(Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)
Rivian this week debuted a new public charger reliability score that uses plug-in data from its vehicles to grade the chargers on an A-to-F scale.
The scores rolled out with the latest over-the-air update and are now available in the Rivian dash screen and mobile app. As drivers plan their road trips, these scores appear along the route, hopefully helping them avoid the unpleasant, yet not uncommon, experience of pulling into a charging station that doesn't work.
"A confident charging experience is the cornerstone of a Rivian road trip, so we believe in empowering drivers with essential information long before they pull up and plug in," Rivian says.
Only fast chargers—which are most commonly found along highway routes—will receive a grade. Slower, level 2 chargers often found at workplaces and in retail parking lots will not receive a reliability score. The system applies to fast chargers across brands, such as Rivian's Adventure Network, EVGo, Electrify America, and Tesla Superchargers, where Rivians can now charge (to the dismay of some Tesla drivers).
The score uses plug-in data from Rivian's passenger vehicles, the R1S and R1T, and commercial vans. Only chargers with "enough visits" will receive a score, which considers the "charger’s average top speed, payment success, and overall charge session success," Rivian says. In testing, Rivian found the new system to be "very accurate," a spokesperson tells PCMag.
Rivian's navigation system will steer drivers toward chargers with high reliability scores, which also take into account charging speed and "ease of payment." This could lead to more drivers favoring the Rivian Adventure Network and Tesla Superchargers, which offer seamless payment. Other brands sometimes require drivers to download an app or use their credit cards to pay.
"With a rapidly growing choice of charging networks, it’s equally important to be equipped with objective data across all the different network options," says Rivian.
Rivian's approach contrasts with other reliability solutions, such as the PlugShare app, that aggregate anecdotal feedback from drivers of all EV brands.