Earlier this month, Rivian announced that its highly anticipated R2 model, potentially a mid-size SUV or crossover, was set to be unveiled on March 7, 2024. Leading up to the unveiling event next month at the Laguna Beach showroom in Orange County, California, Rivian is stoking enthusiasts’ curiosity with the release of the R2’s first official teaser.
There are no big surprises here. Much of the teaser showcases people expressing joy in various forms, and at the end of it, there’s a Rivian parked in a dark and shadowy garage. Then the front LED light bar of the baby Rivian illuminates, appearing near-identical to the R1T electric truck and the R1S SUV.
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Rivian wants to target a larger audience with a cheaper EV
So far, Rivian’s offerings in the U.S., the R1T and R1S, have been big and expensive. Affordability and scalability often elude EV start-ups, but the new R2-platform model could change things for Rivian.
It could be an early sign of Rivian adhering to its signature design language across the board. You can also see slim mirrors, and a roof that potentially appears slightly shorter indicating a lower height compared to its bigger and more expensive siblings.
If you’re new to the EV world, the R2 is poised to become Rivian’s first big launch ever since the R1T and R1S entered the market in 2022. Both the current models start at over $73,000 before taxes and fees, making them out of reach for the masses. The R2 crossover/SUV is expected to cost $45,000-50,000, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe indicated last year and is expected to cater to a wider audience.
The start-up also sells an electric van to commercial fleets—the Amazon version is called the Electric Delivery Van, and the non-Amazon one is called the Electric Commerical Van, each starting at $83,000.
When it goes on sale this year, it will likely lock horns with the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6 among others. But to truly challenge any of these rivals, Rivian would have to deliver on quality and reliability, and churn models at volume to meet the demand, something it has struggled with in the past.
