing bar throughout the entrance, Storm Blue paint colour and wheels — a call that executives instructed TechCrunch was intentional.
As a substitute, Rivian has centered its efforts on remodeling the center, altering all the pieces from the battery pack and suspension system to {the electrical} structure, inside seats and sensor stack. There’s even a redesigned software program person interface that gives detailed illustration-like graphics utilizing Unreal Engine in addition to deeper integration with Apple and Google.
“Some changes are small, some changes are big, but every single aspect of the experience of the R1 will improve with this platform,” Rivian’s head of software program, Wassym Bensaid, instructed reporters in a media briefing forward of the official launch.
Vertical integration is the underlying theme right here. Rivian nonetheless has suppliers. However its engineers, designers and manufacturing facility employees are liable for making extra components of the R1 EVs than ever earlier than.
Rivian now designs, engineers and makes its motors in home, for instance. The corporate can also be liable for redesigning a warmth pump-based thermal system to enhance rider temperature consolation and saving vary, and for growing a brand new electrical structure and compute platform that reduces the variety of digital management items (ECUs) used to manage the car from 17 totally different ECUs in its first technology to seven. This new zonal structure permits Rivian to chop greater than 1.6 miles of wiring from every car — a 44-pound weight financial savings — and to construct its automobiles quicker, in line with director {of electrical} techniques Kyle Lobo.
Rivian says it even internally developed the 11 new high-resolution cameras that, together with 5 radar, make up its notion stack and help its security and superior driver help system.
Drivetrains and batteries
The second-generation Rivian R1 lineup has 4 main configurations: dual-motor, efficiency dual-motor, tri-motor and quad-motor. As soon as a buyer strikes past the drivetrain, there may be an array of battery pack choices and different options that pushes the value tag ever larger. Rivian has additionally redesigned the battery modules within the massive and max battery packs, which executives say make them simpler to construct and repair.
Each the dual-motor and efficiency dual-motor drivetrains might be configured with three totally different battery packs. The bottom model, the dual-motor with a normal battery pack, begins at $69,900 for the R1T and $75,900 for the R1S. Notably, this model is outfitted with a lithium-iron phosphate-based battery that gives an EPA-estimated 270 miles of vary.
From right here, the battery ranges and the costs tick larger with the dual-motor massive pack and dual-motor max pack trims. The R1T dual-motor and efficiency dual-motor with a max pack will get 420 miles of vary. The R1S, in an identical configuration, can journey an estimated 410 miles on a single cost.
Rivian has dialed up the choices by including a tri-motor drivetrain trim — solely accessible with the max battery pack — that makes use of two motors within the rear and one within the entrance. This combo delivers 850 horsepower, 1,103 pound-feet of torque and a zero-to-60 mph time of two.9 seconds. The tri-motor max pack trim, which has an estimated vary of 380 miles, begins at $99,900 for the R1T and $105,900 for the R1S.
Rivian rounds out its choices with a quad-motor max pack trim, which delivers an eye-popping 1,025 horsepower, 1,198 pound-feet of torque and an off-the-line to 60 mph acceleration time of lower than 2.5 seconds when utilizing the so-called “launch mode” function.
Google, Apple and autonomy
Rivian has put effort in the direction of growing and enhancing its personal software program stack, which incorporates all the pieces associated to real-time working techniques (RTOS) that handle the automobile, similar to thermal dynamics, ADAS and security techniques, in addition to one other layer associated to the infotainment system.
Engineers use free RTOS and secure RTOS as the premise of its working system for car controls.
In the meantime, Rivian’s infotainment system has two working techniques. QNX is the host working system, which is simply used for security capabilities, and an open supply model of Android Automotive for all the pieces else. Bensaid mentioned the corporate is shifting away from QNX to a Linux-based software program.
On the autonomy entrance, Rivian makes use of a mix of Linux and free RTOS software program.
“It’s been really a continuation; since day one we’ve been super intentional about owning our own ECUs, our own computers, and our own software,” Bensaid mentioned, describing the corporate’s long-term method. “Gen one was ramping up the internal knowledge to get to a domain-based architecture. And now that we have those foundations, we’re able to move to a zonal-based architecture, which is much more challenging from a technical standpoint.”
Solely two corporations — Rivian and Tesla — have a real zonal structure, Bensaid claimed.
“This is what the industry is calling software-defined vehicles — a term that is absolutely abused,” he added.
The corporate has additionally developed its personal middleware software program, which communicates with the real-time ECUs, the infotainment ECUs and the cloud.
These deep-in-the-weeds particulars matter as a result of theoretically, Bensaid defined, Rivian can take any operate within the infotainment system and produce it over to a cell phone or a third-party software. In different phrases, this enables for purchasers to have a linked automobile and hints that Rivian might develop its personal app retailer whereas sustaining safety.
All of this effort exhibits Rivian’s excessive curiosity in controlling the complete expertise. So, maybe it’s not shocking that Rivian’s second-generation R1 line doesn’t provide the favored smartphone projection options of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. And it doubtless by no means will, in line with Bensaid.
As a substitute, Rivian is working with Google and Apple to combine the merchandise that clients need most: music, maps and messaging. As an example, Rivian homeowners will now be capable of use automobile keys in Apple Pockets on iPhone and Apple Watch, or with choose Google Pixel units, to unlock and begin up their automobiles or share keys digitally.
Rivian can also be launching a brand new subscription service known as Join+ that may give clients entry to extra Apple and Google merchandise for $14.99 monthly, or $149.99 yearly. Later this summer time, Join+ clients will be capable of stream video (whereas parked) through Googlecast, which incorporates 3,000 apps in addition to entry to Apple Music. Rivian additionally labored with Apple to convey its Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos to the automobile.
Join+ subscribers may also have entry to Spotify, Tidal and Alexa and have the power to share their WiFi hotspot with as much as eight units.
Rivian mentioned it additionally plans to combine voice assistants Siri and Google Assistant within the automobiles.
The corporate has taken an identical in-house-is-best method to its “Rivian Autonomy Platform,” which is able to come normal on all second-gen R1 automobiles and consists of 11 cameras, 5 radar sensors and a pc that’s 10 occasions extra highly effective than the earlier system.
Rivian might use the phrase “autonomy” however its system isn’t self-driving, and even shut. The superior driver help system, which TechCrunch examined, requires the motive force to stay alert with their fingers on the wheel.
The system consists of adaptive cruise management, which maintains pace and distance behind automobiles on the freeway, and a freeway help function that robotically steers, brakes and accelerates on choose highways.
Rivian can also be releasing a premium model known as Rivian Autonomy Platform+, which will likely be supplied at no cost to second-generation R1 clients for one yr. Later this summer time, the system will roll out a lane change on command function that may robotically transfer the car into one other lane when the motive force prompts the blinker.