Rivian Connect+: Everything You Want to Know

Rivian Wave

Rivian vehicles come with standard connectivity features, but as of June 6^th, 2024, Rivian began to offer Connect+, a premium connectivity package.

Connect+ offers a wide range of additional connectivity features for Rivian owners, so let’s take a look at what the standard connectivity offers, and what Connect+ brings to the table.

Rivian offers a 60-day trial of Connect+ for existing owners and to new R1T and R1S owners.

Standard Connectivity

Standard Connectivity comes with a good set of basic features, including regular over-the-air (OTA) updates when connected to WiFi. In addition, it brings live navigation (including traffic-based routing), remote vehicle commands via the Rivian app, phone as-a-key functionality, Alexa (for vehicle commands) and the ability to tether your vehicle to a WiFi hotspot.

For tethering – you can connect to any external Wi-Fi network – including your cellphone’s hotspot or the WiFi network from something like Starlink to get internet access while you’re on the go.

Unless you’re connected to WiFi or a hotspot, you won’t be able to stream music in your vehicle

Connect+ Pricing

Connect+ will cost $14.99 USD per month or $19.99 CAD per month. It is also available as an annual package, at $149.99 USD per year, or $199.99 CAD per year – a discount of 2 months if you purchase annually.

You can sign up for Connect+ through the vehicle infotainment system, through the Rivian App, or by logging into your Rivian account on their website.

Connect+

Connect+ brings various additional features – including a vehicle hotspot for your other devices. This lets you easily stream video on iPads and other devices seamlessly and without any data limits.

In addition, satellite imagery for navigation is also added, improving the basic maps user interface that’s already available as part of Standard Connectivity. Alexa also gets an improvement – you can now use Alexa Connected commands to influence things outside the vehicle, such as opening your garage door or changing your home’s temperature.

Connect+ also brings you data access to streaming – including Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, Tidal, and TuneIn Internet Radio. In a future update, Rivian will also add Google Cast support and a native YouTube app to stream videos.

Another upcoming big feature will be the Gear Guard Live Cam which will allow you to view all the cameras from your Rivian vehicle while Gear Guard is active. Rivian intends to bring this feature to all vehicles toward the end of 2024.

Difference Between Standard Connectivity & Connect+ 

* Streaming Media support includes Spotify, Audible, Apple Music, Tidal, and TuneIn currently. YouTube support is coming later in 2024.

** Gear Guard Live Cam may be accessible if the vehicle is connected to Wi-Fi. We’re waiting for Rivian to confirm this feature.

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Rivian Battery Options: Range, Cost and Battery Pack Sizes (kWh)

Rivian Wave

Rivian offers a variety of battery packs and motors to give customers the range they need at the lowest price point possible. Let's take a look at the various battery sizes Rivian offers, their costs, and the range you’ll get with each package.

The battery options differ on Rivian’s Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles (model year 2025+), so we’ll break it down by vehicle generation. One thing to note is that even though Gen 2 has smaller battery sizes in general, the vehicles are far more efficient than the first generation, so you’ll be able to travel further on the same battery size.

Rivian divides its models by the number of motors and battery pack size. The motor options are Dual, Tri, and Quad, while the battery options are Standard, Large, and Max. So, when selecting a model, you’ll see names such as Dual Standard (two motors and the Standard battery) and Dual Large or Tri Max (three motors and the Max battery).

Here are your battery options for the current generation of vehicles (R1S and R1T) and their range and cost.

Gen 2 Battery Options

You’ll note that the upcoming Quad Motor Ascend vehicles aren’t listed here just yet. Rivian hasn’t unveiled the details of the Quad Motor battery packs and pricing yet, but we’ll update the table above once that information arrives.

The Max Tri-motor models include the same battery pack as the Dual Max models, but their range is reduced due to the additional weight of the extra motor and the vehicle's performance tuning. The Tri-motor vehicles also include a variety of standard options, such as the Dynamic Glass Roof, Premium Audio, the Ascend interior, and others, which drives the price up to the $30,000 premium over the Dual motor variant.

Of note, the only official EPA range estimates are for the R1T’s Standard pack and the R1S’ Standard and Max packs.

Gen 1 Battery Options

Rivian offered more options in its battery lineup in Gen 1, and the range of its lowest-level offering was a bit bigger – 258 miles in Gen 2 compared to 270 miles in Gen 1. That difference is mostly due to the smaller pack size – 105kWh in the Standard Gen 1 vehicles, while only 92.5 kWh in the Gen 2 vehicles.

The battery ranges above are all EPA estimates.

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New Details About Rivian's R2/R3 Steering Wheel: Dynamic Clicks & Haptic Feedback

Rivian

Rivian’s upcoming vehicles, including the R2 and R3X prototypes, will include a next-generation steering wheel that offers an innovative approach to driver control and feedback. We recently had a chance to chat with Marty L., UI/UX Director at Rivian, who shared exciting details about the new features and functionality of this wheel.

Three Axes of Freedom

The new steering wheel design looks great, with large, mostly exposed scroll wheels at either side of the steering wheel. However, the most interesting part of the wheel is the functionality it introduces. As expected, the steering wheel will have three axes of freedom, similar to the steering wheels in the current R1S/R1T models, but instead of requiring a separate button to navigate left and right, you’ll be able to tilt the scroll wheel left/right.

• Tilt Left/Right: The ability to navigate left and right by tilting the scroll wheel

• Push In: A push or press feature that can be used to confirm selections or switch modes.

• Scroll Up/Down: Scroll up and down with dynamic haptic feedback

These scroll wheels are the cornerstone of changing the most used settings in the vehicle. However, Rivian plans to use them for more than just basic features. You’ll be able to adjust a variety of settings directly from the scroll wheels.

Dynamic Haptic Feedback

The biggest innovation with Rivian’s new steering wheel will be the ability for the wheel to provide dynamic haptic feedback as you’re scrolling. While most scroll wheels have a basic click sensation, Rivian’s will have adaptable feedback that changes depending on the function you’re adjusting:

• Volume Control: When adjusting the vehicle’s volume, the haptic feedback (the “clicks”) will be more spaced out, with distinct, widely separated clicks corresponding to each volume level (e.g., 1 through 10).

• ADAS Speed Adjustment: For adjusting speed settings, you’ll feel more closely spaced clicks that offer more precise control, giving a tactile sense of small incremental changes.

This feedback ensures drivers get a clear, physical confirmation of each adjustment, making it easier to make changes without taking their eyes off the road.

Rivian

Resistance for Added Control

The new steering wheel is beyond just clicks, Rivian’s scroll wheels will have varying levels of resistance. Marty explained that users will feel a slight resistance when they scroll up or down to change settings. For example, as you’re scrolling up to the next volume level or speed increment, the wheel will offer a subtle resistance before snapping into the next position. This makes the interaction feel natural and intuitive—almost like turning a dial that clicks into place.

Which Models Will Feature This Steering Wheel?

The steering wheel is currently featured in Rivian’s R2 and R3X prototypes, which have been showcased at various events. This innovative wheel will be rolled out to all R2 and R3 models. However, when asked whether the new wheel would make its way to the current R1S and R1T models, he simply responded with a “stay tuned,” hinting that Rivian may have plans to introduce it to its current lineup in the future.

This new steering wheel design is a testament to Rivian’s focus on technology, software, and innovation to produce some of the best EVs. As Rivian continues to redefine what’s possible in vehicle interiors, as they did with Dolby Atmos support, this new steering wheel will likely set the standard for user experience in future designs.

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