Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said a year ago that the business would roll out its R2 electric vehicle platform in 2025. Currently, the base price of an R1S is $78,000, but Scaringe is giving fans a sneak peek at the upcoming compact SUV, which is projected to be far less expensive.
The CEO linked up with Rivian’s head designer, Jeff Hammoud, to provide a sneak peek at the R2’s form during a question and answer session sponsored by Scaringe on Instagram over the Memorial Day weekend. They were looking at a black-clothed clay model of an R2, which looked like a scaled-down version of the boxy R1S.
During the session, Scaringe also said that the “Tank Turn” four-wheel turning feature for the R1T electric vehicle will be scrapped because of the risk it posed to trails. Recently, Rivian removed the Quad-Motor option that was previously available with the Max battery pack as part of its revisions to the powertrain options for its vehicles.
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Rivian’s R2 SUV to Take on Tesla Model Y
As for the R2, production of the SUV might begin as early as 2025, according to Rivian. During a Bank of America summit, Rivian’s chief financial officer, Claire Rauh McDonough, stated that the business aims to produce 200,000 R2 vehicles in 2026, and then double that number for the following target.
R2 will compete with vehicles like the Tesla Model Y, the Genesis GV60, and the Polestar 3 in the luxury SUV market, as stated by McDonough. However, the R2’s production goals remain uncertain as Rivian contends with setbacks at its new Georgia manufacturing.
In October, a state judge in Georgia halted the incentives that would have allowed Rivian to collect approximately $1.5 billion to develop the factory. Residents of the state have organized under the name “No2Rivian” to protest the facility and the over $700 million in property tax exemptions it would receive.
It is unclear if Rivian will be able to release R2 on schedule. However, in order to compete in the rapidly growing electric SUV industry, the automaker will need to take decisive action. Every EV maker is either producing or getting ready to ship a tiny or midsize electric SUV, all in an effort to overtake Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.
FAQs
Rivian has not yet announced a release date for the R2 SUV. However, the company has said that it plans to launch the R2 platform in 2025. This means that the R2 SUV could be released as early as 2026.
Rivian has also not yet announced a price for the R2 SUV. However, it is expected to be more affordable than the R1S, which starts at $78,000. Some estimates put the price of the R2 SUV at around $50,000.
