Rivian is reportedly rolling out its latest update, 2015.18, internally to employees, meaning it should be available to R1S and R1T owners in the next couple of weeks. It includes several new features, like Multi-factor Drive charging optimizations. You can learn more below.

Like most software-defined vehicles, Rivians receive occasional updates available over-the-air (OTA). Unlike more traditional OEMs that can only deliver updates to things like navigation and infotainment, Rivian is able to roll out more robust upgrades, adding new features or abilities to existing components, and increasing various efficiencies (and of course, fixing bugs).

In the past, we’ve seen Rivian roll out features like Camp Mode, Kneel Mode, and Launch Mode. Oftentimes, Rivian will publish details of bigger software updates to its “Stories” page, like 2025.10, which rolled out to the public in early April.

As a Rivian R1S owner, I was more excited about update 2025.14, which updated the BEV’s Highway Assist feature. Today, RivianTrackr shared that software update 2025.18 is rolling out internally before launching widely, and we have a preview of what to expect when it arrives.

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What to expect in Rivian update 2025.18

Per the report, update 2025.18 was noticed on May 30, 2025, and is rolling out to early access Rivian drivers (employees). The update applies to Gen 1 (2021-2024) and Gen 2 (2025) Rivian models, and the first four pieces of the latest update are the same for both, so we will start there.

Multi-factor Drive

The first major update is the addition of Multi-factor Drive. When enabled, this feature will require two-factor authentication for your Rivian R1S or R1T to start. When you enter your BEV, hit the brake, and shift out of park, a new authenticator will pop up on the screen, which can be verified through the Rivian app (version 3.1 or later) or your smartwatch. Some additional notes:

• Only the user registered as the Rivian’s vehicle owner can enable or disable Multi-factor Drive. The setting applies to all drivers and keys associated with the vehicle.
• When Multi-factor Drive is enabled, a driver cannot drive the vehicle using the key fob or key card without completing the second authentication.
• To approve a driver, the driver must have a Rivian account associated with the key and the key must be paired with the vehicle.
• Drivers can also access a time-based passcode on their smartphone. Tap to “Security and access” then “View time-based passcode.”
• To use Multi-factor Drive, all drivers must have Rivian app 3.1 or later.

Rivian Energy App update

A new Rivian Energy app features new ways to monitor and control your R1S or R1T’s energy consumption, whatever state of motion the vehicle is in. You can also precondition your battery on demand ahead of a fast charging session and view your charge curve within the vehicle with an interactive graph. The update also includes improved charge time accuracy.

You can view the Ebergy app on your Rivian’s center display, or in the automaker’s app 3.1 or later.

Charging and additional improvements (Gen 1)

• Optimized charging algorithms to reduce charge time from 10% to 80% (Max Pack only)
• Expanded capabilities across a wider range of temperatures (Max Pack only)
• Enhanced vehicle visualizations with more detailed vehicle models on driver display
• Improved responsiveness of Go Chime (fewer random chimes)
• Improved stability and responsiveness of infotainment system
• Improved performance and stability of media apps

Charging and additional improvements (Gen 2)

• All Gen 2 battery packs get improved charge times and expanded capabilities across a wider range of temperatures.
• Optimized charging algorithms to reduce charge time from 10% to 80% (Standard and Max Pack)
• Optimized charging algorithms in Large pack to improve peak charge rates, reduced 10% to 80% charge times, and increase number of miles replenished in the first 15 minutes of a charge session
• Rivian update 2025.18 fixes a rare issue that caused camera views and recorded videos to be unavailable in the Gear Guard app
• Enhanced vehicle visualizations with more detailed vehicle models on driver display
• Enhanced driver display to show a greater number of vehicles across five lanes and more diverse situations (cross-traffic, oncoming traffic, parked vehicles)
• Improved the stability and responsiveness of infotainment system
• Improved performance and stability of media apps
• Optimized low-voltage battery management to improve long-term battery health

One thing I’m not seeing mentioned is a bug I noticed in my Gen 2 R1S after installing the 2025.14 update. When using navigation, my route map zooms out to a view of all of North America every time I make a turn. It’s super annoying.

I hope that big issue is fixed with Rivian’s 2025.18 update, which should be rolling out to individual owners in the next week or two.

‘No force on Earth’

More than $14 billion in US renewable and EV investments and 10,000 new jobs have been scrapped or put on hold since January, according to a new analysis from E2 and the Clean Economy Tracker. The reason: growing fears that the Republican-majority Congress will pull the plug on federal clean energy tax credits.

In April alone, companies backed out of $4.5 billion in battery, EV, and wind projects right before the House passed a sweeping tax and spending bill that would gut the federal tax incentives fueling the clean energy boom. E2 also found another $1.5 billion in previously unreported project cancellations from earlier in the year.

Now, with the Senate preparing to take up the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” E2 says over 10,000 clean energy jobs have already vanished.

“If the tax plan passed by the House last week becomes law, expect to see construction and investments stopping in states across the country as more projects and jobs are cancelled,” said Michael Timberlake, E2’s communications director. “Businesses are now counting on Congress to come to its senses and stop this costly attack on an industry that is essential to meeting America’s growing energy demand and that’s driving unprecedented economic growth in every part of the country.”

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Ironically, it’s Republican-led congressional districts – the biggest beneficiaries of the Biden administration’s clean energy tax credits passed in 2022 – that are feeling the most pain. So far, more than $12 billion in investments and over 13,000 jobs have been canceled in GOP districts.

Through April, 61% of all clean energy projects, 72% of jobs, and 82% of investments have been in Republican districts.

Despite the rising number of cancellations, some companies are still forging ahead. In April, businesses announced nearly $500 million in new clean energy investments across six states. That includes a $400 million expansion by Corning in Michigan to make solar wafers, which is expected to create at least 400 jobs, and a $9.3 million investment from a Canadian solar equipment company in North Carolina.

If completed, the seven projects announced last month could create nearly 3,000 permanent jobs.

To date, E2 has tracked 390 major clean energy projects across 42 states and Puerto Rico since the Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022. In total, companies plan to invest $132 billion and hire 123,000 permanent workers.

But the report warns that momentum could grind to a halt if the House tax plan becomes law. Since the clean energy tax credits were signed into law, 45 announced projects have been canceled, downsized, or closed entirely, wiping out nearly 20,000 jobs and $16.7 billion in investments.

What’s more, Trump’s Department of Energy announced today that it was killing more than $3.7 billion in funding for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and decarbonization initiatives. Eighteen out of 24 projects were awarded through DOE’s Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP), which was made law in the Inflation Reduction Act. It aimed to strengthen the economic competitiveness of US manufacturers in global markets demanding lower carbon emissions, while supporting US manufacturing jobs and communities.

Executive Director Jason Walsh of the BlueGreen Alliance said in a statement in response to today’s DOE announcement:   

The awarded projects that DOE is seeking to kill are concentrated in rural areas and red states. American manufacturers are hungry to partner with the federal government to bolster US industry. The IDP saw $60 billion worth of applications during the program selection process, a ten-times oversubscription. 

President Trump claims to be a champion of American manufacturing, but today’s announcement is further evidence that he and his Secretary of Energy are liars.

Read more: Global energy giant RWE halts US offshore wind because of Trump

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