New Official Rivian Adventure Network and Charging Station Info

[JohnQ]

My Search
I searched "Hotel with EV plug in (Town)" on Hilton, Google, and Expedia. I made a couple of reservations then called the hotel desk to confirm the existence of a plug. In two instances the hotel clerk said there was no plug. In one instance I reached someone in India (not the hotel clerk) and a dead end. I also tried searching on Rivian and got "no results."
I can only assume that the serches focused on "hotel" not EV plug. I now learn that I should have used Boolean terminology. I will try that.
I will also try using the suggestions above. Thanks.
Sorry if I am not representative or savvy. Still, I have had trouble finding working charging places.

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[BigSkies]

I usually go to the Hilton or Marriot sites directly. They have a filter for EV chargers.

I’ll then look up those hotels on PlugShare to see the details of what the chargers are.

Another thing I’ll look for on PlugShare is a charger within a block or two of a DCFC.

 

[RWerksman]

One thing ab out reviving years-dead threads is that they are time capsules.

This picture, specifically, has aged like milk.

 

[Dave Cundiff]

Pick a city or town,go to a hotel or travel site and see if you can find a hotel with EV charging plugs.
Not happening.
The hotel chains and the Expedia type sites say yes but after you make the resevation and finally reach the front desk, NO DICE
Waste of time.
Rivian needs a central directory. They are not a good source of information.
BTW trying to use a Tesla site with an adaptor plug is also NO DICE.
This is the first and last EV for me.

Locating hotels with chargers that are actually available, is one thing where PlugShare is going to excel for a while. Install the PlugShare app and/or get familiar with www.plugshare.com. Filter on "Lodging" and look for the PlugShare Descriptions, PlugScores, and Check-Ins. When you've attempted a charge at any public charger, leave a "Check-In" to improve everyone's future experiences just as you benefit from the Check-Ins left by other people.

Expedia, AAA, and hotels.com don't know whether chargers actually exist, let alone whether they're usually available. Front desk staff usually know both those things, and you CAN talk with front desk staff at most hotels BEFORE making a reservation.

Reservations agents are mostly judged by how many reservations they can make per hour, and nobody tracks whether their reservations make customers happy in the long run (as far as I know). That motivates reservation agents to give you easy answers, the kind that make you happy, quickly.

Front desk staff are largely motivated to tell you the truth, because they're the ones who are going to be yelled at (often by the guests AND by their bosses) if guests are dissatisfied.

We've had hotel staff "cone off" charging stalls so they wouldn't be ICE'd before our arrival. We've had hotel staff warn us that management hasn't fixed broken chargers. We've had hotel staff that do everything possible to make sure we can charge overnight. PlugShare has helped a lot. Personal contact also helps.

***

Tesla-to-others adapters for Rivians come in two types:
(1) "NACS (Tesla Destination/Home) to J-1772" adapters have a few reputable vendors (I prefer TeslaTap at www.umc-j1772.com). For Rivians, a 60-amp adapter or greater allows continuous charging at Rivian's maximum 48-amp J-1772 charging speed.
(2) "NACS (Tesla Supercharger) to CCS" adapters will arrive from Rivian eventually. In the meantime, Rivian advises against third-party adapters -- but those who bought the A2Z adapter anyway seem happy with it once it arrives. (A2Z's product is made in China, and they are currently swamped with orders, but they seem to be doing their best under stress. Many Rivian owners are very happy with A2Z.)

***

If this is your first EV of any kind, there's a BIG learning curve. For most of us, it was worth it. @JohnQ, I hope you can give yourself time to learn the new skills involved.

Best wishes!

 

[JohnQ]

Thank you Dave C.
Very helpful.

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