Rivian has officially started to upgrade its Rivian Adventure Network (RAN) to support the North American Charging Standard (NACS), making it easier for Tesla owners and other EVs to use its fast-charging infrastructure. The shift began last week with the installation of NACS plugs at Rivian’s Joshua Tree Charging Outpost in California, marking the company’s first site to feature both CCS1 and NACS connectors.
The upgrade at Joshua Tree included swapping out four of the site’s existing CCS cabinets for NACS, leaving eight CCS and four NACS chargers available for Rivian and non-Rivian drivers, according to RivianTrackr.
This dual setup is expected to become the new norm across RAN locations, ensuring compatibility during the industry-wide transition to the Tesla-developed standard.
Expansion Plans for 2025
Following the Joshua Tree conversion, Rivian plans to bring NACS plugs to its Charging Outpost in the Hamptons, New York, which is set to open on August 7. Yosemite’s popular Outpost will follow later this summer. By the end of 2025, the company aims to retrofit its most frequented stations with both CCS and NACS connectors, gradually expanding coverage to ensure all RAN locations accommodate the new standard.
Rivian’s app and in-vehicle infotainment system will continue to provide real-time charger status, connector type availability, and notifications about adapter requirements.
This feature will prove particularly useful for first-generation R1T and R1S owners who rely on CCS connectors but may need adapters when using NACS-only stations.
Why NACS?
The adoption of NACS is part of a broader industry movement, with nearly every major automaker committing to the Tesla-designed plug after it was formalized as an SAE standard. NACS offers a smaller, elegant, and lighter connector compared to CCS while maintaining the ability to deliver high charging speeds.
Rivian’s newer Gen2 vehicles, including the 2026 R1T and R1S, are already equipped with native NACS ports, eliminating the need for adapters. Upcoming models such as the R2 and R3 will also feature NACS.
Launched in 2022, RAN was initially free and exclusive to Rivian owners, but it has since evolved to welcome other EVs. Today, the network includes over 400 DC fast chargers across the U.S., with a maximum charging power of 300 kW at select sites. Currently, Rivian has yet to build a RAN site in Canada.
