
Rivian Wants to Do for Pickups What Tesla Did for Cars - ryzvonusef
https://www.wired.com/story/rivian-wants-to-do-for-pickups-what-tesla-did-for-cars/
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ryzvonusef
[QUOTE]Rivian is using standard cylindrical cells, like large AA batteries,
built into packs. But then it’s cleverly sandwiching two layers of packs
together, with the liquid cooling that batteries need sealed in the middle.
Scaringe grabs a pack to show me “the flow has been optimized to make sure the
maximum temperature difference between the hottest and coldest cell of the
pack is less than three degrees.” That’s important because lithium ion
batteries are happiest in the same temperature zones as humans. He gets
excited again as he explains the cooling loops for battery, traction system,
and cabin. “It’s so cool, the battery and the thermal system are my favorite
parts!”

Double-decker batteries helps Rivian promise huge 180-kWh and 135-kWh capacity
packs for its vehicles. The largest pack Tesla now offers is 100-kWh. Its
testing shows 450 miles of range might be possible, but it’s a long way from
EPA tests with an official rating to prove that. Although Scaringe says his
team has has worked hard at smoothing air flow, a truck is not an inherently
aerodynamic shape, which means freeway driving will be far from efficient.

Eventually, when Rivian is entirely happy with its battery pack design and
manufacturing process, it will have to scale it up. As Tesla has shown, that
can be the tricky part. The company will do mass production at a plant in
Normal, Illinois, with deliveries due to start in late 2020, and sales targets
of 50,000 vehicles a year in the US.[/QUOTE]

