Volkswagen says Rivian JV tech may extend to ICE Cars

Volkswagen Group on Wednesday said the technology it is developing with U.S.-based EV maker Rivian Automotive could be used in its internal combustion models in the future, though its current focus remains on battery-electric vehicles. The automaker is relying on the partnership to advance a scalable next-generation platform and improve software integration, an area where it has faced delays at its in-house unit, Cariad. The move is aimed at narrowing the gap with competitors such as Tesla and Chinese carmakers.Carsten Helbing, co-CEO of the joint venture RV Tech, said the architecture is capable of being adapted for ICE vehicles, but added that immediate efforts are centred on EV applications, with future use to be decided later. Volkswagen last year committed $5.8 billion to Rivian to strengthen its software capabilities. The companies plan to begin winter testing by the end of this year across Volkswagen, Scout and Audi models. The upcoming ID.Every1 will be the first model to feature the new software and electrical architecture, with a launch targeted for 2027. More models based on the Scalable Systems Platform are expected to adopt the technology by the end of the decade.