EV start-up Rivian secures Samsung SDI to supply batteries

Rivian has announced that it will source batteries for its R1T electric ute (pickup) and R1S electric SUV from South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI.

The deal is a final step in securing the partnership with the battery maker, after many months of testing and development to ensure “robust” cell design and characterisation, the EV start-up said in a statement on Monday (US time).

Electric utes will be the next big thing in electric mobility, both figuratively and literally, and along with the Tesla Cybertruck, the GMC Hummer EV and the Ford F-150 Electric, Rivian will be at the forefront of what is expected to fill a sizeable gap in the market.

The R1T and R1S first hit media headlines in 2019 when the rugged all-electric vehicles wowed attendees at the LA Auto Show, and since then, the company has secured substantial more than $A2 billion in funding from a list of big names including Amazon, Ford and Cox Automotive.

While Rivian has started making all-electric vans in a deal with online retail giant Amazon, production of the R1T and R1S were put on hold due to the pandemic but Rivian is now expected to start delivering first orders of the electric ute and SUV in June 2021.

Rivian has pegged Australia as a key market, but has not announced when it plans to launch locally.

The new deal with Samsung, however, is one more step towards that day.

Both Rivian’s upcoming electric vehicles are available with large batteries, the biggest option for which is 180kWh (more than 3.5 times the size of the battery in a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus).

According to Rivian, the battery that will be made by Samsung has been designed to handle the rugged use cases it expects its customers to put their Rivians through, including extreme temperatures and demanding terrains.

“We’re excited about the performance and reliability of Samsung SDI battery cells combined with our energy-dense module and pack design. Samsung SDI’s focus on innovation and responsible sourcing of battery materials aligns well with our vision,” said Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe in a statement.

It will also be suitable for its fleet vehicles such as the all-electric van it is making for Amazon, able to operate all day in a wide range of environments, it says.

A battery management system has also been optimised to extend the performance of the life and the pack. It has not detailed what chemistry the Rivian/Samsung battery packs will use.

In early 2020, Samsung announced it had cracked a key puzzle to achieving a solid-state battery, a “holy grail” of battery chemistry that would have higher energy density and enable longer driving ranges. However, it is understood that this technology has not yet been commercialised.

In March, Rivian said it will install 3,500 DC fast chargers and 10,000 AC slow chargers across North America with a focus on remoter regions to create an “adventure network”.