Rivian jump start is a pain in the …

Rivian jump start

Well, we didn’t finish that sentence, but had to do it. As we prepare to do a Rivian jump start video, we’ve discovered that, like too many other EVs, the wire connections are accessed through a bumper.

But for Rivian models, unexpectedly its the rear bumper! See the image below.

The wires are hiding behind a cover, which is also hiding behind the cover that hides the trailer hitch. Two wires, one each with a red or black connector, are available behind the second cover.

We were unable to uncover exactly what would happen with a the latest Volvo and Polestar EVs, as the company simply states that a Volvo or Polestar dealer should be enlisted for the jump start. Their vehicles also offer two wires to connect to.

We speculated that, if the wires were connected long enough to unlock the vehicles, they would perhaps have enough power to allow the vehicle to start.

We may have been correct, as this is exactly what will happen with the R1S and R1T! When the 12 volt system has enough juice, the vehicle can be unlocked and the doors, hood and charge port can be opened.  The assumption is that the high voltage battery needs to be charged, but this will not always be the case.

So, assuming the battery is not completely dead, there should be an opportunity to drive the vehicles to a proper repair shop to very likely replace the battery.

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