Rivian’s charging outposts are a glimpse into the rest stop of the future
A coastal cottage with cedar shingles and white rooftops along Montauk Highway in Southampton, New York presents as a quaint coffee shop or cafe. But it’s actually the newest — and likely most fashionable — place for electric vehicle drivers to charge up.
In August, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian opened its third charging outpost in the Hamptons, marking its first spot on the East Coast. It debuted the concept in April 2024 in Groveland, California, near the gateway to Yosemite National Park. The second opened near Joshua Tree National Park in December 2024.
Rivian, founded in 2009, is known for its electric SUVs and trucks that have come to be seen as a rival to Tesla. The company raised more than $13.5 billion with its IPO in November 2021, and touts investors like Amazon and Ford. Last year, it reported total revenues of $4.97 billion, a 12% increase from 2023.
From a consumer-facing standpoint, Rivian’s outposts are a curious roadside attraction even for those who aren’t driving EVs. They feature spacious interiors, locally-made snacks and gifts and 24-hour clean restrooms for Rivian drivers. But Rivian sees the outpost as a way to up-level the EV charging experience beyond posts in a parking lot — and help define itself to its existing and potential customers.
“It’s one piece of our retail direct-to-consumer ecosystem,” said Sara Webster Wylie, Rivian’s director of spaces marketing. “We’re constantly thinking about how to streamline the customer experience through our unique retail formats and service formats to provide the best experience possible for an EV owner.”
With each outpost, the company finds a local coffee partner and features local artists’ work. And it curates a gear shop that includes the kind of chic merch and souvenirs you find in indie boutiques. At the Hamptons outpost, items for sale include Mafia bags, which are made from recycled sails. Snack choices include Bela Sardines, Freestyle Snacks green olives and Pan’s mushroom jerky. A kids’ area has a bed and books for a quick rest on a road trip, while art prints by New York-based artist Danielle Kroll decorate the walls and are offered for sale.
Over in Joshua Tree, visitors can lounge on mid-century modern chairs while sipping complimentary drinks from Joshua Tree Coffee Company. Outside, drivers can relax on a hammock or take a turn on a climbing wall.
The company hasn’t publicly shared where its next outpost will be located, but Webster Wylie did say that they are a part of the “Rivian Adventure Network” — the company’s system of chargers it’s setting up across the country that are a key part of its long-term strategy. It has 780 chargers across 123 sites, per its latest shareholder letter.
The International Council on Clean Transportation reported that the U.S. had about 204,000 public and workplace EV chargers at the end of 2024, marking a 35% year-over-year increase. But since approximately 80% of EV charging is done at home, per Department of Energy research, there’s less of an opportunity to reach EV drivers than traditional gas stations may have.
That reality is shaping how traditional fuel and convenience chains plan for the future, said Jackie Walker, retail experience strategy lead for North America for Publicis Sapient. Opportunities to serve and sell to EV drivers simply aren’t as common, given that most charging happens at home. “More often than likely, it is going to be more associated with a road trip or an occasion where I am not near my house, I am in the middle of a trip, and I need that quick stop,” she said.
Still, those quick stops or road-trip moments translate into new use cases for EV charging stations and the brands that run them. Walker said best practices will come down to the same principles that serve customers now in traditional convenience stores — though healthier food is a common part of the vision.
“What will matter in that world? It’s the same things that matter now, which are clean bathrooms and fresh food,” Walker said. “Those really become the things that are visit drivers and choice drivers for customers.”
More companies are coming up with ways to meet this unique need: BP Pulse, the charging business from oil company BP, inked a deal with Waffle House this summer to expand its charging network to the restaurant’s parking lots. Tesla, for its part, opened the Tesla Diner this summer in Hollywood with 80 charging spots, though it was quickly ripped online for long wait times and mediocre food.
Walker also said that non-fuel brands, such as movie theaters and Walmart, are also increasingly adding EV charging as a free customer perk, given that people will likely be spending a stretch of time in their stores.
At Rivian, Webster Wylie said the outposts have a secondary benefit of reaching potential future customers. Non-Rivian owners are welcome in the shop during business hours and can even set up test drives.
“First and foremost, we want to provide amenities for our customers and all EV owners who are stopping and charging, but we also have a destination for people who are EV-curious,” she said.
The company in August reported second-quarter earnings showing $1.3 billion in revenue, a 12.5% increase year-over-year. It’s forecasting 40,00-46,000 vehicles delivered — meaning sold to end buyers or to dealers — this year.
But overall, the outposts are a unique brand moment for Rivian. Webster Wylie said the hope is that they’ll showcase adventure, sustainability and practical design-first thinking, while being steeped in the local culture.
“As we’re building our go-to-market plans and opening plans and even looking at who we hire in these sites, we really consider how we build relationships and ingrain ourselves in our communities,” Webster Wylie said.