Rivian is developing a 48-volt DC electrical architecture for future vehicles, according to a new job listing that adds to a growing trail of engineering postings related to the company’s next-generation technology roadmap.
The Irvine-headquartered EV maker is hiring an Electrical Distribution System Integration Engineer, according to a job listing first reported on X by Rivian owner and enthusiast Chris Hilbert.
Among its core responsibilities are the design of “vehicle topologies for device connections, specialty cables, grounding, 12V high-current, 48V DC Architecture, 120/230V AC” and their integration with vehicle communication protocols.
The reference marks the first time Rivian has explicitly mentioned 48V architecture.
The role is based in Plymouth, Michigan, where the company maintains engineering offices focused on vehicle hardware, and spans pre-production through post-production phases — as the role is tied to a vehicle program that is still under development.
Tech Roadmap
The 48V listing is the latest in a series of job postings that have revealed Rivian’s engineering plans ahead of any official announcement.
In August last year, Rivian posted a role for a steering actuator system program manager, with the job description stating the hire would have “full cradle-to-grave ownership of the SBW subsystem” — confirming work on steer-by-wire.
A separate posting that same month referenced rear-wheel steering.
Earlier this month, the company posted a new Level 4 autonomous driving role requiring the design of low-voltage electrical systems for self-driving vehicles.
Taken together, the job listings suggest Rivian is developing steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering, 48V electrical architecture, and Level 4 autonomy hardware — though the company has not confirmed whether all four technologies are intended for the same platform.
Other Models
A 48-volt system delivers the same power at one-quarter of the current of the industry-standard 12-volt architecture.
The lower current enables significantly thinner wiring harnesses — one of the heaviest and most expensive components in any vehicle — reducing both weight and material cost.
Tesla became the first automaker to ship a production vehicle with a 48V low-voltage architecture when the Cybertruck entered production in late 2023.
The 48-volt architecture migrates high-draw components such as steering actuators, window motors, and domain controllers to 48V while retaining 12V for lower-power subsystems.
Other automakers have adopted 48V selectively for high-power subsystems — Nio‘s ET9 uses it for its fully active suspension, as do Mercedes-Benz and Audi in select models, while Xiaomi has integrated 48V into its chassis braking system.
Ford has confirmed it will adopt 48V for next-generation EVs but has not disclosed a timeline.
“Power conversion within an electric vehicle platform can account for a surprising amount of wasted energy in a vehicle while charging or even taking energy from the 400V battery and converting it to 48V for the low-voltage devices,” the Detroit automaker said last week.
