Rivian’s R2 Platform to Power All VW EVs—Here’s Why

Think of two very different carmakers—a secretive American startup and a massive automaker that has been around for a century trying to fix its EV future. That not only describes the situation right now, but it also describes what Volkswagen has confirmed it will do with Rivian's future R2 platform for all of its future electric vehicles. Yes, its future electric vehicles—for the Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and Scout brands. What started as a surprise joint venture between the two companies, has now become one of the more interesting EV partnerships we have seen in years.

And this is not just hardware either. VW is fully committing to Rivian's zonal architecture and its feature-rich, responsive software stack in the vehicle. This means (nerd alert)—all future electric vehicles produced by Volkswagen will use a Rivian developed operating system (OS)-designed to operate quickly, response, and with the ability to receive over-the-air updates. So if you have been frustrated with glitchy infotainment, long wait times for features in a new vehicle, or anything in between, then this news should put a smile on your face. This is a chance for VW to finally execute the software correctly. For Rivian, this is another point of validation on what it built that not only works, but is now leading.

What Is Zonal Architecture—and Why Should You Care?

Today, the average car contains dozens of small computers, called ECUs to manage different systems such as brakes, headlights, air conditioning, or cameras. More ECU systems mean more wiring, more complexity, and more reasons for the system to crash. Rivian's zonal architecture flips this model around by putting the car into "zones", with each zone becoming highly controlled by a small number of intelligent modules. It's like giving up a room full of remote controls for one smart hub that wireslessly talks to everything.

This makes the car simpler, lighter, and smarter. Updates can easily be delivered over the air just like smartphones improve safety systems, improve infotainment experiences, and even improve battery performance. Zonal architecture also reduces development costs and development time—something positive for any automaker looking to create more efficient manufacturing processes. So when VW announces it is adopting Rivian's electrical architecture what are they really saying? We want to build better, faster, and more reliable EVs. If you purchase a VW in a few years you should get a car that regularly improves itself, that drives smoother, and works better straight out of the automated manufacturing box.

Why Volkswagen picked Rivian, instead of its own tech

Volkswagen has had issues with the software for years on end. Their internal team, Cariad, was allegedly going to be the secret sauce in making VW's EVs truly digital. Even in the past when it seemed okay to admit that users were going to have a learning curve in adopting new tech, VW's delays, bugs, and slow development have left misery behind. Many of VW's owners who currently have EVs can attest to this pain through laggy touch screens, partial and incomplete feature sets, and generally clunky UI. VW needed a better answer, and they needed it fast. VW chose Rivian, whose software stack is already powering highly-capable vehicles for consumers, R1S as an example, as well as future vehicles (R2).

This isn't just a licensing deal. Instead, Rivian and VW are forming a joint venture with reported funding of up to $5.8 billion that will focus on jointly developing a shared platform and software solutions. Rivian gets capital injected in its coffers to scale its R2 and R3, while VW gets a plug-and-play system that is working now, not in five years. For consumers, VW's EV products will not require the painful learning curve- they can go right to the good stuff like faster boot times, cloud-connected features, expanded feature sets, and more intelligent interfaces.

When Will You Find These Tech Loaded VW Electric Vehicles in The Wilds?

The first car from Volkswagen that is expected to utilize Rivian's platform is the ID. Every1, a compact hatchback aimed at value. It's expected to be available no later than 2027, with VW Group models—like next-gen Audi, Porsche, and Scout EVs—being available soon after. So it stands to reason that by the end of the decade, essentially every new VW labeled electric vehicle you see on the road could be powered by Rivian software.
That said, these vehicles will have the same unique VW and Audi fingerprints. Rivian provides the backbone, but the brands will add their on signature—custom interfaces, suspension tuning, drivability. So if your driving experience is embodied by Porsche's performance or Audi's luxury feel, you'll still get that experience. What is changing is the underlying technology that will serve as the foundation for a smoother, safer and more intelligent driving experience.

What’s In It for Rivian? A Lot More Than Just Bragging Rights

Rivian isn’t solely relying on the headlines. The partnership provides it a financial safety net and long-term relevance. Now that it has secured its first $1 billion from VW, Rivian can ramp up the R2 SUV and the R3 crossover smaller and lower priced vehicle— the lifeblood of rivian as it attempts to survive amongst the competition in the overstimulated EV space. And let’s be clear, they were chosen by one of the world's biggest car manufacturers to ultimately power all their future EVs - that's a big vote of confidence.

The deal also enables Rivian to scale it's software development much earlier than it would if it attempted to expand without another car company tie to generate more rides to drive the software development. The more vehicles on R2, the more data that is collected, improvements for the software system and more way to optimize their infrastructure and continue to remake their offerings in a way that you can't with only your own vehicles. And that is incredibly significant in a world where Tesla has locked up the EV software space, Rivian now has a chance to not only compete with their own cars but also power millions of others.

U.S. buyers may be the biggest beneficiaries. 

Bottom line if you're a buyer in America: Future Volkswagens, Audis and (even) Porsches sold in the U.S. will likely be more reliable, more tech-forward and easier to live with—thanks to a young American car company in California. That's significant. It also bring EV tech innovation back home, employs Americans, and gives U.S. consumers more choices when looking for the next electric vehicle. 

Instead of waiting for VW to resolve software bugs, you'll have a vehicle that improves over time. Want quicker charging? Superior navigation? An upgraded driver-assist system? These could come in a software update rather than a trip to the dealership and a hefty repair bill. That's exactly what Rivian's system is meant to do—and why this partnership could be revolutionary (and quietly disruptive) to the EV market in the U.S.

Specification Table: Rivian R2 Platform x VW EV Strategy

Source(Image / Thumbnail): carscoops