The most important vehicle in Rivian’s history has arrived in customer driveways. The company began public deliveries of the R2, its five-seat midsize electric SUV, on June 9, simultaneously opening orders for its long queue of reservation holders and launching demo drives at Rivian retail spaces nationwide.
First out of the gate is the R2 Performance with Launch Package, priced at $57,990. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain produces 656 horsepower, hurling the SUV from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 3.6 seconds, with roughly 330 miles of range. More affordable variants follow in stages: the R2 Premium arrives late this year at $53,990, a Standard rear-drive Long Range model lands in early 2027 at $48,490, and an entry version starting at $44,990 is due in summer 2027.
Smaller, Lighter, Sharper
The R2 is nearly 2,000 pounds lighter than the flagship R1S and rides on a shorter 115.6-inch wheelbase, making it dramatically more at home in cities and tight trailheads alike. Rivian has kept its adventure DNA intact, though: 9.6 inches of ground clearance, a 25-degree approach angle and a 26-degree departure angle put it comfortably ahead of typical crossover rivals off the pavement.
The design retains Rivian’s signature oval headlights and clean surfacing, while the interior strips back cost without feeling stripped down — a balance the company needs to strike to reach mainstream buyers.
The Make-or-Break Model
It is hard to overstate what the R2 means for Rivian. The R1T and R1S earned critical acclaim but sit at price points north of $70,000, limiting volume. The R2 is the company’s play for genuine scale — the vehicle intended to take on the Tesla Model Y, the wave of new Korean crossovers and, eventually, cheaper Chinese competition abroad.
Demand signals are already strong. Within weeks of the first deliveries, early examples were appearing on the used market at a premium, a phenomenon familiar from the most hyped vehicle launches of the past decade. One brand-new R2 Performance was listed for private sale in Colorado on July 1, barely three weeks after customer handovers began.
Production is ramping at Rivian’s Normal, Illinois plant, with the company’s Georgia factory slated to add capacity as volumes grow. If Rivian can build R2s as fast as people want them, 2026 may be remembered as the year the company graduated from cult favorite to mass-market contender.
Source: Business Wire
