Earlier this year American EV maker Rivian and the Volkswagen Group announced that they would cooperate on EVs. Now the pair have formalised the deal. And ‘Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ is the name of their JV company, according to Auto Express. VW says the venture will bring “best-in-class software technology for both companies’ future electric vehicles”.
Volkswagen has invested $US5.8b into Rivian to gain access to the US firm’s advanced EV platform tech. So later this decade expect to see new Rivian and Volkswagen cars or trucks based on a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) platform created by the joint venture.
By pooling resources, both expect to lower vehicle production costs at a time when lower-priced electric cars from China are making life difficult in the West.
Volkswagen reckons the partnership will cover “all relevant vehicle segments, including subcompact cars”. It expects to launch its first models from the joint venture in 2027. The German will use technology developed for the Rivian R2 SUV – including its new platform – that’s due out in 2026.
Volkswagen says it will evolve Rivian’s modular EV architecture found in the R2 for its future EVs. This incorporates the battery into the platform and offers more than 540km of range. These vehicles will have over-the-air update capability. Volkswagen says this will increase “the added value throughout the entire lifecycle of the vehicle”. A working Volkswagen prototype has already been retrofitted with hardware from Rivian.
VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said: “The partnership with Rivian is the next logical step in our software strategy. With its implementation, we will strengthen our global competitive and technological position. We have a clear plan to offer our customers the best products and digital experiences at attractive prices through state-of-the-art development processes, innovative technological approaches, and a competitive cost base driven by synergies.”
RJ Scaringe, founder and CEO of Rivian, said: “Today’s finalisation of our joint venture with Volkswagen Group marks an important step forward in helping transition the world to electric vehicles. We’re thrilled to see our technology being integrated in vehicles outside of Rivian, and we’re excited for the future. Rivian will continue to stay focused on creating best-in-class products and services that benefit our customers, helping to drive EV adoption.”
Rivian’s R1S SUV and closely relative R1T pick-up truck are on sale direct to US customers. Rivian is also offering an electric panel van, more than 10,000 of which Amazon now has on its delivery fleet.
VW has other JVs on the go; Ford and VW co-developed the Amarok and Ranger pick-ups, while the new Capri and ID.5 are both based on MEB architecture.
This will close in 8 seconds
