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Rivian launches charger designed to open charging network to other EVs

Credit: Rivian | X

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Rivian has announced plans to open its charging network to other electric vehicle (EV) brands, and the company this week debuted a new charger design to do so.

In a press release on Friday, Rivian shared the charger design it will use to make the Rivian Adventure Network (RAN) available to all compatible EVs later this year. The new charging stall design includes 400- and 800-volt packs, along with CCS connectors and support for NACS—first through an adapter, and eventually natively.

Credit: Rivian

While the chargers will initially require an approved adapter to charge vehicles with Tesla’s NACS charger, Rivian says support for native NACS charging will be added with a future hardware update.

“Rivian exists to address two specific needs, the electrification of our transportation system and supporting the transition of our power grid to carbon-free energy sources,” said Paul Frey, Vice President of Battery, Charging, and Adventure Products at Rivian. “By broadening access to our Rivian Adventure Network—powered by 100% renewable energy—we are supporting both of these critical goals while also encouraging more people to embark on their next adventure in an EV.”

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The EV maker plans to start building all RAN stations with the next-generation charging equipment, and it will retrofit all of its current sites with the new hardware. Additionally, Rivian says it’s prioritizing pull-through charging stalls at new sites where it’s practical, in order to help accommodate vehicles that are towing.

Rivian also says that it plans to leverage the updated hardware design to utilize funding from the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, along with additional state and utility programs aiming to support the expansion of EV charging infrastructure.

As of February, there were 400 DC fast chargers at 67 locations across the U.S. in Rivian’s charging network, and the company says on its website that it’s targeting over 3,500 of the chargers at approximately 600 sites.

The move comes after Tesla announced last year that it would be opening the larger Supercharger network to additional EV brands, just as every automaker in the industry eventually signed on to adopt Tesla’s NACS charging port in future designs. Tesla officially began opening the Supercharger network to other EVs over the past few months, first to Ford, and then to Rivian.

Rivian Charging Scores should be standard for EVs [Feature]

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What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla launches Full Self-Driving in a new region

Today, Tesla launched Full Self-Driving in Australia for purchase by car buyers for $10,100, according to Aussie automotive blog Man of Many, which tried out the suite earlier this week.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has launched its Full Self-Driving suite in a new region, marking a significant step in the company’s progress to expand its driver assistance suite on a global scale.

It is also the first time Tesla has launched FSD in a right-hand-drive market.

Today, Tesla launched Full Self-Driving in Australia for purchase by car buyers for $10,100, according to Aussie automotive blog Man of Many, which tried out the suite earlier this week.

Previously, Basic and Enhanced Autopilot suites were available, but the FSD capability now adds Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, along with all the features of the previous two Autopilot suites.

It is the first time Tesla has launched the suite by name in a region outside of North America. In China, Tesla has “City Autopilot,” as it was not permitted to use the Full Self-Driving label for regulatory reasons.

However, Tesla still lists Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as available in the U.S., Canada, China, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

The company teased the launch of the suite in Australia earlier this week, and it appeared to have been released to select media members in the region earlier this week:

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Tesla FSD upcoming Australia release seemingly teased bv media

The rollout of Full Self-Driving in the Australian market will occur in stages, as Model 3 and Model Y vehicles with Hardware 4 will receive the first batch of FSD rollouts in the region.

TechAU also reported that “the initial deployment of FSDs in Australia will roll out to a select number of people outside the company, these people are being invited into Tesla’s Early Access Program.”

Additionally, the company reportedly said it is “very close” to unlocking FSD in customer cars:

Each new Tesla sold will also come with a 30-day free trial of the suite.

Australia is the sixth country to officially have Full Self-Driving available to them, following the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Here’s the first look at the suite operating in Australia:

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Tesla AI6 chips will start sample production at surprising Samsung site

AI6 is expected to be used in Tesla’s expanding lineup of high-volume products, such as the Cybercab and Optimus.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

It appears that the initial sample production of Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chip would not start in Samsung’s United States-based facilities. 

AI6 is expected to be used in Tesla’s expanding lineup of high-volume products, such as the Cybercab and Optimus.

Early AI6 production

As noted in a ZDNet Korea report, the production of initial samples of Tesla’s AI6 chip is expected to start at Samsung Electronics’ domestic foundry and packing facilities in South Korea. Mass production for AI6 chips will follow at the tech giant’s Texas-based foundry in Taylor, which is expected to start operations in 2025. Investment in mass production facilities for the Taylor plant are expected to start this year, the publication noted.

Samsung has reportedly finalized the process design kit for its second-generation 2nm technology. This node offers a 12% performance improvement, 25% lower power consumption, and an 8% reduction in chip area compared to its previous-generation counterparts. 

Tesla’s AI6 deal

As per previous reports, Tesla has signed a $16.5 billion contract with Samsung for the production of its AI6 chips. In a post on social media platform X, Musk clarified that $16.5 billion is actually just the bare minimum. Considering that the demand for AI6 chips will be substantial due to the ramp of products such as Optimus and the Cybercab, it would not be farfetched if the deal becomes notably larger in the future.

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Musk has shared his excitement for Samsung’s production of AI6 chips, with the CEO stating on X that he would “walk the line personally” in the facility to “accelerate the pace of progress.” In a follow-up comment, the Tesla CEO stated that Samsung is fully aware of what a real partnership with Tesla will be like. “I had a video call with the chairman and senior leadership of Samsung to go over what a real partnership would be like. Use the strengths of both companies to achieve a great outcome,” Musk wrote in his post. 

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Elon Musk’s Boring Company begins Tesla FSD testing in Las Vegas tunnels

The update was shared by Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) CEO Steve Hill.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

The Boring Company has started testing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in its Las Vegas tunnels. 

The update was shared by Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) CEO Steve Hill in a comment to Fortune.

Controlled FSD testing

In his comments, Hill noted that Tesla’s FSD tests in the Boring Company’s underground tunnels in Las Vegas have been going on for months. However, the full-self driving Teslas have reportedly not been carrying passengers during the tests. Interestingly enough, Hill noted that the FSD-driven vehicles have not had any incidents in the Boring Company tunnels yet, though safety drivers have been required to intervene “periodically.”

Hill further noted that the self-driving Teslas have found some spots that seem quite difficult in the underground tunnels system. The LVCVA CEO added that the rock walls of the Boring Company tunnels and their colorful lighting have created some “interesting but odd lighting” for FSD. That being said, Hill noted that the FSD tests are ongoing, though the LVCVA will likely be a consultant before the self-driving vehicles’ safety drivers are removed. 

The executive, however, noted that it will only be a matter of time before the Teslas in Las Vegas’ Boring Company tunnels are operating without a driver. “Sooner or later, this is going to be autonomous,” Hill said.

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Vegas Loop updates

The Boring Company’s underground transit system has been operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center for about four years. While the network is slated for expansion across more of the city, it currently connects the convention grounds with a handful of nearby hotels. Updates from the Boring Company’s official social media account on X suggests that tunneling is underway across other stops in Las Vegas.

As per the Boring Company on its official website, the greater Vegas Loop, when completed, will have 104 stations across 68 miles of tunnels. This should allow the underground system to serve an estimated 90,000 passengers per hour. It will also be able to connect key locations across the city, such as Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, and downtown.

While the Vegas Loop is nowhere near complete, Hill noted that the system is already well appreciated by residents and visitors. As per the LVCVA CEO, the underground transport system is the “highest rated feature we have” at the Convention Center.  “People love it,” he said, adding that the only reason the tunnels are not coming faster is due to holdups with permits. “We’re holding them back. They’re not holding us back,” he stated.

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