Rivian secures R2 / R3/ R3X's larger battery cells (4695) from LGES

[kenyee]

Interesting blurb on what batteries the R2 / R3 / R3X will use

Looks like bigger cells so more cost savings:

https://insideevs.com/news/740256/rivian-r2-lges-battery-deal-4695-cells

2026 Rivian R2 Will Get New LG Cells With 'Six Times' The Capacity

Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution will supply next-generation U.S. made battery packs for the Tesla Model Y rival.

Rivian just inked a battery supply deal with Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution (LGES) for its next-generation R2 model that's set to launch in the second half of this decade. The Irvine, California-headquartered automaker showcased the R2 electric SUV—which looks like a baby R1S—in March and is now inching closer to bring that model to market.​

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LGES said on Thursday that it will provide Rivian with its advanced 4695 cylindrical cells for over five years, with a capacity totaling 67 gigawatt-hours. The new cell type has a diameter of 46 millimeters and is 95 mm tall, the battery maker said in a press release. It will feature six times the capacity of the existing 2170 cylindrical cells. ​

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[DuoRivians]

The battery size specs were announced when the R2 was revealed too

 

[NY_Rob]

LGES made the Chevy Bolt batteries that caused fires, yes different cell type, but LGES made them. To be fair, Samsung (SDI) made the Jeep 4xe batteries that have caused fires. Big, multi-billion dollar, global tech firms to be sure, but mistakes were made by both. I guess none of the manufacturers have made flawless EV batteries.

 

[iansriv]

This is interesting. How does this differ from the current batteries?

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

This is interesting. How does this differ from the current batteries?

Wider and taller, with fewer cells packed into the same footprint. The factory is just five miles down the road from me, but they won’t be ready to deliver for the early stages of the R2 launch. So, at first, I’d imagine they’ll need to source cells from LG overseas to get things rolling.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

This is interesting. How does this differ from the current batteries?

According to Electrek article: 6x energy capacity of 2170.

 

[kenyee]

According to Electrek article: 6x energy capacity of 2170.

Apparently because they're 6x bigger ?
At least they should save some money because of fewer cells. I was hoping it was some new formulation with high energy density... ?

 

[KootenayEV]

Should be enough for a bit over 500k vehicles (depending on pack sizes, maybe closer to 750k). I bet they will have a second supplier as well.

 

[COdogman]

Or approximately 10 million flashlights.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Or approximately 10 million flashlights.

Fat ones

 

[CompilerBreak]

LGES made the Chevy Bolt batteries that caused fires, yes different cell type, but LGES made them. To be fair, Samsung (SDI) made the Jeep 4xe batteries that have caused fires. I guess none of the manufacturers have made flawless EV batteries.

More about how they're assembled vs the cell origin. Mach E used LG and no issues with their pack.

 

[NY_Rob]

More about how they're assembled vs the cell origin. Mach E used LG and no issues with their pack.

Possibly, regardless, they were "assembled" by LG.
My point was, after the Bolt fires (LG) and with the current Jeep 4xe fires (Samsung), I think the "guarantee of solid engineering and quality" you assumed you were getting by having LG and or Samsung make your batteries is gone.

 

[CompilerBreak]

Possibly, regardless, they were "assembled" by LG.
My point was, after the Bolt fires (LG) and with the current Jeep 4xe fires (Samsung), I think the "guarantee of solid engineering and quality" you assumed you were getting by having LG and or Samsung make you battery is gone.

That is true, after all of that I didn't feel like it is any higher quality than all the ones out of China

 

[NY_Rob]

That is true, after all of that I didn't feel like it is any higher quality than all the ones out of China

Agreed, at this point if you had a choice of going with LG or Samsung or BYD there is no longer a compelling reason to choose LG or Samsung over BYD.

 

[NY_Rob]

46mmX95mm is a large cylindrical cell. At what point do they move away from cylindrical cells and go with prismatic cells?
Once you start putting large cylindrical cells next to each other you get some pretty large void space between them just due to their circular shape. Too much void space makes packs unnecessarily large with wasted space. That is not an issue with prismatic cells.
Also, Rivian so far has exclusively used only top plate and bottom plate cooling on their 2170 cells which has been blamed for their poor 400V DCFC tapers. The much fatter and also longer 4695 cells may require the "lasagna" style cooling Tesla uses in their battery packs. This would be something new for Rivian to work through.

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