Rivian has secured new patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including filings for an ornamental headlamp design and a home energy storage system that could rival Tesla’s Powerwall and support vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality.
The filings, published September 30, expand Rivian’s intellectual property portfolio less than a week after earlier patents covering a battery architecture without a 12V system, an automated rear diffuser, and digital infotainment “gadgets.” The latest batch includes an obstacle detection system for a tonneau cover, a vehicle state estimation platform, a battery thermal release layer, the new headlamp design, and an energy storage system.
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Patent US D1,095,903 S, originally filed in October 2023, details the headlamp design, which is protected for 15 years as an ornamental feature. Patent US 12,431,551 B2, however, outlines a more ambitious energy storage concept with home and mobile applications.
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According to the filing, “the energy storage device 105 can be associated with (e.g., can provide power to or from) a cabin, home, vehicle, or campsite. The energy storage device 105 can be fixed or portable… [and] can be an electric vehicle battery pack 160… configured to provide energy to or from the components of FIG. 1 such as the energy storage device 105 or the grid 150.”
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The documents indicate the system could store energy from solar panels, the grid, or Rivian vehicles and redistribute it for residential or remote use, effectively extending into vehicle-to-everything (V2X) territory. Such a system would position Rivian alongside automakers like Tesla, Ford, and General Motors, all of which have launched branded home energy solutions with V2G or backup capabilities.
While Rivian has not announced timelines for commercialization, the patents suggest the company is exploring a broader ecosystem strategy beyond electric trucks and SUVs, potentially offering Rivian-branded solutions for home power management and grid connectivity.