The Rivian R2 Can Charge From 10-80% Even Quicker Than Rivian Claims. If You Know This Trick.

The Rivian R2 should be a pretty good road tripper, according to this independent charging test.

Rivian R2 charging test

Photo by: State Of Charge

Tim Levin

By: Tim Levin

Jul 7, at 7:00am ET

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The Rivian R2 is finally here and in customer hands.
A YouTuber was able to test its all-important 10-80% charging time.
The R2 peaked at 226 kilowatts and beat Rivian's advertised charging time.

The Rivian R2 is one of the most-hyped electric vehicles hitting this year, or maybe ever. But how does it perform in the real world? Now that the tightly controlled media first drives are over and customers who don't work for Rivian are actually taking delivery of their EVs, we're starting to learn more.

Friend of InsideEVs Tom Moloughney, of the State of Charge YouTube channel, managed to get his hands on an R2 for a range test and a fast-charging evaluation. (If you want to see the results of the 70 mph range test, here you go. Otherwise, stick with me.)

Rivian R2 charging

Photo by: Rivian

Moloughney tested the R2 from 10% to 80%, basically the sweet spot for actual road-trip behavior. Within 38 seconds, the R2 is charging at above 200 kilowatts. From there, the charging power climbs steadily until it hits 226 kW at 31%. Then it begins stepping down. After 10 minutes, the R2 reaches a 45% state of charge and is pulling 171 kW. Moloughney says that should be good enough for 100 miles of highway driving in moderate temperatures.

After about 15 minutes, the R2 has recouped about half its battery capacity and hit a 60% state of charge. At that time, it's taking in 135 kW. It takes five more minutes to hit 70%, at 116 kW. The R2 is pulling 68 kW when it hits 80%, after a total of 26 minutes and 51 seconds.

That's about two minutes faster than the 29-minute 10-80% charge time that Rivian claims. Moloughney also describes the result in terms of miles of driving range added per minute, according to his 70 mph range test. The R2 added 50 miles in about five minutes, 100 miles in 11, and 150 miles in about 19.

But, as Moloughney notes, it's not anything exceptional in today's EV world. "This is not a top-of-class characteristic of R2. But as far as I'm concerned it is acceptable," he said. This roughly matches what you can expect from a Tesla Model Y, though it's several minutes slower than an 800-volt EV like a Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Moloughney also had to get a little fussy about his charging session to get the absolute most out of the R2.

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He notes that the R2 can accept over 600 amps, and that there aren't many chargers that can actually dispense that much. Alpitronic chargers that Walmart and Ionna use can deliver that much current, he says. The ABB A400 unit that Moloughney visited can also deliver 600 amps, but only out of its CCS connector—not via its NACS plug. Since the R2 has a native NACS port, he whipped out an adapter (rated for 500 amps, mind you) and used the CCS side.

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That's something you have to be deep in the weeds to know. But if you want the absolute quickest charge time out of your R2, evidently it'll pay to think about amperage.

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com

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