Rivian R2 can power an entire house with electricity

The new Rivian R2 SUV will be equipped with a battery capable of providing electricity externally thanks to vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology support.

What is known

The V2H function allows the electric vehicle to supply energy directly to the home's power grid through a charging port, turning the car into a wheeled energy storage device. This feature will be useful during emergency power outages and to save on bills — the owner can charge the battery at night when electricity is cheap and use the stored energy during peak rates.

The energy management module is located at the rear of the battery and combines several functions, including a bidirectional charger. It converts alternating current (AC) from the grid to direct current (DC) for battery charging, and also back to supply power to the home grid.

Rivian notes that this R2 feature can provide access to gigawatt-hours of energy storage for customers, making electric vehicles an efficient solution for home energy supply. For the US market, the R2 will be equipped with a NACS charging port, while a CCS2 option is being considered for Europe.

Additional hardware is required for the V2H system to work. Ford and General Motors already offer their home kits, which cost several thousand dollars. Rivian also plans to release a new bidirectional charger for R1S and R1T owners.

The R2 will receive 4695 type cells from LG, with 6 times the energy capacity of current models. Rivian is aiming for a range of 300 miles (about 480 km), but the exact battery capacity is not yet disclosed.

Initially, production of the 4695 cells will be organized outside the US, but from 2027 the company intends to move production to a plant in Arizona.

Source: InsideEVs