RIVIAN'S EV ROUTE PLANNER MIGHT MISLEAD YOU! WHY IS A BETTER ROUTE PLANNER NOT INTEGRATED YET?

EV Channels Review

The Out of Spec Podcast episode delves into the shortcomings of Rivian's native EV route planner, highlighting instances where it prioritizes the Rivian Adventure Network to the detriment of the user's actual needs. While acknowledging Rivian's generally good software and impressive vehicle build quality, the hosts pinpoint critical flaws in the route planner's logic. Key issues include inaccurate range estimations based on EPA figures rather than real-world driving, a cumbersome interface for setting desired arrival state of charge, and a problematic insistence on routing to Rivian's own chargers even when less optimal or when other networks like Tesla Superchargers are readily available and less congested. The episode criticizes the planner for potentially adding significant time to trips by forcing users to Level 2 chargers or slower charging sessions due to this prioritization. Despite these criticisms, the hosts express optimism, noting Rivian's history of over-the-air updates and its recent acquisition of 'A Better Route Planner' (ABRP), suggesting future improvements are likely.