The Rivian R2 looks promising, but the Rivian R3 is really fun!

Rivian is one of the most promising startups in the EV field. However, it remains a startup, and so there are all kinds of (financial) difficulties and other startup problems. However, today is a great day for the American company, as family expansion is being launched. What is called: where Rivian until now had to make do with ‘only’ the large R1T pick-up, R1S SUV and the van that was once developed for Amazon, two new models are now immediately ready. They are both more compact and therefore much more interesting for when Rivian makes the crossing to Europe, which is absolutely planned for the brand.

The Rivian R2 resembles the existing R1, but is considerably more compact.

We like to save the best for last and so we start with the R2. Visually, this SUV looks a lot like the R1S that we have known for a while, but make no mistake: the R2 is much more compact. It makes a difference of no less than 39 centimeters in length, but the R2 is also 11 centimeters less wide and 26 centimeters (!) lower. A length of 4.71 meters suddenly makes it shorter than a Tesla Model Y, and the sales figures prove that Europeans certainly do not find it too big. Rivian wouldn’t be Rivian if it didn’t present the R2 as a cool leisure vehicle, so we are immediately presented with the car with roof racks, among other things. The rear window can also lower into the tailgate. Rivian is not as colorful as Fisker’s ‘California Mode’ in terms of open-top driving, but with the rear folding windows and the open rear window, the R2 goes a long way.

In silver the ‘normal’ R3, in green the cooler R3X

Rivian is a lot less talkative about the R3, so we will have to wait a little longer for exact measurements. We do know what we see, and that is very tasty. Just like a Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Rivian R3 looks somewhat like a hatchback from the 70s or 80s, but of course very modern and with a strong off-road sauce. This applies even more to the R3X, a variant expressly focused on off-road use. The R3 continues where the new BMW 5-series Touring leaves off, and has a separately opening rear window as part of a larger hatch. The interior looks very concept car-like and is full of handy compartments and bins.

New platform

Underneath, the Rivian R2 and Rivian R3 have a lot in common. Both cars sit on the same all-new platform and are available with three different drive configurations. You can take that literally, because there are versions with one (RWD), two or three electric motors. The fastest variant should be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) in less than 3 seconds. The structural battery pack is also completely new and should provide a driving range of more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) in the R2 and R3, although that is according to the somewhat pessimistic (or realistic) American test cycle. In Europe, Rivian even promises more than 550 kilometers for the R2 and a 0-100 time of at least 3.2 seconds.

It is not surprising that not much is known about the R3 and R3X yet. To make the introduction of both models feasible, Rivian must make choices, and the priority is the R2. It will cost at least $45,000 in the US, much less than the R1 (75,000). The first Rivian R2s should be delivered in the first half of 2026, so you have to wait a long time for an R3. Especially in Europe: the introduction of the R2 and R3 will only follow the American launch.