Rivian's EV Trip Planner Is Getting A Big Upgrade, And You Don't Need A Rivian To Use It
One of the major concerns that accompanies travel in an electric vehicle is the presence and prevalence of EV chargers along your travel route. Even if you have a charger installed at home and your electric vehicle can reliably travel long distances, if there isn't a single compatible charger or outlet along the way, then you're going to end up stranded on the side of the road. This is why it's important to have a planned layout of EV chargers clearly laid out, and why EV manufacturer Rivian will be offering its Charger Reliability Scores in the A Better Routeplanner app, or ABRP for short.
After acquiring the ABRP app back in 2023, Rivian is now adding information on its network of compatible chargers to the app's services, free of charge for all users. Starting today, June 20, all ABRP users will be able to see Rivian's Charger Reliability scores when accessing the app. These scores mark not just a charger's location on the road, but its max charging speed, consistency of payment success, and overall charging efficacy. This will help to ensure that all EV drivers can find reliable EV chargers at a moment's notice.
"These tools, along with a sharp focus on growing access to reliable charging, are part of Rivian's commitment to giving drivers the confidence to drive electric, whether on their daily commute or an epic road trip," Rivian pledged in an email to SlashGear.
Charger Reliability Scores will be available to everyone, even those that don't drive Rivian vehicles
While the ABRP app is technically Rivian's property, the company recognizes that access to reliable charging is something that all EV drivers need. This is why the Charger Reliability Scores will be available to anyone and everyone using the ABRP app, even if they're not driving a Rivian-branded vehicle.
"Access to reliable fast-charging is both critical for Rivian as a business and essential for widespread EV adoption," Rivian explained in its email. "Whether at home or on the road, EV charging should be a seamless experience."
"While most EV owners do most of their charging at home, Rivian recognizes that charging while on the road needs to be reliable, convenient, and a positive part of the ownership experience. It is vital we look at the charging landscape holistically to address the pain points owners face while charging on the road."
In addition to the information already available on the ABRP app from its independent days, Rivian will continuously supplement both the existing charger details and its Charger Reliability Scores with information sourced from Rivian vehicles. This information will come from both Rivian's personal Adventure Network, which is built to directly support Rivian vehicles, and various third-party charger networks like Tesla Superchargers. If a charger can be found on the ABRP app, Rivian will have information about it made available.