Electric vehicle (EV) darling Rivian has just announced pricing for its R2 SUV that it unveiled to great fanfare back in 2024. The company is indeed making a US$45,000 variant as promised – but that’ll arrive only toward the end of 2027.
If you want an R2 sooner, you’ll have to pick from a bunch of more expensive configurations, which will roll out in descending order of price and performance over the next two years.
Before we get into the details, here’s a quick rundown of the R2. It’s a compact electric two-row SUV with plenty of power and Rivian’s signature utilitarian styling. The top-end trim gets 656 hp – nearly twice that of a Porsche Macan – and pulls off a speedy 0-60 mph time (0-100 km/h) of just 3.5 seconds. All but one of the variants will get over 300 miles of range.
Say hello to R2 | Rivian
There are all kinds of niceties to look forward to, including an expansive glass roof, a drop-down rear window, two glove boxes, spacious heated rear seating, lots of storage in the rear and the frunk, and high ground clearance for off-roading. The NACS port lets you use Tesla’s Supercharger network to get the battery from 10%-80% in just half an hour.
It’s of course less performant than the flagship R1, and Rivian’s swapped out the active air suspension for passive springs and semi-active dampers to bring down costs. Reviewer Marques Brownlee notes it’s still pretty good, for what it’s worth. Plus, you’ll get an impressive 8-year, 120,000-mile warranty.
Rivian
Onto pricing. Starting this US spring, you can get the top-of-the-line R2 Performance with the Launch Package that starts at $57,990. This dual-motor AWD variant dishes out the aforementioned 656 horses along with 609 lb.ft (825 Nm) of torque, for an EPA-estimated range of 330 miles (530 km).
The Launch Package nets you lifetime access to Rivian’s hands-free assisted driving features (which normally costs $49.99/month or $2,500 one-time) and a 4,400-lb (1,995-kg) capacity towing package.
Rivian
Later in 2026 comes the R2 Premium, which starts at $53,990. Its powertrain is stepped down to 450 hp and 537 lb.ft (728 Nm) of torque, with the same 330-mile range as the top-tier Performance.
The Standard trim will arrive in the first half of 2027 at $48,490 with a rear-wheel drive Long Range configuration that delivers 350 hp, 355 lb.ft (481 Nm) of torque, for an estimated 345 miles (555 km) on a full charge.
The one we’re all waiting for is the Standard with 275-mile (442.5-km) range: this one will start at a competitive $45,000. Too bad it won’t roll out until late 2027.
Rivian
With that, the R2 is poised to go up against Tesla’s Model Y SUV, which starts $40,000 and does serious sales numbers for the brand. Initial driving impressions from the likes of Carwow and Doug DeMuro suggest the R2 offers a comfortable ride and commendable off-road performance, so it could well be one to consider if you’re in the market for a sensibly sized electric SUV.
Check out the R2 on Rivian’s site, where you can reserve one with a $100 deposit.
Source: Rivian
