The wait is officially over for the next big challenger in the mass-market EV space. Rivian has officially met its June 9 timeline for the launch of its next-generation R2 SUV, with the first units reaching customers on Tuesday.
The rollout is moving incredibly fast. First customers reported being contacted by Rivian representatives for pickup on launch day, and the mobile app notified them of the order pickup shortly after. One of the first public pre-order holders to get their hands on the keys, Reddit user /u/agALLday, shared confirmation of their R2 delivery on Tuesday, clarifying that they weren’t a Rivian employee and actually had a day-one reservation.
We got our R2 today!
by u/agALLday in Rivian
Mass Production Paying Off
The quick turnaround shows Rivian’s R2 manufacturing ramp is paying off. Mass production began at the Normal, Illinois, plant back in April after employee deliveries started rolling out quietly. Rivian followed that up by inviting reservation holders to spec out their R2 orders in the online configurator last month.
Deliveries are kicking off with the R2 Performance, Rivian's top-of-the-line halo trim. It starts at $57,990 and features a 656 hp dual-motor powertrain, a blistering 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds, and up to 330 miles of range with an 87.9 kWh battery. It also includes a semi-active suspension and the new “Drop Glass” rear window that rolls all the way down into the liftgate. The first waves also come with the Launch Package, which includes lifetime access to Rivian’s Autonomy+ software, a commemorative key fob, a limited edition paint option, and more. You can check out our full comparison of the R2 lineup for more specs and info on the Performance variant and upcoming trims.
Rivian plans to expand the lineup with a Premium trim later this year, and more affordable Standard variants into next year to ultimately bring the vehicle closer to the $45,000 price point it originally promised. Alongside these initial deliveries, R2 demo drives have officially begun at select spaces for those wanting to feel it out in person.
First Impressions on the Model Y Competitor
The R2 is designed to be Rivian’s direct shot at the best-selling Tesla Model Y. Early impressions from the very first deliveries highlighted that the ambient cabin lighting is much more prominent than on the older R1 platform.
However, one owner noted the audio quality was nowhere near what was promised and noticeably lacking compared to the Model Y. Future software updates might clean up the sound profile, or this could simply be an isolated issue with an early unit, so we will need to see more deliveries land before making a final verdict.
