Rivian moved into the next stage of growth, kicking off production of its second vehicle, the smaller R2 SUV, at its plant in Normal, Illinois.
The new model comes only as an SUV, and is smaller than the company’s first two models, the R1T pickup and R1S sport utility vehicle. The original models are also built at the Illinois plant while the company continues construction on a second plant in north Georgia where the R2 and even smaller R3 will be produced in a few years.
Producing a second vehicle line is a milestone event, suggesting Rivian is financially stable. It’s also the company’s first attempt to take on Tesla and its EV giant, the Model Y, which is the world’s best-selling vehicle.
The R2 lineup will offer up to 656 horsepower, with a zero-to-60 mph sprint in 3.6 seconds (and incredible highway acceleration from 50-70 mph in as quick as 1.55 seconds). Rivian estimates the R2 can travel up to 345 miles on a full charge.
“We’ve been encouraged by the reservations that we’ve been receiving for the R2 product overall,” Chief Financial Officer Claire McDonough told Reuters, without disclosing specifics. “We’ll start to invite customers to begin to configure their vehicles in the June time frame. So, we’ll have better visibility at that point.”
Rivian plans to deliver the first variants late in the second quarter of this year, and it will start with the priciest version of the R2, the Launch model, which is priced at $57,990. The EV maker will begin rolling out less expensive models in stages through next year.
The R2 Premium, with a starting price of $53,990, is scheduled to arrive in the final quarter of 2026 with the R2 Standard coming in the first half of next year. It’s stick price begins at $48,490 and is the long-range model at 345 miles. The first two will travel 330 miles. A less expensive R2 Standard with an estimated range of about 275 miles and a price starting at $45,000 arrives in the second half of 2027, officials noted.
BNP Paribas analysts expect fewer than 400 deliveries this quarter, before volumes ramp to about 7,000 in the third quarter and about 15,000 in the fourth. The company’s forecast calls for as many 23,000 R2s to be delivered in 2026. The company delivered 42,247 vehicles in 2025. The delivery numbers for the R1T and R1S will fall as R2 production expands.
[Images: Rivian]
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