Rivian, the American electric car startup, and one of the most prominent potential rivals for Tesla, has revealed two new compact models and there's a good chance that both will eventually go on sale in Ireland.
Compact and more compact
The Rivian R2 we had been expecting - it's Rivian's first 'compact' model to sit alongside the larger, more expensive R1T pickup and R1S SUV. The R2 closely matches the highly-successful Tesla Model Y in terms of size, and it's close on price to the Tesla too - Rivian is talking about a base price for the rear-drive, single-motor model of $45,000 in the US market.
That rear-drive version will be joined by two others: a two-motor four-wheel-drive version, and a very high-performance variant which uses two rear electric motors (one for each wheel) and a single front-mounted motor. That model should be able to hit 100km/h from standstill in as little as three seconds, according to Rivian.
Quite apart from that performance potential, the R2 has been designed to be enormously practical. All the seats, including the front ones, fold completely flat to give an unobstructed load area which effectively turns the R2 into an ersatz camper van. As in the Fisker Ocean, the R2's tailgate glass can be lowered electrically, making for a form of open-air driving, or acting as a handy way to load smaller, lighter items into the back. There's also an enormous 'frunk' storage area in the nose, taking inspiration from the larger R1.
Distinctive headlights
Unlike Tesla's very smoothed-off, pebble-like design for the Model Y, the Rivian R2 is more obviously SUV-like in its look, with an upright nose featuring the company's distinctive lozenge-shaped headlights and a full-width light bar. That light bar is mirrored at the back by a full-width brake light. The overall design is exceptionally clean and free from ornamentation.
"Our R1 flagship vehicles served as our handshake with the world - with R2 and R3 our obsessive goal is to stay true to Rivian's product attributes while making our products accessible to a lot more people," said Rivian chief design officer Jeff Hammoud. "Through a tight integration of hardware, software and human-centred design, we designed R2 by balancing form with function, while building on our inviting and iconic design language."
Rivian hasn't issued any precise performance specifications for the R2 yet, but it has said that there will be a choice of battery pack sizes and that the larger version will achieve at least 300 miles (483km) on a single charge, even in the high-performance tri-motor model.
That's also the case for the smaller R3 and R3X models, cars which Rivian had been talking about but which we hadn't expected to see launched alongside the R2. Using the same basic platform, the R3 and R3X are more compact crossovers, aiming at a similar market space to the likes of the BMW iX2 and Mercedes-Benz EQA.
The R3 will get the same choice of single-motor and dual-motor layouts, but the R3X will get the high-performance tri-motor, as well as chunkier off-road focused tyres which give it something of a mini-Raptor look. Rivian claims that it offers "even more dynamic abilities both on and off road." No price has been given for the R3 yet, but Rivian has unsurprisingly said that it will be more affordable than the R2. How much more affordable remains to be seen.
Will Rivian come to Ireland?
Will both models come to Ireland? it seems at least possible. Rivian has confirmed that it has European sales ambitions, and there does seem to be solid plans in place for a UK launch, which would mean that Rivian is preparing for right-hand drive. However, none of this is likely before 2027 - the R2 won't enter production until mid-2026 for the US market, and Rivian will be focusing on sales in its home country at first, before turning to international markets.
The company is, to an extent, not making any promises it can't keep, having run into significant issues ramping up production of both the R1 and the low-floor electric delivery van that it designed and built for Amazon. Slow and steady seems to be the mantra this time around. While $45,000 translates to a temptingly low €41,000 at current exchange rates, it's unlikely that with the costs of re-engineering for right-hand drive and meeting EU legislation that the R2 could be sold that cheaply here. Expect a price tag of at least €50,000 when and if it finally goes on Irish sale.
"I have never been more excited to launch new products - R2 and R3 are distinctly Rivian in terms of performance, capability and usability, yet with pricing that makes them accessible to a lot of people," said Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. "Our design and engineering teams are extremely focused on driving innovation into not only the product features but also our approach to manufacturing to achieve dramatically lower costs. R2 provides buyers starting in the $45,000 price range with a much-needed choice with a thoroughly developed technology platform that is bursting with personality. I can't wait to get these to customers."