The most important Rivian battery pack, dubbed the Max pack, is now getting into manufacturing, however with much less capability than unique mentioned.

When it introduced the Max pack about two years in the past, Rivian discussed a gross capability of 180 kwh. However this previous week, Rivian showed to Automobile and Driving force that it is greatest pack has a gross capability of simply 149 kwh.

Since then, Rivian has additionally showed that quantity to Inexperienced Automobile Studies in addition to one thing most likely much more significant: why it isn’t 180 kwh.

Rivian R1T, inexperienced, vs. Rivian R1S, silver

In brief: The Max pack makes use of a brand new battery cellular, in the similar shape issue utilized by Rivian’s 135-kwh Huge pack and with out gaining mass—so with its larger efficiencies it’ll really be well worth the $10,000 top class.

“This potency was once reached by way of our engineers who evolved a proprietary battery control gadget that optimizes and will increase the usable battery power from a brand new model of our 2170 battery cellular with complex chemistry that permits for each upper power density and better absolute power,” defined Rivian, in a reaction supplied to Inexperienced Automobile Studies. “That is as a substitute of including extra cells or modules to an current battery pack, which might upload extra mass to the car itself.

Rivian on Friday once more showed that the overall (gross) capability of its Huge pack is 135 kwh. Usable capability, Rivian has emphasised prior to now, would possibly range through the years because it improves the electrical vehicles’ efficiency and potency by means of over-the-air updates.

“Our automobiles’ differ is pushed by way of many components throughout power garage, pressure unit potency, aerodynamics, and extra,” mentioned a Rivian spokesperson to Inexperienced Automobile Studies Friday, in line with a question about present usable capability. “As you realize, we strengthen car instrument via over-the-air updates, which means we proceed to optimize car potency and differ without reference to when a buyer takes supply in their Rivian.”

Extra miles according to kwh for Max pack?

With out understanding usable capability—and assuming it is about the similar ratio of the pack capability as for the Huge pack—that means the Max pack fashions are in fact getting higher potency and extra miles according to kwh.

The Max pack is to be had in each the R1T electrical pickup truck and R1S SUV, however best with the recently-launched Twin-Motor powertrain. As published these days, the Max pack R1T and R1S were EPA-rated at 410 miles and 400 miles respectively. Twin-Motor vehicles with the Huge pack have been these days rated at as much as 352 miles.

2023 Rivian R1T

Permitting that three-row, 400-mile R1S Max pack

Deliveries of R1T Max pack fashions are already underway; R1S Max pack deliveries are scheduled to begin later this autumn—with its 3rd row and load spaces now most probably no longer impacted by way of the Max pack.

That wasn’t firstly the case. Previous on in those vehicles’ gestation, Rivian had urged that packaging on Max pack R1S variations can be a little bit other and forgo the three-row format. 

Rivian has from the beginning used a special thermal technique than different EV makers—permitting it to package deal extra power into much less area. And it is introduced a battery guaranty that beats Tesla and different EVs.

Now it is transparent they are no longer finished with those concepts and the longest-range vehicles would possibly constitute progressed thermal engineering. There is undoubtedly extra backstory to but to come back.

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with further reporting by way of Bengt Halvorson