Rivian R2 debuts March 7

The Rivian R2 will debut March 7, the automaker announced Monday on X (formerly Twitter). This smaller electric SUV is still two years away from production, however.

The reveal date matches what Rivian CFO Claire McDonough said at a June 2023 auto industry conference. At the time, McDonough said the R2 would be revealed in early 2024, and that Rivian was targeting the $40,000-$60,000 price range in order to appeal to a broader market. Keep in mind that the Rivian R1S SUV currently starts at about $78,000.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe and design boss Jeff Hammond first teased the R2 in May of last year, in the form of a covered clay model shown briefly during during an Instagram question and answer session.

Despite being covered, a boxy silhouette similar to the R1S was clearly visible, though the R2 appears smaller. It’s expected to be about the size of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Rivian hasn’t shown any other body styles, but has trademarked the R2T name (among others), indicating a possible pickup truck as well.

Originally, Rivian planned for the R2 to enter production in 2025, but in 2022 the automaker said the smaller, less expensive model was delayed a year until 2026. In 2019, Scaringe said Rivian planned to have six models in its lineup by 2025.

The R2 will be built at Rivian’s second assembly plant, to be constructed near Atlanta, Georgia. Rivian lost some tax breaks associated with the plant that would have allowed it to avoid paying property tax. The Georgia plant is expected to have an annual production capacity of up to 400,000 vehicles.


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