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Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region)

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So, I may be a little Rivian obsessed... :)

After the announcement of the RAN plan, I wanted to take a deep dive into the region where I live and play. I'm based in Denver, but have family in Arizona and Utah. Some common routes for me are: Denver to Phx (via Albequerque); Denver to Salt Lake City (via I-80); Denver to southern Utah (via I-70).

To be sure, these are all planned sites and as far as I know, Salida, CO is the only fast charger site already in the works.

To create the below map I was very careful to overlay the Rivian map with the Google map of the region. This is not a perfect alignment but I believe it's pretty close. I went through diamond-by-diamond and named each stop. In a few cases it was unclear - marked with a "?" - but for the most part I think it's pretty accurate.

PLEASE NOTE, these are my guesses and in no way official.

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616257983364



Analysis:
Generally speaking, this is an EXCELLENT plan for the region. It's clear that the people who drafted this plan knew the routes of the area and have planned charging stations roughly every 100 miles or less. (Although - and I hope you're listening Rivian - I'd recommend a few minor changes - see below.) The green diamonds are almost entirely placed on common driving routes, as opposed to distinct destinations.

There are exceptions to this "through route" tendency. Take for example the trio of Montrose, Ouray, and Placerville (?) in western Colorado. The Placerville stop is a little odd, as it is not on a common "through" route. However, if you were headed to Telluride for a film festival or a ski session, you'd go through Placerville, not Ouray. If, you were headed south from Grand Junction to Durango, you would miss Placerville. This tells me that they are not just thinking about "through routes," but also as adventure destinations, as Rivian has said. Win for skiiers and film festival lovers.
Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616263148938


Also, in SW Utah, Springdale/Colorado City (unclear which) is an interesting choice unless you know that the entrance to Zion canyon is basically in Springdale. Another win for adventurers! (Although - note to Rivian - Hurricane may be a more logical charging location for Zion visitors coming from LA/Vegas.)

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616263230863



What about Denver to Bryce Canyon WITH A TRAILER?
This would be a common route for my family. I would probably pull a trailer so I am worried about those long stretches without towns. However, looks like Rivian planned for that. During this below stretch, the longest "runout" is 107 mi. Assuming a 300 mi range cut in half to 150mi while pulling an Airstream, etc, looks like it's doable, if a bit of a nail biter. Overall - Bravo Rivian!

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616262736523


On the other hand, driving from Denver to Phoenix poses one problem (#firstworldproblem). We normally go through Payson as it is shorter and a nice smooth, flat drive between Holbrook and Phoenix. But, no RAN chargers are planned there. (Note that Tesla DOES have a supercharger there.) So, given that it's 186 miles, we may have to go through Flagstaff instead, adding not just 47 miles but a mountain pass as well. Rivian - please consider adding a stop in Payson! (Call me Rivian - I can help!)

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616262876279



So, after thinking about this for way to long... here are Some locations I would add:

Payson, AZ (see above)
Laramie, WY (to avoid having to go through Cheyenne when driving from Denver to SLC)
Dinosaur, CO, Craig, CO, or Vernal, UT to accommodate a very beautiful route across NW Colorado to Dinosaur National Monument
Pueblo, CO or La Junta, CO for east/west route 50 in SE Colorado and north/south on I-25

Overall, I would give this announcement a huge thumbs up. It's well planned and thorough. Let's hope Rivian can pull it off!

Whew. Thoughts??
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I like your analysis. I just got back from that area and was really tickled to find Kayenta on their planned RAN rollout. We stopped there for lunch on our way between Cortez, CO and Page, AZ. It was really a great stop for us after visiting Mexican Hat area and Monument Valley. My only area of concern (not related to the 4 corners area) is the distance between Sweetwater, TX and Santa Rosa, NM. (Red Arrow on the map below)

Also of note I feel like thy are missing locations to get from Texas to Denver. Lubbock, Amarillo, and or maybe Raton (Just before the pass)



Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) Screen Shot 2021-03-20 at 1.53.53 PM
 
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I like your analysis. I just got back from that area and was really tickled to find Kayenta on their planned RAN rollout. We stopped there for lunch on our way between Cortez, CO and Page, AZ. It was really a great stop for us after visiting Mexican Hat area and Monument Valley. My only area of concern (not related to the 4 corners area) is the distance between Sweetwater, TX and Santa Rosa, NM. (Red Arrow on the map below)

Also of note I feel like thy are missing locations to get from Texas to Denver. Lubbock, Amarillo, and or maybe Raton (Just before the pass)



Screen Shot 2021-03-20 at 1.53.53 PM.png
For sure - SE New Mexico and Texas Panhandle are underwhelming.

That pass through Kayenta is a must-drive IF you want to hit Four Corners (which is a total tourist trap IMO, but you know with kids ya just gotta).
 

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So, I may be a little Rivian obsessed... :)

After the announcement of the RAN plan, I wanted to take a deep dive into the region where I live and play. I'm based in Denver, but have family in Arizona and Utah. Some common routes for me are: Denver to Phx (via Albequerque); Denver to Salt Lake City (via I-80); Denver to southern Utah (via I-70).

To be sure, these are all planned sites and as far as I know, Salida, CO is the only fast charger site already in the works.

To create the below map I was very careful to overlay the Rivian map with the Google map of the region. This is not a perfect alignment but I believe it's pretty close. I went through diamond-by-diamond and named each stop. In a few cases it was unclear - marked with a "?" - but for the most part I think it's pretty accurate.

PLEASE NOTE, these are my guesses and in no way official.

1616257983364.png



Analysis:
Generally speaking, this is an EXCELLENT plan for the region. It's clear that the people who drafted this plan knew the routes of the area and have planned charging stations roughly every 100 miles or less. (Although - and I hope you're listening Rivian - I'd recommend a few minor changes - see below.) The green diamonds are almost entirely placed on common driving routes, as opposed to distinct destinations.

There are exceptions to this "through route" tendency. Take for example the trio of Montrose, Ouray, and Placerville (?) in western Colorado. The Placerville stop is a little odd, as it is not on a common "through" route. However, if you were headed to Telluride for a film festival or a ski session, you'd go through Placerville, not Ouray. If, you were headed south from Grand Junction to Durango, you would miss Placerville. This tells me that they are not just thinking about "through routes," but also as adventure destinations, as Rivian has said. Win for skiiers and film festival lovers.
1616263148938.png


Also, in SW Utah, Springdale/Colorado City (unclear which) is an interesting choice unless you know that the entrance to Zion canyon is basically in Springdale. Another win for adventurers! (Although - note to Rivian - Hurricane may be a more logical charging location for Zion visitors coming from LA/Vegas.)

1616263230863.png



What about Denver to Bryce Canyon WITH A TRAILER?
This would be a common route for my family. I would probably pull a trailer so I am worried about those long stretches without towns. However, looks like Rivian planned for that. During this below stretch, the longest "runout" is 107 mi. Assuming a 300 mi range cut in half to 150mi while pulling an Airstream, etc, looks like it's doable, if a bit of a nail biter. Overall - Bravo Rivian!

1616262736523.png


On the other hand, driving from Denver to Phoenix poses one problem (#firstworldproblem). We normally go through Payson as it is shorter and a nice smooth, flat drive between Holbrook and Phoenix. But, no RAN chargers are planned there. (Note that Tesla DOES have a supercharger there.) So, given that it's 186 miles, we may have to go through Flagstaff instead, adding not just 47 miles but a mountain pass as well. Rivian - please consider adding a stop in Payson! (Call me Rivian - I can help!)

1616262876279.png



So, after thinking about this for way to long... here are Some locations I would add:

Payson, AZ (see above)
Laramie, WY (to avoid having to go through Cheyenne when driving from Denver to SLC)
Dinosaur, CO, Craig, CO, or Vernal, UT to accommodate a very beautiful route across NW Colorado to Dinosaur National Monument
Pueblo, CO or La Junta, CO for east/west route 50 in SE Colorado and north/south on I-25

Overall, I would give this announcement a huge thumbs up. It's well planned and thorough. Let's hope Rivian can pull it off!

Whew. Thoughts??
Electrify America is partnering with APS utilities to add a fast charger in Payson,az. Expected to be open sometime early next year. Hope that helps a bit. I will be driving through payson with a trailer, so that was a must on our list.
 
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Electrify America is partnering with APS utilities to add a fast charger in Payson,az. Expected to be open sometime early next year. Hope that helps a bit. I will be driving through payson with a trailer, so that was a must on our list.
Wow. good to know! Thanks!
 

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Improving many of the routes mentioned by Pixelshot will be helpful for many well-traveled routes through the SW, several of which correspond with EA's growing netwwork, as well as those of other vendors. I'm hoping the RAN outposts that make the second and subsequent rounds include those underserved areas needing infrastructure just to connect large blocks of Rivian owners with other Adventure areas.

One such region that comes to mind is the panhandle of Texas, specifically Amarillo and Lubbock. While Amarillo has an EA facility, it appears that Lubbock has a single Chargepoint station that limits safe movement across this territory. From this Forum site and other sources, it looks like Texas and Colorado are sizable strongholds of Rivian reservation holders. Being able to connect the two, other than on Saturdays during college football season, would seem to make sense.

Other charging wastelands across the country includes the Central Ozarks and Bull Shoals Lake area of South Central Missouri and North Central Arkansas. Eureka Springs, Arkansas, would be a great place to comtemplate (more than just your navel).

Burns Oregon would open up so much of Central and Southeast Oregon, including Steens Mountain, the Kiger Gorge (think Austria meets the Napali Coast of Hawaii), the Alvord Desert, and the Owyhee River area. Putting infrastructure in McCall and Lewiston, Idaho, would open up the Eastern side of Hells Canyon Natl. Rec. Area, the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area of Oregon, the wine country around Walla Walla, as well as connecting I-84 to I-90, via US-95. That's a sizable chunk of God's Country. He/She/It/They/Them may not be a Launch Edition reservation holder (just yet), but you really want Him/Her/It/They/Them on your team, don't you?

If I may, it was great to see the partnership between Rivian and the Colorado State Parks system. I'd like to think that was a test before diving into similar ventures with other "States of Substantial Size". I don't want to pick on any of the smaller states, but when you can drive across a state and back on a single charge, with even the smallest Rivian battery, why bother. I don't want to name names, but their initials are Rhode Island. The RAN map shows you're already slated to get two stations. That's one for every 607 square miles!. You're less than half the size of Delaware! Be happy with two! Montana is over 121 times your size, and it looks like they're slated to get nine stations. I've already admitted to my inability to comprehend fractions, but 121 to 1 is like more than triple you guys in size, and they have real highways! Come on, Man! Their state animal is the Grizzly Bear! Who's gonna win the battle between Not-So-Gentle Ben and your Harbor Seal? I'm waiting!..... Don't worry, it was a rhetorical question.

Again, nice job in the first RAN rollout. Now I'm hoping the next and subsequent rollouts fill in some of these holes around our great land, yes, including Rhode Island, to allow us to get anywhere without worry of going dead along the way.
 

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Dinosaur, CO, Craig, CO, or Vernal, UT to accommodate a very beautiful route across NW Colorado to Dinosaur National Monument
This seems like a very notable hole, really the whole Yampa river basin in Colorado is missing a RAN station. There are Tesla superchargers in Kremling and Craig.

I’m not sure you could confidently drive west from Fort Collins through Poudre canyon towards North Park with a CCS vehicle. I’m surprised that there’s nothing leading up to Steamboat Springs from any direction. There are now two DC CCS plugs in Steamboat the state put in, but they are limited to 62 kW. Would be very disappointing if by 2024, you could still not confidently access the Yampa river basin in a R1T.
 
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This seems like a very notable hole, really the whole Yampa river basin in Colorado is missing a RAN station. There are Tesla superchargers in Kremling and Craig.

I’m not sure you could confidently drive west from Fort Collins through Poudre canyon towards North Park with a CCS vehicle. I’m surprised that there’s nothing leading up to Steamboat Springs from any direction. There are now two DC CCS plugs in Steamboat the state put in, but they are limited to 62 kW. Would be very disappointing if by 2024, you could still not confidently access the Yampa river basin in a R1T.
Right, that area up by Steamboat is a big miss in my opinion. For folks who have spent time there, they would know it's not only a nice destination in itself, it's a beautiful through-way toward Dinosaur, and northern Utah. Lots of "Adventure" possibilities up there. Steamboat area is one of our favorite camping destinations. (Great for road cycling in the summer as well.)

Not sure if EA is planning more stations up there. But, honestly, I don't know how well the EA chargers will fit into the Rivian system (esp. route planning in vehicle) so not sure how much I want to rely on that system until we know more.
 
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This seems like a very notable hole, really the whole Yampa river basin in Colorado is missing a RAN station. There are Tesla superchargers in Kremling and Craig.

I’m not sure you could confidently drive west from Fort Collins through Poudre canyon towards North Park with a CCS vehicle. I’m surprised that there’s nothing leading up to Steamboat Springs from any direction. There are now two DC CCS plugs in Steamboat the state put in, but they are limited to 62 kW. Would be very disappointing if by 2024, you could still not confidently access the Yampa river basin in a R1T.
I just ran the numbers and as of now it's not possible to cross NW Colorado without stopping in Steamboat for a good charge. If you were driving from Denver, the last RAN charge point would be Silverthorne/Frisco which is 88 miles. After Steamboat, you'd have 162 miles to Vernal, which is no small jump. Add on a heavy trailer and it's a no go even with a full charge from Steamboat.

So, I may have to rearrange my RAN site recommendations to put Dinosaur (or at least Steamboat) as a priority over Payson, AZ, and Laramie, WY as there are at least reasonable RAN alternatives for those routes. And, also to add a station in Steamboat:

Dinosaur, CO, Craig, CO, or Vernal, UT
Steamboat, CO
Payson, AZ
Laramie, WY
Pueblo, CO or La Junta, CO
 

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Burns Oregon would open up so much of Central and Southeast Oregon, including Steens Mountain, the Kiger Gorge (think Austria meets the Napali Coast of Hawaii), the Alvord Desert, and the Owyhee River area. Putting infrastructure in McCall and Lewiston, Idaho, would open up the Eastern side of Hells Canyon Natl. Rec. Area, the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area of Oregon, the wine country around Walla Walla, as well as connecting I-84 to I-90, via US-95. That's a sizable chunk of God's Country. He/She/It/They/Them may not be a Launch Edition reservation holder (just yet), but you really want Him/Her/It/They/Them on your team, don't you?
McCall makes a lot of sense, but I would prefer Moscow over Lewiston though maybe stick a Waypoint charger at Hells Gate State Park. Lewiston isn't exactly a favored destination of mine, though it would be fun to take the Old Spiral Highway in a Rivian.
 

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One such region that comes to mind is the panhandle of Texas, specifically Amarillo and Lubbock. While Amarillo has an EA facility, it appears that Lubbock has a single Chargepoint station that limits safe movement across this territory. From this Forum site and other sources, it looks like Texas and Colorado are sizable strongholds of Rivian reservation holders. Being able to connect the two, other than on Saturdays during college football season, would seem to make sense. ...
Analyzing the route from Denver to central Texas, it's a big problem. Say you want to hit a Cowboys game in Dallas - looks like you'll have to drive down to El Paso then over, or Salina, KS then down. That's a lot of extra driving. Take a look at this stretch. There's no getting to Sweetwater, TX even with the Max Pack (509 miles between RAN chargers). This argues for a RAN stop in Raton, Amarillo, and possibly even Lubbock to keep to the approx 100 mi average runout between stops.

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616431674103
 
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...If I may, it was great to see the partnership between Rivian and the Colorado State Parks system. I'd like to think that was a test before diving into similar ventures with other "States of Substantial Size". I don't want to pick on any of the smaller states, but when you can drive across a state and back on a single charge, with even the smallest Rivian battery, why bother....
No doubt. Having also lived on the East coast (DC) for many years, I can say that everything out west seems soooooo much farther apart. It's not just "is it convenient" but "will I survive?" Of course, I'm exaggerating but there are drives in the west where if your tank/battery is not full of juice when you leave a city/town, there's a very real chance that you'll be stuck on the side of the road many miles away from anyone except your fellow highway travelers. East coast driving is different. Yes, long stretches without stopping, but in an emergency (say, a potty-training kid needs to go), the next stop is not that far away. Driving across southern Utah, AZ, NM, etc, you'd better be ready to pee on the shoulder.
 
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Or you learn why every Los Angeles driver carries a Gatorade bottle for those times you’re stuck on the 405.
and why Gatorade doesn't sell a "yellow" version.
 

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Seeing quite a bit of looking only at potential RAN locations for charging. Plugshare/ABRP are your friends.
And sometimes shorter isn't faster.

Rivian R1T R1S Rivian Adventure Network - Deep Dive / Analysis (Four Corners region) 1616435271664


The extra 30 minutes on the longer route could be easily offset by more frequent charging at lower SOC given the availability of chargers
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