R2 Charge Port Location is Moving to Driver's Side Rear (on Production Model)! - Confirms Rivian VP

[R1TS]

I recently made a long road trip and used several different chargers. Moving the charge port to the rear would have been beneficial at some of the Tesla superchargers I used, but as they were usually more expensive I tried to use others. Having the port at the back would have made it less convenient for using EV go, Electrify America, ChargePoint, Hypercharge, Flo, Electrify Canada, PetroCanada, BCHydro, Shell recharge. Maybe if Tesla would simply make the cords about a foot or more longer and using the Supercharger would be without problems.
Having the port at the front is [probably beetter for the vast majority of home charger users.

Why is front better for home charge users?

Just install the EVSE in the middle, then you can charge either in the front or back. No?

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[SDH]

Why is front better for home charge users?

Just install the EVSE in the middle, then you can charge either in the front or back. No?

Yeah exactly, or just learn to reverse in. It's not like cars these days don't have enough cameras and sensors.

 

[ggsmith]

Most people drive forward into their garages. Most people could reverse in if they wanted but don't. I have a double car garage and can easily (and always do ) charge from the stall away from the charger. (Wife's preference for her parking spot). Charger is 2 feet from my breaker panel but could have been mounted on the front of the garage or the other side. I chose not to mount it on the garage door. My garage and driveway is more suited to driving forward into the garage than pulling past and reversing into it.

 

[pinolero]

My reservation is looking better each day. I'm glad common sense made it to the top.

 

[Epicloop]

Well it is quite unfortunate that cost savings won out over common sense.
No real downsides to passenger front.

 

[R1Thor]

I disagree that a brand/manufacturer needs to conform to the infrastructure.

The infrastructure should be ADAPTABLE to the products it serves.

There's a reason none of us have ever complained about the layout of a traditional fuel-service station... just saying.

I've said it before on this forum; I'll say it again. We should be working towards (and I believe the technology WILL get there) a scenario where you pull in and pull out because it'll take 5 minutes to fast charge a battery. It may take 5-10 years, but it should happen.

And by then, you'll all be complaining about how silly it is to have to 'pull into' a spot to charge due to the older infrastructure, instead of borrowing the service-station model of today.

 

[ElEsido]

Yeah exactly, or just learn to reverse in. It's not like cars these days don't have enough cameras and sensors.

When you have stuff in the trunk it is more convenient to drive into the car port forward and unload the trunk. Also, when you have bikes on the rack, reversing is tricky ad the bikes are often in the way of the sensors.

Q is whether Rivian prioritizes utility of affordability.

 

[jstlns]

As someone who lives in an urban core I see EVs charging curbside and have seen street side plugs damaged. Also, backing in with a bike rack or anything else on the car is not as easy if the folded rack blocks the backup camera. This is a bigger issue in tight parking garages where pulling forward is significantly easier without a camera. I also have concerns about backing into chargers with bikes or anything else attached to the rear of my vehicle. Given Rivian is an outdoor brand outdoor usage should probably be considered in the final product design.

Preference of location: front right, front left, rear right, rear left.

I know this isn't really feasible but I would be willing to pay for the move to front right.

Does anyone know if Rivian will be selling the detachable and foldable bike rack shown during the release?

 

[M3_R2]

All this goes away with induction charging.

 

[Juantana]

This is great news! The only other acceptable location is the front passenger side. That way you could pull into a Supercharger without issue or plugin at a roadside charger if that ever comes to fruition.

Also having the charging port on the driver side rear makes it easier for the driver to hop out, plug in, and watch their charging port in the side view mirror.

IMO driver's side is the only acceptable place for the charge port - everyone in here is only mentioning Tesla superchargers or charging on road trips - some of us city folk street charge and I really need the port on the drivers side to do that.

 

[Dark-Fx]

IMO driver's side is the only acceptable place for the charge port - everyone in here is only mentioning Tesla superchargers or charging on road trips - some of us city folk street charge and I really need the port on the drivers side to do that.

If this was my area, you'd be parking on the wrong side of the street in this image.

 

[SANZC02]

If this was my area, you'd be parking on the wrong side of the street in this image.

As well as probably more than 90% of other areas in the US.

Left side probably does make since in England and Australia, although in those countries even this side is the passenger side. ??

 

[rhumbliner]

IMO driver's side is the only acceptable place for the charge port - everyone in here is only mentioning Tesla superchargers or charging on road trips - some of us city folk street charge and I really need the port on the drivers side to do that.

I assume you’re showing the situation where you live on a one-way street? It doesn’t work as well on a two-way street.

The arguments for driver-side are convenience and the tight garage situation. Since I use my R1T primarily for towing I prefer a driver-side-front charge port but i also don’t mind my Tesla’s driver-side-rear because I’m never towing with it.

It’s going to be hard to please everyone.

 

[shrink]

I assume you’re showing the situation where you live on a one-way street? It doesn’t work as well on a two-way street.

The arguments for driver-side are convenience and the tight garage situation. Since I use my R1T primarily for towing I prefer a driver-side-front charge port but i also don’t mind my Tesla’s driver-side-rear because I’m never towing with it.

It’s going to hard to please everyone.

I actually thinking putting charging ports on both sides would solve a lot of issues. I think the Taycan has that?

 

[hammick]

At the Rivian Space in Pasadena (where the R2 / R3X is currently being shown) one of the Vice Presidents that was there confirmed that in the production R2 they are moving the charge port to the drivers rear! Great news for usability with the current Tesla superchargers

Great news for my garage setup.

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