Announcing our new "CLUBS" section where you can join or create a Rivian club or group! You can use this new feature to conveniently plan and discuss local events, gatherings or other club/group related topics.
So we encourage you to join (or start) special-interest and regional-based Rivian clubs at: https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/group-categories/clubs-groups.1/
It is entirely possible for a BEV to not have a 12V battery. My motorcycle in my avatar is a BEV that does not have a 12V battery. When keyed on, the DC-DC converter is fired up and it then has 12V for all the lights and accessories.
The regulations may be different for motorcycles, not sure. The reason I was told that Tesla has a 12V battery is a safety and regulatory one - that critical vehicle systems have to be kept working in the case of a main power failure, so you can safely get off the road. Just like if your engine (and alternator) die on an ICE vehicle, you can still brake, steer, and get off the highway - the same has to be true in a BEV.
Well yes, that is what I said. The more interesting question is "why don't they use the DC/DC converter. Perhaps this is the answer:
I really have no idea about the regulatory aspects but if you are on a DC/DC converter and it fails or the main battery fails you are DOW and the vehicle's communications with the mother ship are cut off. OTOH if you have the 12V battery and it fails you can run on the main battery and DC/DC converter (that, in this case, only charges the battery) and if either of them fails then you have the 12V battery to run emergency lights etc. Looked at another way, the DC/DC converter has to be there anyway so why not toss in a battery and have some backup low voltage.
I expect that if you get a flat or the 12V battery goes dead you will deal with the flat as one normally does (pop on the spare, spray in foam and pump up - remember there is an onboard compressor- use a patch kit etc.). If you need a jump because the 12V battery died then jump it as you would in an ICE vehicle. If you run the main battery down then you must either get the car to a charger or a charger to the car. Towing a Tesla is a big deal. You shouldn't do it, period. This involves getting a flat bed tow truck. Those are generally available. Rivian may or may not impose the strictures Tesla does. They have said it is OK to tug tow a Rivian. This may make things simpler. Whether Rivian will have some special arrangement for this in which they dispatch a truck from a Rivian facility I don't know. They could handle this problem by making arrangements with local towing companies.
Didn’t you hear? Patronising, “schooling”, and condescending towards us lowly peasants are all he does!
I’d argue that your consistent condescending tone absolutely comes across as “patronizing” and that your attitude is that it’s your ordained duty to “school” us pedestrians since you so obviously possess superior intelligence to anyone else on this forum. You must have had a horrible childhood.
What I suggest you do is go to my profile and click "ignore this member". You won't see what I write, your sensibilities won't be offended and you won't have to waste your time or the site's resources on ad hominem attacks.
