Rivian has taken strides in unveiling its latest models, the R2, R3, and R3X. These vehicles certainly raise the bar for the company. However, when placed in the broader context of the electric vehicle sector, these advancements, while commendable, serve to highlight the relentless pace set by industry leader Tesla.
Rivian's Surprise Launch
This is not to rain on Rivian's parade. Rarely does an EV manufacturer not named Tesla rule the coverage of any given day. Rivian did show off some development during the launch of the R2 and the surprise announcement of the R3 and R3X.
The R2, positioned as a smaller, more affordable alternative to its predecessor, brings Rivian's distinctive design into a compact, efficient package. With a starting price of $45,000, over 300 miles of range, and the ability to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in under three seconds, the R2 is poised to garner some attention. The subsequent reveal of the R3 and R3X models shows that there are big plans for the future for a company that plans to build 57,000 cars in 2024.
Innovation on Display
Rivian showed off some new technology using the 4695 cylindrical battery cell and structural battery packs for increased range. The DC fast charging system works with NACS and CCS. There has also been a significant increase in autonomous driving capabilities, a new computing system, five radars, and 11 cameras. The company is delaying facility expansion, instead launching the R2 from its Illinois facility to save capital and expedite production.
That’s the good news, but the R2, with its new look, upgraded tech, and lower price, will not be available until 2026. The other two units will be available in 2027. This timing is crucial. While Rivian's new models are indeed groundbreaking, Tesla's "Redwood" project is set to introduce a vehicle at a $25,000 price point, making it highly accessible to the mass market.
Tesla's Countermove: Redwood, Van
The implications of Tesla's manufacturing efficiency and cost reduction advancements cannot be overstated. As Tesla gears up to launch its next-gen vehicle, it is likely already envisioning subsequent innovations that could further extend its lead in the EV sector. Those ideas, which are likely scribbled on Franz von Holzhausen’s notepad at this point, could very well be in development by 2027. Perhaps a highly configurable van, the obvious next step, could be created simultaneously with the other two Rivians coming out. Given the advancement learned year-over-year, a new Tesla product will likely beat Rivian’s prices.
With a production timeline that anticipates the start of manufacturing in the latter half of 2025, Tesla's next-gen vehicle is poised to hit the market around the same time Rivian's R2 begins delivery. Rivian's efforts, though significant, are part of a broader narrative dominated by Tesla's vision and execution. As the electric vehicle landscape continues to evolve, the ability to innovate at scale and meet product demand and consumer desire for affordability, range, and performance will determine the true leaders of the electric revolution. Rivian has a lot of work to do.
If you enjoy hearing about Rivian news and software features, be sure to check out our new site dedicated to Rivian.
Tesla’s been on a roll with Supercharger improvements lately, from the 325kW charging update for the Cybertruck, to 500kW with V4 Superchargers coming next year. While those improvements have been limited to the Cybertruck, Tesla didn’t put all their focus on their new flagship vehicle, but looked at their more affordable vehicles as well.
LFP Battery Heating
Tesla’s Superchargers can now heat LFP Batteries - those that are in the Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive variants. This applies to Long Range and Standard Range models, which saw a limited run. This is another update included as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update - which really arrived with a lot of unannounced new features and capabilities.
The change is pretty interesting - Superchargers of the V3 and V4 variety can now pre-heat batteries for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with LFP battery packs. That means those vehicles are able to get back on the road faster when it's extremely cold. Of course, Tesla still advises you to precondition before you arrive, saving drivers time and money.
Max de Zegher, Tesla’s Director of Charging, also commented on the new feature. Essentially, Tesla is inducing an AC (alternating) ripple current through the battery to warm it up. Keep in mind that Superchargers are DC charging. That means it is possible to get a cold-soaked LFP vehicle on the road 4x faster than before, assuming that it didn’t precondition at all and that it is in the worst-case scenario (below 0ºF).
In essence, Tesla is using some engineering magic to turn the circuits inside the LFP battery into an electric heater - and powering that heater through the Supercharger. An AC ripple current is a small oscillation in the DC charging current that generates heat through electrical resistance, warming up the battery. Those ripples are a byproduct of converting AC to DC and back - so Tesla is using the onboard charger to induce those ripples to warm up the battery. Definitely an innovative technique that’s really only possible with the versatility of the NACS connector.
We’re hoping Tesla can implement this across their full lineup of vehicles, but we’ll have to wait and see how it is trialed across LFP vehicles first and if it is even possible on vehicles with 2170 or 4680 battery packs.
Tesla launched two FSD updates simultaneously on Saturday night, and what’s most interesting is that they arrived on the same software version. We’ll dig into that a little later, but for now, there’s good news for everyone. For Hardware 3 owners, FSD V12.6.1 is launching to all vehicles, including the Model 3 and Model Y. For AI4 owners, FSD V13.2.4 is launching, starting with the Cybertruck.
FSD V13.2.4
A new V13 build is now rolling out to the Cybertruck and is expected to arrive for the rest of the AI4 fleet soon. However, this build seems to be focused on bug fixes. There are no changes to the release notes for the Cybertruck with this release, and it’s unlikely to feature any changes when it arrives on other vehicles.
FSD V12.6.1 builds upon V12.6, which is the latest FSD version for HW3 vehicles. While FSD V12.6 was only released for the redesigned Model S and Model X with HW3, FSD V12.6.1 is adding support for the Model 3 and Model Y.
While this is only a bug-fix release for users coming from FSD V12.6, it includes massive improvements for anyone coming from an older FSD version. Two of the biggest changes are the new end-to-end highway stack that now utilizes FSD V12 for highway driving and a redesigned controller that allows FSD to drive “V13” smooth.
It also adds speed profiles, earlier lane changes, and more. You can read our in-depth look at all the changes in FSD V12.6.
Same Update, Multiple FSD Builds
What’s interesting about this software version is that it “includes" two FSD updates, V12.6.1 for HW3 and V13.2.4 for HW4 vehicles. While this is interesting, it’s less special when you understand what’s happening under the hood.
The vehicle’s firmware and Autopilot firmware are actually completely separate. While a vehicle downloading a firmware update may look like a singular process, it’s actually performing several functions during this period. First, it downloads the vehicle’s firmware. Upon unpacking the update, it’s instructed which Autopilot/FSD firmware should be downloaded.
While the FSD firmware is separate, the vehicle can’t download any FSD update. The FSD version is hard-coded in the vehicle’s firmware that was just downloaded. This helps Tesla keep the infotainment and Autopilot firmware tightly coupled, leading to fewer issues.
What we’re seeing here is that HW3 vehicles are being told to download one FSD version, while HW4 vehicles are being told to download a different version.
While this is the first time Tesla has had two FSD versions tied to the same vehicle software version, the process hasn’t actually changed, and what we’re seeing won’t lead to faster FSD updates or the ability to download FSD separately. What we’re seeing is the direct result of the divergence of HW3 and HW4.
While HW3/4 remained basically on the same FSD version until recently, it is now necessary to deploy different versions for the two platforms. We expect this to be the norm going forward, where HW3 will be on a much different version of FSD than HW4. While each update may not include two different FSD versions going forward, we may see it occasionally, depending on which features Autopilot is dependent on.
Thanks to Greentheonly for helping us understand what happened with this release and for the insight into Tesla’s processes.
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