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A Rivian R1S driver rolled into Electrify America’s DC fast charger at the Westfield Valencia Town Center, hooked up to a 214-kilowatt pump of pure electricity, and 31 minutes later walked away with 68.6 kWh in the battery and $49.39 missing from the wallet. From there, the owner went looking for perspective in the “RIVIAN Electric Vehicle Discussion” group on Facebook.
The post was blunt and to the point:
“I’m finding out charging a Rivian costs more than charging my Tesla. 180 miles, almost $50… last time for 240 miles was $80… this is not saving on gas price. This is not charging at home when I’m on the road.”
It was the kind of statement that could have set off a brand-loyalty brawl. But instead, the replies settled into a rare and refreshing mix of pragmatism and real-world experience. The conversation became less about defending corporate badges and more about the arithmetic of road trip charging.
Tim Klotz didn’t mince words, calling $0.72/kWh the highest rate he’d seen and advising the obvious: find a cheaper charger. Jason Nguyen followed, noting that $0.69 was his personal record for EVgo, which put Electrify America’s price within a few pennies of the local ceiling. Those numbers landed like a pit stop invoice at a Formula 1 garage, tolerable if you’re in a rush, painful if you have other options.
Rivian R1S Ownership Testimonials
- One owner recounted being towed twice in just a few months, a signal of early reliability quirks in new R1S units
- Another owner’s vehicle preconditioned itself, then unexpectedly locked, drained, and required towing, illustrating early teething issues on sophisticated systems
- Some users find the infotainment undermines the experience, complaining Apple Music shuffle settings don’t persist, making a tech-rich ride feel glitchy
- One ex-Model X owner switched to a 2025 R1S for simpler EV ownership after multiple battery replacements, highlighting growing Rivian appeal
Gyuhyong Jeon reframed the issue with an internal-combustion metaphor. Comparing the Rivian to a Ford F-150 Raptor and a Tesla to a Toyota Camry, he reminded everyone that larger, heavier, more powerful vehicles consume more energy.
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He likened the charger choice to paying Shell prices when Costco offers the same product for less. Bryan Brindeiro countered that Shell is never double Costco’s rate and observed that Rivian Adventure Network and certain DC fast chargers should be treated as emergency lifelines, not daily drivers.
Why The Rivian R1S May Cost More To Charge
John Davis took the engineering view, noting that Rivian’s battery pack is nearly double the capacity of most Teslas. That makes a full or partial fill at high per-kWh prices a much bigger hit to the budget. He also pointed out that a Tesla Supercharger membership can pay for itself in one or two road trip sessions and that public DC fast charging can easily approach or exceed gasoline costs in certain markets.
David Mitchell joined in, questioning the “large truck” label for the Rivian R1S but agreeing that Electrify America’s pricing could sting.
The Rivian R1S 2025 News & Facts
- The 2025 R1S can now stretch up to a claimed 410 miles on a single charge, setting a new class benchmark
- Rivian added finer touches like Black Mountain trim, Brown Ash wood accents, and Apple Music streaming in its updated premium interior lineup
- The new Quad-Motor version delivers 1,025 horsepower and nearly 1,200 lb-ft torque, showcasing off-road dominance coupled with astonishing power
- A media event demonstrated the “kick turn”, a refined 360° spin feature made possible by the quad-motor system for tight maneuvering
The thread’s underlying truth is that $0.72/kWh isn’t a universal reality, but it isn’t an anomaly either.
High-traffic locations with top-tier charging speeds often carry a premium. In this case, 214 kW of peak power helped minimize downtime, but for drivers calculating pennies per mile, the benefit can be overshadowed by the sticker shock.
Just like a remote gas station charging $1 more per gallon, location and convenience often dictate price.
And so we come to the crux of EV road tripping in 2025: convenience and cost remain at odds. For those who charge at home, public fast charging is an occasional indulgence.
For long-distance travelers, it is a necessary part of the journey, though one that can feel uncomfortably close to the gas station days they thought they’d left behind. KD Thi’s experience is a reminder that the EV charging landscape is still a patchwork of rates, networks, and strategies. Until it smooths out, road trippers will keep balancing the speed of the charge against the weight of the bill, and sometimes the bill will win.
Image Sources: Rivian Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
