US electric truck company activates solar canopy charging yard

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From pv magazine USA

Rivian electric trucks fresh off the production line will source their first charge from renewable energy, as the company has installed a solar charging yard at its factory in Normal, Illinois.

The charging yard is a series of parking canopies topped with solar panels, with a total capacity of 783 kW. The DC charging facility can charge 72 vehicles at once. Rivian said it is also working on installing a 2.8 MW wind turbine for charging. The project is expected to generate 1.04 million kWh per year. It went online in September, charging R1 vehicles before they are delivered to customers.

ForeFront Power developed the project. The company has also developed solar for LaGuardia Airport, Sonoma County Transportation, and Michigan based cidery Virtue Cider.

“Rivian’s Solar Charging Yard project is a testament to the company’s climate and sustainability leadership, showing U.S. customers what a clean energy future looks like within the auto industry,” said Michael Smith, CEO of ForeFront Power.

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Rivian signed the Climate Pledge to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, 10 years before the Paris Agreement goals.

Rivian’s R1T truck has 260 miles (418 km) to 400 miles of range on a full charge, can go from 0 miles to 60 miles per hour in three seconds, with a towing capacity of up to 11,000 pounds (4,990 km). The all-wheel drive vehicle comes in dual or quad motors and sits on a 21-inch wheel.

Rivian’s standard warranty is five years, or 60,000 miles. The battery pack and drivetrain are covered for eight years or 175,000 miles, and its limited corrosion warranty is eight years with unlimited miles.

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