Rivian debuts its inaugural Charging Outpost, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional gas stations near Yosemite.
Rivian has recently unveiled its inaugural EV charging rest stop located just 24 miles from Yosemite National Park. The facility boasts amenities such as bathrooms, a lounge equipped with a small library, a water refill station, complimentary coffee, and a “make your own” trail mix station (for a fee). While only Rivian owners will have access to the five DC fast chargers at the Rivian Yosemite Charging Outpost, all visitors are welcome to enjoy the other offerings.
The Charging Outpost is located in Groveland, California near the park’s west entrance and replaces an abandoned gas station. The shop area is open from 7 am to 7 pm, while the bathrooms and chargers are available 24/7. This is the first time Rivian has ventured into this kind of infrastructure, based on its growing network of regular charging points, several of which are located near Yosemite. The electric car maker has 58 Waypoint charging stations around Yosemite Valley that support all EVs using the standard J1772 plug, and only one Rivian Adventure charging station near the park’s east entrance.
Rivian says it plans to add more charging points “around national parks and other high-traffic areas around the country.” The first such building was designed to minimize waste, and its retaining wall was made from materials from an old parking lot and sidewalk. It is equipped with solar panels and has a passive cooling design intended to reduce the need for AC power or heating.
In addition to Charging Outposts, Rivian plans to eventually have more than 3,500 of its Adventure Network DC fast chargers in 600 locations across the United States and Canada, in addition to approximately 10,000 Level 2 chargers open to the public.
