In a recent Q&A session with Doug DeMuro, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe provided a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the R1’s most legendary lost features: the removable roof. For years, early fans of Rivian have wondered what happened to the promise of an open-air Rivian, a feature that would have put the electric adventure vehicles in direct competition with icons like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco.
Now, we finally have the official story - a short tale of an ambitious design, manufacturing realities, and a glimmer of hope for the future.
The Three-Piece Carbon Fiber Roof
In the interview, RJ confirmed that during the initial development of the R1 platform, Rivian didn’t just consider a removable roof. Instead, they fully engineered and built it. In fact, he also mentioned that a few of the prototypes sporting this special removable roof actually exist within Rivian’s internal fleet.
The design was a sophisticated, three-piece carbon-fiber top that would have replaced the entire standard glass roof, opening up the cabin to the elements. In a brilliant design choice, the three lightweight panels were designed to fit neatly into the R1’s frunk, meaning owners could easily and spontaneously remove their roofs.
That’s a fantastic way to really spice up an adventure, without needing extra hassle or space somewhere else in your vehicle. It truly would’ve leaned into Rivian’s adventure ethos and given us one of the first open-air electric vehicle experiences.
The Reality of Production
So, if the feature was fully tooled and prototypes exist… why can’t you buy one today? The answer, as is often the case in the auto industry, comes down to the immense difficulty of mass production.
RJ explained that they ultimately made the tough decision to cancel the feature for customers due to the added complexity it brought to production and significant challenges with the supply chain. Rivian has already struggled with the R1’s complex supply chain, and simplifying a complex item like this into a single glass roof option likely helped to cut down on production challenges considerably.
For a startup designing and scaling its first vehicle, ensuring a perfect seal and managing logistics for a complex, multi-piece roof system proved to be too much of a hurdle for the initial launch or even for the R1 Gen 2 refresh.
A Glimmer of Hope
While the removable roof for the R1 is officially off the table for now, it may not be gone forever. Acknowledging that the feature has immense appeal, RJ stated that he wouldn’t say never to the idea of bringing it back in the future.
That’s a glimmer of hope for fans of an open-air R1, that as Rivian’s manufacturing processes mature and their production lines finally settle, we may get a real open-air EV experience.
In the meantime, Rivian is building a more pragmatic means for an open-air experience. RJ confirmed that the R2 features a rear glass window that drops down into the tailgate. This combination is designed to bring fresh air right into the vehicle and pull it through the entire cabin, offering a different - but still fantastic way to connect with the outdoors on your adventure.
The inside story of the R1’s removable roof is a classic example of ambitious design meeting the harsh challenges of manufacturing and engineering. While it ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor, it now seems like it could come back in the future. Maybe one day we’ll see the R1 with the option of a removable roof.
You can watch the entire Q&A session below.
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Rivian has laid out a highly aggressive roadmap for the next chapter of its business. Presenting at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on Thursday, Rivian’s executives detailed their strategic vision moving forward, focusing on the R2 platform, autonomous driving, and the financial runway provided by the Volkswagen Joint Venture.
While Rivian acknowledged the ongoing challenges of managing production costs and scaling internationally, the tone of the presentation was overwhelmingly focused on leveraging software and technology to reach profitability by the end of 2026.
R2 for Next-Gen
The R2 platform is the linchpin of Rivian's growth strategy. Designed to tackle a much larger, more affordable addressable market than the flagship R1 lineup, executives noted that capturing even a fraction of the market share they achieved with the R1 in this new segment would be a "home run beyond our wildest dreams.”
However, the R2 is more than just a smaller vehicle entering the lineup. Rivian described the new platform as a vessel for its advanced technology. It represents the company's next-generation electrical architecture and software stack, which is critical for the scale and profitability they’re looking for. This mid-size platform will also be the focus of Rivian's new plant in Georgia, which is intended to facilitate future exports to the European market.
Building Its Own Hardware
Perhaps the most significant change discussed during the conference was Rivian's dedication to developing its autonomous driving platform entirely in-house. Rather than relying on external suppliers or off-the-shelf software as it has done so far, Rivian is aggressively building its own autonomy stack to differentiate itself from other automakers.
Unlike Tesla, Rivian’s vehicles will be boasting a robust sensor suite, with Gen 2 vehicles equipped with 11 cameras, five radars, and upcoming LiDAR hardware in later revisions. By pulling driving data from these highly equipped customer vehicles, Rivian believes it has created a fleet capable of effectively gathering ground truth data in the real world.
Following the launch of hands-free RAP+ early last year, Rivian confirmed plans to introduce a highly advanced point-to-point autonomous system later this year.
Licensing Autonomy
This massive investment in electrical architecture and autonomy is not just for Rivian's own vehicles. Rivian is instead looking to be viewed as a modern technology provider for the automotive industry.
This strategy was validated by the $5.8 billion joint venture with the Volkswagen Group. Rivian sees a major opportunity to potentially license its autonomous hardware and software capabilities, in addition to its zonal electrical architecture, to other automakers that are struggling to keep pace with the transition to software-defined vehicles.
Financial Runway
To fund these ambitious technological leaps, Rivian appears to be on a stable financial footing. The company ended 2025 with $6.1 billion in cash reserves and anticipates an additional $2 billion infusion from Volkswagen during 2026. With the upcoming R2 launch, expanding tech partnerships, and a strict focus on cost reductions, Rivian executives reaffirmed their goal to achieve positive gross profit margins by the end of 2026.
This contrasts with recent analyst expectations from Bank of America, which has noted that Rivian is running on a tight financial leash to meet all its capital expenditures around the R2 and autonomy.
Rivian is making steady progress in its mission to unify the electric vehicle charging experience across North America. The company is actively retrofitting its proprietary DC fast-charging infrastructure, known as the Rivian Adventure Network (RAN), to replace aging CCS connectors with Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS).
As pointed out by @AlejandroEV66, recent data shows that at least 23 Rivian Adventure Network sites — roughly 16% of the entire network — have now been retrofitted with NACS connectors. This means EV drivers with NACS ports can simply plug in without needing a bulky adapter. You can even track the progress yourself through a live list of NACS-equipped RAN sites to see which locations have made the switch.
The Shift to the North American Charging Standard
Rivian’s journey toward NACS began back in 2023 when the company officially joined the growing list of automakers adopting Tesla’s connector. At the time, Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said, "We’re excited to work with Tesla and to see collaborations like this help advance the world toward carbon neutrality. The adoption of the North American Charging Standard will enable our existing and future customers to leverage Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network while we continue to build out our Rivian Adventure Network."
As part of this commitment, Rivian announced that all R1 vehicles from 2025 onwards would be equipped with native NACS ports. This transition also paved the way for the long-awaited R2 midsize SUV, which is built on a completely new platform and will feature a built-in NACS port when it launches later this month. The R2 is also expected to be a tech powerhouse, utilizing next-generation eSIM technology for constant connectivity.
Converting the Adventure Network
While Rivian owners have already gained access to Tesla’s massive Supercharger network, the company is still focused on its own branded charging experience. Reports from the field, such as those from @RivianUpdates, show that stations are being converted overnight. In one instance, a station that was entirely CCS1 one day had four of its fourteen stalls converted to NACS by the next.
@RivianUpdates
This retrofitting process is crucial for the company's future. By equipping its own stations with NACS, Rivian ensures that its newest vehicles — and those from other manufacturers like Ford or GM — can charge seamlessly. While the company is also exploring wireless charging to potentially eliminate ports altogether in the future, the immediate focus is clearly on standardizing the plug-in experience.
A More Convenient Future
Standardizing on NACS is a win for everyone. It reduces the "range anxiety" often felt by new EV owners and simplifies the hardware needed in the vehicle. As more RAN sites come online with the new connectors, the distinction between "Tesla charging" and "everyone else" will continue to fade.
Rivian is positioning itself as a leader in this transition, ensuring that whether you’re driving an original R1T or the upcoming R2, finding a fast, reliable charge is easier than ever.
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