Rivian R2 to be unveiled on March 7, will cost less than R1S & R1T

`Rivian, a popular electric four-wheeler manufacturer announced on Monday that they will be unveiling their new vehicle on March 7. It will be called R2 and will sit below the R1S and R1T. Rivian R2 will be smaller in size when compared to the R1S and it will compete against the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. It is expected that Rivian R2 will go on sale in 2026 in the global market.

R2 will be based on a new platform. It will be more affordable than the R1 platform on which the R1S and R1T are based. Where the R1 platform vehicles cost around $80,000, the R2 is expected to be priced between $40,000 and $60,000.

Rivian is already preparing for the launch of the R2 with a new manufacturing plant that costs $5 billion. It will be constructed in Georgia and will be spread over 1800 acres. The new plant will help in creating 7,500 direct and 8,000 indirect jobs.

While the R1 vehicles have received a lot of praise, they are a bit difficult for Rivian to sustain. This is because the manufacturer loses thousands of dollars on every vehicle that they sell. Apart from the R1S and R1T, Rivian is also manufacturing Amazon's electric delivery van.

One of the biggest highlights of Rivian's R1 electric vehicles is its all-wheel drive system. The brand is using a quad electric motor setup so an electric motor is mounted at each wheel. What this does is give a lot of flexibility to the drivetrain. When the driver hits the accelerator, the system detects which wheel is losing traction and applies brake to it. Because electric motors are easier to modulate than internal combustion engines, the Rivian does end up feeling as capable if not more than 4x4 SUVs.

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India.