Rivian R2 compact SUV: price, release, design, and more
The Rivian R2 is set to be the best way to get a Rivian SUV at a reasonable price. Rivian took the wraps off the car earlier this year, and indeed, it hits a lower price — Rivian estimates that the vehicle will cost $45,000 when it starts delivering in the first half of 2026.
The R2 is kind of a big deal for Rivian, and for the EV space in general. There are plenty of electric crossovers in the $40,000-$50,000 price range, but not all that many actual SUVs. The vehicle follows the likes of the highly sought-after Rivian R1S SUV and R1T pickup, and could have a major impact on the EV space in general.
Interested in getting a Rivian SUV at a lower price? Here’s everything we know about the Rivian R2 so far.
Rivian R2 design
If you love the look of the Rivian R1S, you’ll like how the R2 looks too. The R2 essentially looks like a shrunken version of the R1S, though you wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell it was smaller without putting the two side-by-side. The SUV still has the oval headlights at the front, and the long light bar at the back.
The R2 has a length of 185.6 inches, which is similar to the Tesla Model Y — though the R2 obviously has a much boxier design, making it more of an SUV.
The R2 has a number of design features that make it more interesting than your average SUV. Notably, the rear side windows can pop out, and the rear window goes completely down for a more open-air feel. Like other Rivian vehicles, it has a large front trunk, which can fit a small suitcase and a backpack.
Rivian R2 interior and tech
The interior of the Rivian R2 also looks similar to the R1S, though with some key differences. At the front of the car, the steering wheel offers two large scroll wheels to control software and offer haptic feedback to make controlling software feel more natural.
A criticism some had of the R1S was the lack of a glove box — however, the R2 has not one but two glove boxes, seriously heightening the amount of front-seat storage. The two front seats can fold down too — so when you fold down both the second- and first-row seats, you could theoretically camp in your car with an air mattress.
Rivian is a new company that has built itself on a high-tech approach. The company has put a lot of effort into developing easy-to-use software, and including onboard Wi-Fi, wireless charging pads, and Alexa integration. It’s likely these features will continue with the R2. We’re also expecting the software experience to be the same, which will include the lack of CarPlay and Android Auto.
However, Rivian is touting the number of sensors and camera on the R2. The car has a hefty 11 cameras and five radars, which Rivian says allow it to self-drive on the highway — including allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road. We’ll have to wait and see if the company continues to make these claims as we get closer to the launch of the car.
Rivian R2 price
The best thing about the Rivian R2 will ultimately be its price. The R2 isn’t a successor to the R1 — instead, it’s aimed at being more affordable than the R1S and R1T.
How affordable? Rivian estimates a starting price of $45,000, which is indeed far lower than the R1S that starts at $78,000. Rivian did not disclose the different pricing for the trims, so we’ll have to wait and see how much it costs to upgrade the drivetrain.
Rivian R2 release window
Rivian has announced the R2 — and it’s now available for reservations. Reservations cost $100 — however, Rivian won’t start shipping the vehicle until the first half of 2026.
In other words, we’ll have to wait a while before we start seeing the R2 in the real world, but at least we have a time frame of when it will deliver. Hopefully, Rivian can stick to that release date, and not push it.
Rivian R2 performance
The Rivian R2 will be available in three different drivetrains. At the base, there’s a single-motor rear-wheel drive model. One step up is the dual-motor all-wheel-drive model. Step up again, and you’ll get a tri-motor model.
Rivian hasn’t disclosed the performance of all of the trims, but it did say that the tri-motor model will accelerate from 0 to 60 in “well under three seconds.”
Rivian R2 charging speed and range
The R2 doesn’t overly sacrifice range, thankfully, but it still won’t be quite as high as the R1S. The R2 will be available in two different battery sizes, and the company says that the larger battery pack will offer a range of over 300 miles. That seems to indicate that the smaller battery will deliver a range of less than 300 miles, which isn’t great. Hopefully, it won’t be much lower though.
The Rivian R2 will most likely charge through NACS charging ports, meaning it’ll work with Tesla’s connector and the Supercharger network.
Rivian R2 tax credit status
Because the Rivian R2 is still a couple of years out, it’s hard to tell if it’ll end up qualifying for the federal EV tax credit. However, if current laws remain in place, it will likely qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit, considering the fact that it will most likely be manufactured in the U.S. Rivian currently builds vehicles in Normal, Illinois, and it plans to open a second factory outside Atlanta in 2024.
Source: www.digitaltrends.com
