The Best Rivian Frunk (Trunk) or Treat Halloween Ideas

DTown3011

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to take a look at some spooky ideas to get the best out of your Rivian for Witchin’ Night!

We’re going to dive into some Rivian owner-created spooky inspirations down below, but before that, let’s take a look at what Rivian is delivering soon with its upcoming Halloween Update!

Halloween Mode

Every year, Rivian delivers a Halloween-themed update to its vehicles, and this year isn’t going to be any different. Actually – it is! Rather than one thematic flavor, Rivian is delivering at least two this year!

While it's less spooky than bats, Knight Rider ought to send a shiver up some criminals' spines as it watches over your house for Halloween. Maybe Gear Guard Garry will moonlight as K.I.T.T.?

Keep your scanners peeled. A new adventure arrives this October. pic.twitter.com/JHCanKLFga

— Rivian (@Rivian) September 26, 2024

Next up, Rivian also included another classic – we’re going Back to The Future! This one is super cool, and we’re sure someone is going to have their Rivian equipped with a Flux Capacitor this coming Halloween. Just make sure you get all 1.21 gigawatts of electricity you need! Gear Guard Garry will likely be rockin’ that Doc Brown outfit, otherwise he’ll be dressed up as Marty McFly.

It’s almost time to go back. Destination: spooky time. pic.twitter.com/NDufNiFskO

— Rivian (@Rivian) October 7, 2024

Rivian always has plenty of goodies with their yearly Halloween Mode that comes in October. Be sure to check out what Rivian included in the 2022 and 2023 versions of Halloween Mode.

Owner Inspirations

Most of these creations are from the Rivian community forums – but we’re going to highlight our favorites.

Up first is Killer95Stang, with a vampiric Rivian and tentacles!

That's going to look spooky at night!

Killer95Stang

Next up, DTown3011 made an absolutely spectacular display with a skeleton and spooky mist! The cobwebs and spiderwebs over the headlights really complete the look.

The mist really completes the ensemble.

DTown3011

Over on Reddit, user whoshartedmypants put together an ECTO-R1 on photoshop to go ghostbusting with. Maybe someone will put it together in real life?

While its not real, maybe it could be this year?

whoshartedmypants

Another Reddit user, Needs_More_Boost, put this cool display together. The next step is to fill that frunk with candy! Or so we say, but user ejb8705 on Reddit did just that and lit them up, too!

Super cool with the cutouts for the lights!

Needs_More_Boost

Spooky! Lots of candy for the frunk or treaters too!

ejb8705

And last, but not least, back from the Rivian forums is user PeterSK, with a truly horrifying hand hanging out of the mid-gate of their R1S.

This one will make you look twice when you stop behind them.

PeterSK

All of these are inspiring and we’re looking forward to what the community comes up with this year, especially with the new light bar effects. If you’ve put something cool together, give us a tag on social media. We look forward to your spooky Halloween Rivian displays!

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Rivian Exec Reveals Timeline for First R2 Deliveries

Rivian Wave

Rivian is finally in the home stretch for its long-awaited R2 midsize SUV. After years of development and a public unveiling last week, the company is shifting its focus to the assembly line. The launch is a make-or-break moment for the automaker, which is banking on the R2 platform to carry it toward profitability.

During an interview with Out of Spec Reviews during SXSW 2026, Rivian’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid provided the most specific details yet regarding when the first units will actually hit the road.

The R2 Delivery Sequence

According to Bensaid, the rollout will follow a strict sequence to ensure the software and hardware are fully validated. The first vehicles off the line will be handed over to Rivian employees over the next few weeks.

“We’re in the final — obviously — stretch of the R2 validation, where we had the manufacturing validation builds, and then we’re getting into serious production really soon,” Bensaid said. He explained that employees “will have the cars for a few months” to help the team “accumulate a ton of miles but then also have that return of experience on the overall software.”

Once internal testing is complete, the first “lucky customers” will receive their vehicles by the end of spring, which likely points to a late May or June delivery window.

Rivian plans to roll out its full R2 lineup as follows:

• R2 Performance ($57,990): Arriving late Spring 2026, with the first deliveries also including an exclusive Launch Package. This dual-motor AWD flagship features 656 hp, a 3.6-second 0–60 mph time with a semi-active suspension, and a "Drop Glass" rear window that rolls down into the liftgate.

• R2 Premium ($53,990): Expected in late 2026, this variant will skip the semi-active suspension and top out at 450 hp with a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds.

• R2 Standard Long Range ($48,490): The range leader of the family at a Rivian-estimated 345 miles, slated for early 2027.

• R2 Standard ($45,000): The most anticipated base model is currently expected in late 2027.

A New Software Experience

Bensaid also spent significant time discussing the R2's overhauled user experience. He described a ground-up redesign of the operating system that focuses on multi-panel layering and haptic feedback. He mentioned being particularly excited about the new "Haptic Halo" scroll wheels on the steering wheel, calling them “one of the things that I’m really, really excited about”.

Rivian Wave

The software chief noted that he gets to drive the R2 every weekend and finds it to be the "perfect size" for his family. “My daughter loves it. She sits in the second row. It’s actually more spacious than the R1. She loves the screen. She’s in love with the screen,” he said. If you are trying to decide between the two, you can check out our R2 vs. R1S buyer’s guide for a deeper look at the differences.

With Rivian offering public rides in pre-production R2 units at SXSW over the past week, the finish line is finally in sight. If the company can navigate the transition from employee testing to public deliveries smoothly, the R2 could very well become the definitive electric SUV for the adventurous mass market.

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Rivian R2 vs R1S: Storage, Power, Range, Price and Features Compared

Rivian Wave

When Rivian officially unveiled the R2 this week, everyone immediately began comparing the new midsize SUV to its older, larger sibling, the R1S. But during the reveal event, one of Rivian’s engineers dropped a fascinating piece of trivia that completely recontextualizes the relationship between the two vehicles: "R1S was actually born from R2. The team has been working on R2 since 2017."

While the R1S beat the R2 to the market alongside the R1T to establish Rivian as a premium adventure brand, the R2 is the vehicle the company was originally founded to build. Now that the production specs are finally public, it is clear that these two SUVs target vastly different demographics.

If you are torn between putting down a $100 reservation for the R2 or taking immediate delivery of an R1S, here is a definitive section-by-section comparison of Rivian’s expanding SUV lineup.

Price & Variants

The most obvious difference between the two vehicles is the price tag. The R1S is a premium, luxury-tier vehicle. Currently, the flagship SUV starts at roughly $74,900 for the base Dual-Motor configuration and can easily push past $90,000 if you opt for the Quad-Motor or Max battery pack options.

The R2, on the other hand, is built for the mass market. It arrives with three primary variants: a Single-Motor Standard trim starting at $45,000, a Dual-Motor Premium trim at $53,990, and a high-performance Dual-Motor variant capping out at $57,990. 

However, it is worth noting that the $45,000 base R2 will not arrive until late 2027, while the R1S is available right now.

Size & Storage

The R1S is a massive, three-row family hauler. Measuring 200.8 inches long, it comfortably seats seven passengers and offers an enormous amount of cargo space, making it a direct competitor to the larger EVs like the EV9 or the Escalade IQ.

The R2 shrinks down significantly to compete with the Tesla Model Y. At 185.9 inches long, the R2 seats only five passengers across two rows. However, Rivian engineered some clever storage tricks to maximize the smaller footprint. 

Despite the R1S being larger, the R2 features dual glove boxes and a hidden dash drawer, things the R1S notoriously lacks for internal storage and ease of access.

Battery & Charging

The R1S offers massive battery packs to offset its weight and size, with options up to 149 kWh for around 400 miles of range. The R2 was engineered for the modern EV landscape. It features a much smaller 87.9 kWh battery pack, but because the vehicle is nearly 2,000 pounds lighter than the R1S, it can still achieve up to 345 miles of range. 

Rivian recently transitioned the R1 series to the NACS port, and the R2 follows suit, featuring a native NACS port. That means you can plug into a Supercharger or other NACS charging site without needing an adapter.

R2’s port also features bi-directional AC power, allowing R2 owners to use the new Field Outlet accessory to plug standard 120V devices right into the side of the car, a feature the R1S does not physically support.

Motors & Hardware

When it comes to raw power, the R1S is a monster. The Quad-Motor setup delivers over 830 horsepower and a 0-60 time of roughly 3.0 seconds, making a 7,000-pound SUV move like a supercar.

The R2 opts for a more practical approach. It maxes out with a Dual-Motor AWD setup on the Performance trim, delivering 656 horsepower and a 3.6-second 0-60 mph time. While not quite as violently fast as the top-tier R1S, the R2 Performance is still incredibly quick for its price bracket.

Offroading Capability

If you are serious about adventure, the R1S is still the undisputed king. It features an incredibly useful air suspension system that allows the vehicle to raise its ground clearance to a staggering 14.9 inches on the fly.

To hit its lower price point, the R2 completely ditches the air suspension. The Standard and Premium R2 trims rely on traditional static springs, while the Performance trim uses a Semi-Active setup. 

Regardless of the trim, the R2 has a fixed ground clearance of 9.6 inches. Furthermore, the base R2 completely lacks the iconic front tow hooks found standard on every R1S. The R2 is perfect for dirt roads and snowy trails, but the R1S is built to conquer Moab.

Autonomy Capability

The R1S features Rivian's standard RAP+, which works wonderfully on mapped interstates but relies on a slightly older sensor suite.

The R2 is taking a massive leap forward in autonomy. It launches with Rivian’s next-generation perception stack, featuring 11 cameras and 5 radars. This new hardware powers Autonomy+, an upcoming software suite designed to allow for hands-free driving on a much wider array of roads, putting it closer in competition to Tesla's FSD hardware.

Beyond the Spec Sheet

Beyond the spec sheet, the R2 introduces a handful of major quality-of-life updates that standard R1S owners have been begging for. The R2 features a brand-new steering wheel with haptic scroll wheels, finally solving the frustrating interface issues of the R1. 

The R2 also introduces dedicated MagSafe wireless charging in the center console, fixing the notoriously slippery R1 charging pad.

Finally, while the R1S features a split-folding tailgate, the R2 introduces a much-loved drop glass feature, where the entire rear window rolls down into the liftgate to allow for an open-air driving experience or to easily transport long items like lumber or surfboards. However, a Rivian executive recently mentioned a tailgate could arrive in the future, potentially even in the Standard model, which doesn’t include the drop glass feature.

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