Full pricing and specifications for Rivian‘s upcoming R2 mid-size SUV were briefly exposed on Wednesday after a media outlet published and then rapidly removed a detailed review of the vehicle.
The report was published twenty four hours before its official reveal at the SXSW Music Festival & Conference in Austin.
The article, which went live at 10:00 AM on March 11 before being taken down, disclosed that the R2 will launch in a Performance variant priced at $57,990 with the launch package, excluding a $1,495 delivery charge.
A lower-powered Premium trim will follow in late 2026 at $53,990, with the entry-level Standard version arriving in late 2027 at $45,000.
The pricing had been closely guarded ahead of Thursday’s event.
Automotive reviewer Doug DeMuro, who published a video review of the R2 in mid-February that has since surpassed one million views, said on a podcast episode on February 16 that he had seen the pricing under embargo and described it as ‘quite compelling.’
“I am even more positive about this car now than I was when I was doing the video,’ DeMuro said. ‘Between when I recorded the video and now I have seen pricing, which is not revealed, you’re not allowed to disclose pricing. It could be a billion dollars, however, it isn’t. And it’s actually quite compelling,” he stated at the time.
As of publication time, Rivian shares were dropping by 1.9% to $16.23.
R2’s Timeline
Rivian is preparing to begin producing customer units of its R2 SUV, a model expected to significantly expand the company’s addressable market by moving into a more affordable segment than its current premium R1 lineup.
On Tuesday, Rivian announced that it is discontinuing the entry-level trims of its R1S and R1T models.
The EV maker unveiled the R2 in March 2024 at an event in Laguna Beach, California, alongside the smaller R3 and R3X concepts.
Production is expected to begin in the coming weeks at the Normal, Illinois plant, where validation vehicles have been running since January.
R2 Performance: The Launch Variant
The R2 Performance is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive SUV starting at $57,990 with the launch package. It delivers 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque from its dual-motor powertrain.
The vehicle will be equipped with an 87.9 kWh battery pack offering up to 330 miles of range. Fast charging from 10% to 80% takes 29 minutes.
The Performance trim comes standard with semi-active suspension, 21-inch wheels, a rear window that drops into the tailgate, matrix LED headlights, a nine-speaker sound system, heated front and rear seats with ventilation for the front row, and an interior finished with birch accents.
A flashlight is built into the side of the door.
Optional extras include Autonomy+, Rivian‘s partially automated driver-assist system, a tow package rated at 4,400 lbs, and additional exterior colours beyond the standard silver.
The launch package bundles a lifetime subscription to Autonomy+, the tow package, and one optional body colour.
The R2 is equipped with 200 sparse TOPS of edge AI compute dedicated to the in-cabin experience, according to Rivian.
That processing power supports both the AI assistant — which will arrive via a future over-the-air update running locally through edge computing — and the Autonomy+ system.
R2 Premium: Late 2026
The R2 Premium, priced at $53,990, shares the same 330-mile range and 87.9 kWh battery but produces 450 horsepower and 537 lb-ft of torque from its dual-motor powertrain — roughly two-thirds the output of the Performance variant.
It arrives on 20-inch wheels instead of 21-inch, drops the semi-active suspension, and loses several drive modes including rally, soft sand, and launch. The remainder of the specification is shared with the Performance trim.
The Premium is expected to go on sale in late 2026.
R2 Standard: $45,000 in Late 2027
The entry-level R2 Standard will use a smaller battery pack delivering approximately 265 miles of range, priced at $45,000.
Few other details were disclosed in the article beyond the price and range figures.
Rivian’s founder and CEO RJ Scaringe told CNBC last month that the $45,000 version would arrive “shortly thereafter” following the higher-priced trims, confirming the company’s intent to reach the entry-level price point it first announced when the R2 was unveiled in concept form.
The R2 measures 185.9 inches long, 78.1 inches wide, and 66.9 inches tall, with a 115.6-inch wheelbase.
Demand
Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said the R2 received more than 68,000 reservations within 24 hours of its March 2024 unveiling, with customers placing a refundable $100 deposit to secure their place in the queue.
Four months later, Rivian‘s VP of manufacturing Tim Fallon said the figure had surpassed ‘well over 100,000’ pre-orders at a company event in Normal, Illinois. Rivian has not publicly updated the reservation count since.
Leaked Colors
Earlier in the day, images shared on the Rivian Forum revealed a list of eight exterior colour names spotted in a presentation being prepared inside Rivian’s showroom in Austin, as EV reported.
The leaked palette includes Catalina Cove, Esker Silver, Half Moon Grey, Borealis, Midnight, Forest Green, Launch Green, and Glacier White.
Of those, Glacier White, Midnight, and the two green shades are already familiar from Rivian’s R1 models.
The presence of Borealis confirms that the purple colour, introduced as a limited-edition option for the R1T and R1S late last year, has been carried over to the R2.
It remains unclear whether Borealis will be offered as a permanent option or again limited in availability.
Three new names — Catalina Cove, Esker Silver, and Half Moon Grey — appear to be additions to Rivian’s colour portfolio specifically for the R2.
Why It Matters
The company, which has accumulated more than $24 billion in cumulative losses, has said the model is instrumental to reaching positive cash flow and profitability.
Rivian expects to deliver between 62,000 and 67,000 vehicles this year, of which 20,000 to 25,000 are estimated to be R2 units as production ramps at the Normal, Illinois factory.
Management has said R1 and commercial van volumes are expected to remain roughly flat year on year.