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Rivian R2
Car and Driver says Rivian's R1T and R1S EVs hit the market with a bang, gaining a devoted following, but were on the expensive side, and now the company's more affordable R2 model is upon us, starting with the $59,485 R2 Performance variant, which has two electric motors pumping out a collective 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque, an 88-kWh battery delivering an EPA-estimated range of up to 330 miles, and a 3.6-second manufacturer-estimated 0-60 time. MotorTrend says the R2, priced at roughly half the cost of an R1, is the brand's make-or-break vehicle, asking whether a 300-plus-mile electric SUV pared down to meet an aggressive roughly-$45,000 opening price can still meaningfully deliver on Rivian's 'Adventurous Forever' tagline, achieving the lower cost partly by switching to larger 4695-format battery cells that reduce welds and manufacturing complexity, and steel springs and anti-roll bars in place of the R1's air suspension, while retaining semi-active shocks to approximate the R1's dual on-road comfort and off-road control.
Rivian's more affordable SUV arrives
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says Rivian's R1T and R1S EVs hit the market with a bang, gaining a devoted following, but were on the expensive side, and now the company's more affordable R2 model is upon us, starting with the $59,485 R2 Performance variant, which has two electric motors pumping out a collective 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque, an 88-kWh battery delivering an EPA-estimated range of up to 330 miles, and a 3.6-second manufacturer-estimated 0-60 time.
The brand's make-or-break vehicle
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says the R2, priced at roughly half the cost of an R1, is the brand's make-or-break vehicle, asking whether a 300-plus-mile electric SUV pared down to meet an aggressive roughly-$45,000 opening price can still meaningfully deliver on Rivian's 'Adventurous Forever' tagline.
How Rivian lowered the cost
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says Rivian achieved the lower cost partly by switching to larger 4695-format battery cells that reduce welds and manufacturing complexity, and steel springs and anti-roll bars in place of the R1's air suspension, while retaining semi-active shocks to approximate the R1's dual on-road comfort and off-road control.
Questions buyers ask
How much does the Rivian R2 cost?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the launch R2 Performance starts at $59,485, with more affordable trims to follow toward a roughly $45,000 opening price.
How much range does the Rivian R2 have?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says up to 330 miles EPA-estimated for the Performance variant.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2027 Rivian R2 is built around Single or dual electric motor, rated at 350 / 450 / 656 horsepower across its compact electric SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2027 U.S. lineup has 4 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe most the 2027 Rivian R2 is published to tow is Not yet published for this configuration.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2027 R2.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2027 Rivian R2
Rivian's compact SUV spans a 350-hp single-motor RWD Long Range model (87.9-kWh-class battery, an estimated 345 miles of range) up to the 656-hp dual-motor Performance AWD model (0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, EPA-estimated 330-mile range); a 450-hp Premium AWD sits between them.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
1 indexed Rivian R2 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Rivian R2 | 2027 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Rivian R2.
The Rivian R2 is a battery electric mid-size SUV being produced by American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian. It is the second Rivian SUV. The Rivian R2 was announced on March 7, 2024, alongside the smaller R3, a compact SUV.
- Specifications
- The R2 uses a MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link suspension rear suspension both using coil springs, with electronically controlled active dampers used in Performance models. It is available with wheels ranging between 19 and 21 inches and it uses a hydraulic brake-by-wire braking system.
- Powertrain
- At launch, all versions of the R2 use a 87.9 kWh usable (~94 kWh gross) liquid-cooled NMCA battery pack. DC fast charging tops out at 210 kW on a 400-volt architecture, which delivers 10–80% in 29 minutes.
Source: Rivian R2 (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Rivian R2 at a glance
- Production
- April 2026–present
- Assembly
- United States: Normal, Illinois
- Class
- Mid-size SUV
- Body style
- 5-door SUV
- Layout
- Rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, Rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive, Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive
- Platform
- Rivian Midsize Platform (MSP)
- Battery
- 87.9 kWh NMC LGES
- Electric range
- 0 mi (EPA)
- Charging
- NACS: 210 kW (DC)
- Transmission
- Single-speed
- Wheelbase
- 2935 mm
- Length
- 4715 mm
- Width
- 1905 mm
- Height
- 1700 mm
- Curb weight
- 0 lb
- Related models
- Rivian R3
- Designer
- Jeff Hammoud
Recent recalls (1 campaign across the latest model years)
- September 2026, Back Over Prevention:Software. Rivian Automotive, LLC (Rivian) is recalling certain 2022-2027 R1S, 2022-2026 R1T, and 2027 R2 vehicles. The rearview camera image may be obstructed by a notification when in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle… Consequence: An obstructed rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners filed 1 complaints with NHTSA for the 2027 Rivian R2, most often about air bags (1).
Trim by trim
Every 2027 Rivian R2 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | RWD | Electric Motor | 350 | 355 | – | 3,500 | – | – |
| Premium | AWD | Dual Electric Motors | 450 | 537 | – | 4,400 | – | $55,795 |
| Performance | AWD | Dual Electric Motors | 656 | 609 | – | 4,400 | – | $59,885 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2027 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Compared with
Models this Rivian R2 is most often compared with.
Nearest Rivian models
Other Rivian models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2027 R2 come in?
The 2027 Rivian R2 (compact electric SUV) comes in 4 trims: Performance, Premium, Standard RWD Long Range, Standard RWD.
Q02What are the 2027 R2 trims?
The 2027 Rivian R2 trims are Performance, Premium, Standard RWD Long Range, Standard RWD, listed from the entry Performance up to the top Standard RWD.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2027 R2 use?
The 2027 Rivian R2 is built around Single or dual electric motor, rated at 350 / 450 / 656 horsepower across its compact electric SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2027 R2 have?
The 2027 Rivian R2 is rated at 350 / 450 / 656 horsepower (Single or dual electric motor).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2027 R2?
The 2027 Rivian R2 is offered with RWD or standard AWD depending on trim.