- Porsche’s seven-seat K1 SUV and the next-gen VW Golf will be among the first to use the system.
- VW is investing $5.8 billion into the American electric car startup for its software expertise.
- Rivian didn’t name the OEMs that have expressed interest in its new electrical architecture.
The world has yet to see the results of the Rivian and VW partnership and already, other OEMs are reportedly interested in using the next-generation architecture. This news comes shortly after VW revealed it may also work with Rivian to share modules and bundle purchasing volumes.
While Rivian is one of the few electric startups to have developed, produced, and sold EVs, it remains unprofitable and desperately in need of a new cash injection. VW is investing $5.8 billion into the joint venture to use Rivian’s software technology across its future models, and others may follow suit, according to Rivian chief software officer Wassym Bensaid.
Read: VW Boss Wants To Deepen Ties With Rivian
“Obviously other OEMs are talking to us and we’re trying to figure out how to support that in the future,” he told Reuters. “Any other OEM who wants to make a leap from a technology standpoint, the joint venture today becomes one of the key partners with whom they can make that collaboration. I’d say that many other OEMs are knocking on our door.”
The New Standard?
According to analysts from Canaccord Genuity, the joint venture’s electrical system has the potential to become the platform of choice for Western car manufacturers – excluding Tesla. While Bensaid didn’t specify which OEMs have expressed interest in the platform, Rivian could conceivably sell or license its system to other brands, helping rivals reduce costs needed to develop in-house solutions while also serving as a valuable money-maker.
The new architecture will be much less complex than those VW currently uses. For example, whereas current VW models rock as many as 100 control units, Rivian’s setup will consolidate this to just seven control units. These will integrate semiconductors, sensors, and cabling, handling things like the infotainment systems to advanced driver assistance features. Among the first VW Group products to use the system will be Porsche’s new flagship SUV and the next-generation VW Golf.
