Volkswagen and Rivian Automotive are planning to sell the electric vehicle (EV) technology they are co-developing to other manufacturers, reported Bloomberg.
The firms’ joint venture, RV Tech, is making advancements on an EV electrical and software platform for Volkswagen.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
It has begun engaging third parties on its scalability.
RV Tech’s near-term focus is delivering the platform for Rivian and Volkswagen models, with testing scheduled on Audi, VW and Scout vehicles from the first quarter of 2026.
The partners set up the JV a year ago, combining developers and engineers from both companies.
They are adopting Rivian’s centralised electronics architecture with fewer computing units to simplify development and reducing expenses.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataRivian software chief and RV Tech co-chair Wassym Bensaid said: “We’re solving a problem for the larger automotive industry.
“That could become an opportunity.”
The technology is engineered to be scalable across multiple vehicle sizes and segments in Western markets.
It also shares elements that could be applied to combustion-engine models, RV Tech co-chair Carsten Helbing said.
The inaugural model to use the solution will be Rivian’s R2 SUV, due early 2026.
Volkswagen’s compact ID. EVERY1, anticipated to cost around €20,000 ($23,000), is slated for 2027, followed by Scout-branded models.
Volkswagen also maintains a separate partnership with Xpeng for China.
Volkswagen has previously licensed its first-generation EV platform to Ford and Mahindra & Mahindra.
The German group is turning to Rivian as it faces US tariffs, softer demand in Europe and declining deliveries in China, investing up to $5.8bn in the alliance under CEO Oliver Blume, as per the Bloomberg report.
For Rivian, which is loss-making, the deal provides critical funding amid a broader EV market slowdown.
Volkswagen’s earlier in-house software efforts delayed launches and hurt sales, though recent updates have lifted EV deliveries in Europe.
