Rivian has officially announced that the lithium-ion battery cells for its electric vehicles will be supplied by Samsung SDI.

The decision comes after the two companies have been working together throughout the vehicle development process to ensure robust cell testing and characterization.

As far as we know, Rivian will use 2170-type cylindrical cells (the form factor is the same as in the Tesla Model 3/Y).

Rivian Battery modules being tested in Rivian’s Irvine Ca development center
Rivian Battery Technology Facilities, Irvine, CA

The battery modules (15 kWh or so each) and battery packs (with two layers of modules, liquid cooled) were developed in-house by Rivian and are expected to offer more than 300 miles (500 km) of range, as well as ultra-fast charging.

"Rivian’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV deliver an unmatched combination of performance, off-road capability and utility – the rugged duty cycle requires the module and pack to be designed to operate across challenging temperature and durability extremes. Rivian vehicles in development for fleet purposes will be in near-constant operation during the day and will operate in a wide range of thermal environments."

"Rivian has developed its battery module and pack to efficiently handle these challenging use cases. The battery management system has been engineered to intelligently respond to how a vehicle is being operated or charged. Extensive cell characterization testing across a wide range of operating conditions enables the battery management system algorithms to optimize the performance and life of the battery pack."

Rivian has not revealed the volume of the order, but we guess that it will be at least a few GWh annually at the beginning.

Gallery: Rivian Technology

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said:

“We’re excited about the performance and reliability of Samsung SDI battery cells combined with our energy-dense module and pack design. Samsung SDI’s focus on innovation and responsible sourcing of battery materials aligns well with our vision,”.

The market launch of the Rivian R1T pickup truck and Rivian R1S SUV is scheduled for respectively: June and August.

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