Overview
- Rivian, which began customer deliveries of the R2 Performance trim on Tuesday, is currently shipping only the $57,990 Performance version while the Premium and lower‑cost Standard trims are scheduled for later in 2026 and into 2027.
- CEO RJ Scaringe said low U.S. EV uptake reflects a shortage of compelling choices rather than anti‑EV sentiment and pointed to Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y dominating roughly half of U.S. EV sales.
- Management reiterated 2026 delivery guidance of 62,000–67,000 vehicles and said the company is targeting 300,000 annual units by 2028 as the scale needed to move toward sustainable profitability.
- Rivian has equipped R2s with Autonomy+‑capable hardware but plans to roll out software and full features in stages, and the company says follow‑on models such as the R3/R3X are contingent on the Georgia plant ramp and likely around 2028.
- Analysts say the R2’s market reception and the speed of Rivian’s factory ramp will directly affect the company’s path to profit and the affordability of EV options for U.S. buyers.