Rivian produces and sells some of the most rugged and audacious EVs on the market. Targeting an audience of individuals looking to take their vehicles on adventures, Rivian offers its vehicles with three feet of wading depth and optional camping accessories. While all of this is great, there is a need for charging locations in rural areas to enable these trips.
Rivian is aiming to alleviate range anxiety in the wilderness with its Adventure and Waypoint network of EV chargers. The electric automaker recently strengthened its EV charging network with a new deployment along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway ends near the Great Smoky Mountains, the most visited national park in the entire United States.
Spanning 469 miles through North Carolina and Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a staple of the American southeast. This sector is connected to some incredibly scenic sites, but the area is relatively sparse regarding DC fast charging stations.
Within Rivian’s new charging investment, the automaker has implemented a total of thirty DC fast charging stalls housed within five stations. Rivian has also added five AC chargers to the Roanoke and Meadows of Dan stations for drivers looking to stay a while.
- Front Royal, VA: six DC fast chargers
- Waynesboro, VA: six DC fast chargers,
- Roanoke, VA: six DC fast chargers, three AC chargers
- Meadows of Dan, VA: six DC fast chargers, two AC chargers
- Blowing Rock, NC: six DC fast chargers
Rivian clearly notes that all its Blue Ridge DC fast chargers offer pull-through trailer access. Moreover, the DC fast stations will be able to supply tourists’ Rivians with up to 140 miles of range in a 20-minute charge.
This news comes after Rivian introduced its longest-range offering yet: the R1T Dual-Motor Max Pack. When equipped with the stock 21-inch Road tires, the R1T can achieve a substantial 410 miles of range per the EPA. Still, it likely wouldn’t make the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway on a single charge, so it’ll have to stop at one of Rivian’s new chargers.