Solely a few years in the past, it appeared like international heavyweights Ford and Mercedes-Benz would find yourself tight with California-based EV startup Rivian. The maker of the all-electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV was simply getting began, however many assumed it could’ve had no less than two platform-sharing tasks with these two old-school titans.
Ford aimed to make use of Rivian’s skateboard platform for a Lincoln mannequin and a blue oval-branded EV. On the identical time, the partnership with Mercedes-Benz was meant to supply no less than two battery-powered vans at an current manufacturing facility in Europe. Each offers fell by means of, nevertheless, leaving Rivian to maneuver ahead by itself concerning manufacturing. Ford and Mercedes-Benz additionally went their very own methods.
Platform-sharing is tougher than it appears
There’s usually discuss of platform-sharing between automobile corporations as a easy resolution to filling sure market gaps. However whereas easy badge-engineering jobs just like the Ram ProMaster EV (which is only a rebadged Fiat) are easy sufficient, making a brand-new automobile utilizing bits from a unique firm is not precisely a stroll within the park, as Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe defined throughout an interview with The Verge.
Now we all know why these partnerships ended as a result of the startup’s CEO, RJ Scaringe, spilled the beans throughout a prolonged interview with The Verge’s Editor-in-Chief Nilay Patel for the Decoder podcast.
In brief, it had nothing to do with engineering constraints similar to attempting to suit the physique of a Ford or Mercedes-Benz on prime of a Rivian chassis–which is not any small feat in itself. As a substitute, it was all about attempting to make all of the totally different computer systems discuss to one another, which, because it turned out, was a deal-breaker.
“We checked out automobile platform sharing with Ford, automobile platform sharing with Mercedes, each very publicly,” Scaringe stated. “What’s, in each case, all the time the problem is getting the community architectures of Rivian’s platform and people different producers that we’ve talked to to work collectively,” he added.
The California firm’s founder and head honcho stated that it’s a problem to get two very totally different architectures to run down the identical manufacturing line and that the largest technical boundary was community structure.
“It’s a problem in each attainable method. It’s a problem to get the highest hat from a standard firm that’s utilizing tons and many provider supply ECUs to work with our platform–battery, drivetrain, chassis that has only a few ECUs,” Scaringe stated concerning the constraints.
There might need been additionally components at play, similar to financials, however the CEO didn’t get into these particulars. As a substitute, he targeted on {the electrical} structure struggles. That’s why when the brand new deal with Volkswagen got here alongside, the primary speaking level was exactly “the factor that has all the time been the problem.”
As a reminder, VW is investing as much as $5 billion within the American EV maker to assist it overcome the software-related black spots that got here after years of delays and mishaps attributable to its personal software program subdivision generally known as Cariad.
The 2 corporations won’t collectively develop EVs within the conventional method. As a substitute, Rivian will provide its electrical structure know-how to make it simpler for Volkswagen to fabricate EVs that supply a hassle-free consumer expertise.
“We’ll present the topology of the ECUs, together with the bottom working system. That’s each for the infotainment platform and the real-time working system. There’s just a few totally different working techniques we’ve constructed, after which all the pieces round over-the-air updates and connectivity,” Scaringe advised The Verge.
Alternatively, Ford appears to be going its personal solution to the identical finish aim, creating a skunkworks program out in California staffed by veterans from Tesla, Apple and sure, Rivian. That program will hopefully yield a brand new, low-cost EV structure to energy a presumably $25,000 electrical truck and crossover. As for Mercedes-Benz, it is really scrapping a next-generation EV platform and appears to be refocusing on inner combustion. Maybe it should find yourself wishing it had made a Rivian deal work out.
