Rivian Begins Production of the R2 Midsize SUV

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Electric vehicle startup Rivian officially began mass production of its R2 midsize SUV at its plant in Normal, Illinois, just five days after the facility was damaged by a tornado.

This crucial milestone comes after more than two years of development, an ambitious 1.1-million-square-foot expansion of the industrial complex, and after prototypes produced last January completed validation processes.

During the kickoff ceremony, RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s founder and CEO, said he was very excited to finally begin producing the R2 for its customers.

“The vehicle is incredible; it’s the result of the hard work and dedication of the entire Rivian team. I can’t wait for customers to experience the R2!” he reiterated.

The first units will be delivered to Rivian employees, and deliveries to customers are expected to begin in late spring.

The R2 lineup consists of four models, with the Performance Launch Edition being the first to roll off the production line at a starting price of $58,000.

The Premium AWD version will arrive later this year with a starting price of $54,000, followed by the Standard Long Range RWD, which starts at $48,500 and will debut in early 2027.

Finally, the most affordable version, called the Standard RWD, will arrive in late 2027 with a starting price of $45,000.

The Performance model delivers 656 horsepower thanks to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, an 87.9-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, an EPA-estimated range of 533 kilometers, and acceleration from 0 to 96 kilometers per hour in 3.6 seconds.

It also includes lifetime access to Rivian's Autonomy+ driver-assistance system and a towing capacity of two tons.

For a direct comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance starts at $51,500 with a range of 491 kilometers and acceleration from 0 to 96 km/h in 3.3 seconds, while the more affordable version starts at $40,000.