Rivian R2 Taunted, Tank Turn Archived

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Rivian on Friday provided the first sneak peek at its R2, a smaller follow-up to the automaker’s R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV due for launch in 2026.

CEO RJ Scaringe and chief designer Jeff Hammoud displayed a clay model of the R2 under a sheet during a instagram Q&A session with Scaringe. Q&A content was posted to Instagram Stories, which disappears after 24 hours unless the content is changed elsewhere. We took a screenshot in case that doesn’t happen.

The covered clay model has the same boxy profile as the R1S SUV, but appears to be slightly smaller. That lines up with previous reports, which indicate a smaller model that retains R1S styling, but in a smaller package closer to the size of the current Jeep Grand Cherokee.

2022 Rivian R1S

The R2 is expected to be a higher volume model with a lower base price than the R1 models, which currently start at $79,000 and $84,000 (before destination) for the R1T and R1S, respectively. Scaringe said earlier this year that Rivian is simplifying the assembly and sourcing of components for the R2, which should help keep costs down. Rivian originally planned to launch the R2 in 2025, but announced last year that the launch will be delayed until 2026.

The R2 is expected to be built in The new Rivian factory in Georgia to complement its current Illinois factory, which is a repurposed facility previously used by Mitsubishi. Located east of Atlanta, the $5 billion Georgia plant was due to break ground this year, with the first vehicles rolling off production lines in 2024, but it’s unclear if the loss of tax benefits from the state government will affect that schedule.

Rivian has also indicated plans to smaller electric vehicles targeting China and Europe, but it’s not clear if that refers to the R2 or other future models. Rivian in 2021 registered several names, which gave him control of R1S to R5S and R1T to R5T.

Rivian R1T Pre Production

In the same Q&A session, Scaringe also addressed the lack of tank spin Feature on current production Rivian vehicles. Rivian first showed off the feature, which allows a four-engine R1T or R1S to spin in place like a tank, in 2019. A patent application for an apparently related “K turn modeappeared in 2021. But the Tank Turn feature has now been shelved, Scaringe confirmed, because it doesn’t fit the Rivian ethos.

“Over the last year and a half we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a feature that while we can do it, it’s very easy to abuse and it’s very difficult to make sure that we don’t break ground and actually do things that are in contrast to what that we represent as a company,” Scaringe said.