Sponsored By

Rivian Adds Momentum to EV Industry Shift to Larger-Diameter Cylindrical Batteries

LG Energy Solution will provide Rivian with 4695 cells for the company’s upcoming R2 models.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

November 8, 2024

2 Min Read
Like Rivian, BMW is planning a move to 4695-format cylindrical cells like this one.
Like Rivian, BMW is planning a move to 4695-format cylindrical cells like this one.BMW

At a Glance

  • Tesla, BMW, and Rivian are shifting from 21-mm cylindrical battery cells to 46-mm cells.
  • Tesla uses cells that are 80 mm tall, while Rivian will use 95-mm cells and BMW will feature both 95-mm and 120-mm cells
  • These larger cells carry six times as much energy as the slimmer cells Rivian currently uses.

Rivian joins BMW in planning a move to approximately fist-sized 4695 cylindrical lithium-ion cells from the shotgun shell-sized 2170 cells, with a deal to source the new batteries from LG Energy Solution. Tesla started the push to 46mm-diameter cells when it switched to 4680 cells (46mm diameter x 80 mm height) for the Model 3.

As with BMW's Neue Klasse EVs, the Rivian R2 compact SUV will employ 46-mm cells that are 95 mm tall. BMW has also announced the intent to use 120 mm versions, which are about the size of a 248-milliliter can of Red Bull.

There are multiple advantages to using larger cells. Using a smaller number of larger cells reduces the number of connections to be made when assembling battery modules, simplifying the manufacturing process. Additionally, power pours into and out of these larger cells faster than it does in smaller ones, potentially boosting vehicle acceleration and shortening charging times.

Each of the 4695 cells packs about six times as much energy as Rivian’s current 2170 cylindrical cells, and the company predicts that the assembly of the smaller number of cells into modules will be streamlined by about 45 percent as a result. The larger cells are also more thermally stable, making them safer than the small-diameter batteries used currently.

BMW estimates that its 4695 cell-based packs will trim the 10-to-80 percent charge time by 30 percent compared to its current EVs. Rivian’s R2 battery pack will be a 1000-volt system (nominally 979.2 volts), compared to BMW’s planned 800-v architecture for its upcoming Neue Klasse EVs, so Rivian’s vehicles could charge even faster that than.

“Due to the dynamic nature of the current EV market, an increasing number of global automakers are demonstrating a strong preference for a diverse range of battery form factors,” said David Kim, CEO of LG Energy Solution. “This large-scale order from Rivian for 4695 batteries marks a key milestone for LG Energy Solution in expanding its client base within the cylindrical battery segment.”

The five-year supply agreement between the companies will total 67GWh of batteries. Production of the batteries will shift to LG Energy Solution’s stand-alone plant in Queen Creek Arizona within a year of the start of production.

That will ensure a shorter domestic supply chain and will make the R2s eligible for Inflation Reduction Act tax rebates. The Rivian R2 is scheduled to arrive in 2026, presumably using batteries sourced from existing foreign LGES plants for the first year.

While the cells are the big news, Rivian says it will also refine the battery pack architecture to create a simplified pack structure that reduces weight, complexity, and cost while also providing greater energy density. The company promises a “meaningful reduction” in the pack’s dollar-per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) metric compared to the existing R1 models.

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

AstonMartinVanquish_©AndyMorgan_025_copy_2.JPG

He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

Sign up for Battery Technology newsletters

You May Also Like