Rivian's 2025.38 Update Simplifies Charging with Plug & Charge at EA and IONNA

Climate Hold is not promised to use wall power only, and pet use has a separate mode.

Rivian’s 2025.38 release notes, reproduced by Rivian Roamer, list Plug & Charge for participating Electrify America and IONNA chargers. Roamer dates its first release to October 21, 2025, after this article’s October 19 date.

With supported vehicle software, a participating charger and a valid payment card in the Rivian account, the release notes describe automatic authentication and billing. The notes used here do not set a two-week beta window.

What the Update Includes

Beyond Plug & Charge, the 2025.38 release adds several quality-of-life improvements:

Charger routing — The notes add IONNA filtering in preferred networks and Plug & Charge support. They do not substantiate the original promise of live dispenser-level availability and reduced-power telemetry for every participating site.

Automatic charge initiation — With a valid credit card attached to your Rivian account, the vehicle will automatically begin charging once plugged in at a supported network. No confirmation step required.

Climate Hold — The notes describe maintaining cabin temperature for a set period after exit, with status and controls in the app. They do not promise wall-power-only operation or zero traction-battery use. Use Pet Comfort rather than Hold when leaving pets, as the notes specifically instruct.

Auto Cabin Ventilation — When the vehicle detects that cabin temperatures are elevated after parking, it can automatically activate ventilation to cycle fresh air through the interior, reducing the time you’ll spend in a hot car when you return.

Customizable App Launcher — Owners can now customize the app launcher at the bottom of the center display, a small but meaningful improvement for daily usability.

Happy Haunting! — A limited-time Halloween-themed mode with exterior light animations and themed sound profiles. Rivian has a track record of seasonal Easter eggs, and this one appears to lean into the spooky aesthetic.

The IONNA Context

Its long-term charging-bay ambitions are not completed station counts.

The decision to add IONNA support was also strategic. Rivian’s charging infrastructure strategy has increasingly leaned on partnerships rather than proprietary networks. While Rivian maintains its own Adventure Network of chargers for owners, adding IONNA to the vehicle’s native experience broadens the charging ecosystem accessible without third-party apps.

Charging Performance on Gen 2 Vehicles

For Gen 2 R1T and R1S owners on the update, charging performance remains consistent with existing capabilities. The Gen 2 Large Pack can accept DC fast charging at up to approximately 210-215 kW peak on a capable charger. On a 350 kW dispenser, the R1T can add roughly 100 miles of range in about 15-20 minutes under ideal conditions. AC charging is limited by the onboard charger to about 11.5 kW, meaning a full charge from empty on a Level 2 home charger takes roughly 8-10 hours depending on pack size.

The update does not appear to change the charging curve itself, but the ability to simply plug in and walk away removes one of the most consistent friction points in the EV ownership experience.

How to Get the Update

The reproduced notes distinguish Gen 1 and Gen 2 versions and staged software availability. Follow the vehicle’s own update notification and current Rivian instructions.