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After much accolades, once-famous US start-up Rivian finds itself on the hard ground of reality. While the US-market-only electric giants Rivian R1S and R1T caused excitement even among established rivals when they were first released, numerous delays, recalls and mediocre production numbers are now generating negative headlines and causing more and more investors to balk. away (see box).
But things should soon get better with a second try and two much smaller models for the US market and Europe. But it will still take almost three years for them to spread to our streets. Still, Rivian has high expectations from the new midsize platform on which the Rivian R2 and R3, two models from the end of 2026, will be based.
Riviya R2
The 4.72 meter long R2 is a mid-range SUV with a nice Rivian design that is strongly reminiscent of its bigger sibling, the R1T, not only because of the lighting elements and the striking C-pillar. «Our R1 flagships were our handshake with the world. “With the new R2 and R3, we want to make our products accessible to even more people while staying true to our product attributes,” explains Rivian chief designer Jeff Hammoud. As we know from old US off-road vehicles, the window of the R2 tailgate can be opened and closed electrically. Thanks to the 2.94 meter wheelbase, there is ample space for up to five people in the interior. The seats can be fully folded to provide a flat loading area.
Riviya R3
The R2 sister model is called R3 and is a hatchback variant based on the same platform. With its proportions, the Rivian R3 is reminiscent of a classic VW Golf, the current Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the first-generation Audi A3; but their size is much larger. The wheelbase is 2.80 meters and the R3X sports version in particular should shine in terms of driving dynamics not only off-road but also on the road.
Both models will be available from spring 2026 in two battery sizes with a range of up to 500 kilometers. The battery pack under the body charges from 10 percent to 80 percent in less than half an hour. On both models, customers have the opportunity to choose whether the drive power is transmitted to the road via only the rear axle or both axles. The particularly sporty upper version Rivian R3X has one electric motor at the front and two at the rear. This means you can reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just over three seconds.
Prices are more affordable for the masses
Unlike the significantly larger R1 models, the more compact R2 and R3 are intended to conquer the masses, albeit at attractive prices. The R2 starts at around $45,000 in the US market, while the slightly more compact R3 is expected to start at under $40,000. For the US domestic market, both models can be reserved now for $100 – but the first Rivian R2 won’t be delivered until the end of 2026 at the earliest, while the R3 and its sporty spinoff R3X won’t be delivered until early 2027.
Founded in 2009, the US brand was still in existence by then. Many skeptics do not believe this. But RJ Scaringe (41), founder and CEO of Rivian, remains undeterred and looks forward to the presentation like a little child at Christmas: “I’ve never been so excited to bring new products to market. Our new R2 and R3 are about performance and ease of use.” “It has the perfect Rivian DNA, but the price is affordable for many people.” Let’s hope the brand survives until the so-called ambulances hit the market.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
