2026 Rivian R2 Debut: $45K Starting Price and 300+ Miles of Range

• The new Rivian R2 SUV will go on sale in 2026.
• Single-, dual- and tri-motor variants will be available.
• The R2 will have a starting price of around $45,000.

Rivian's next big thing hit the stage on Thursday, with company CEO RJ Scaringe introducing the brand's next model: R2. A much smaller electric SUV than the R1S, the R2 will arrive in 2026 with a starting price of around $45,000. But like its larger sibling, the R2 aims to offer big style and big functionality.

The Rivian R2 measures 185.6 inches long, 75 inches wide and 66.9 inches tall, riding on a 115.6-inch wheelbase. This makes the SUV slightly shorter in length than the Tesla Model Y and a whopping 15.2 inches shorter than Rivian's larger R1S. The R2 also has 9.8 inches of ground clearance, giving the SUV solid drive-over-it prowess.

Exact powertrain specifications are still forthcoming, but Scaringe confirmed the R2 will be available in a single-motor rear-wheel-drive configuration, and there'll be a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant, too. At the top of the range will be a tri-motor R2, with two electric motors across the rear axle. Official power figures are still TBD, but Scaringe said the top-spec R2 will be able to accelerate to 60 mph in under 3 seconds.

More impressively, Scaringe said the expected driving range for the R2 is more than 300 miles. That's not just for one variant, by the way — that's for every single R2. The R2 will be able to charge at Tesla Supercharger stations thanks to its NACS charging port, but it'll be compatible with more common CCS chargers as well.

Inside, Rivian took lessons learned from the R1 in designing the R2, integrating features customers have been asking for like a glovebox (there are two of 'em, in fact). The scroll wheels on the steering wheel have dynamic haptic feedback, which Scaringe says makes them feel better to use. And yes, like the R1 models, there's a flashlight integrated into the door.

The front trunk has enough space to fit a carry-on suitcase and a backpack, according to Rivian, and the rear cargo area has space beneath the load floor. What's more, the first- and second-row seats fold completely flat, which means you could totally stretch out and sleep in the R2 while camping. If that's your thing, anyway.

Around back, the rear quarter windows vent for better airflow, and the rear hatch glass can be electronically lowered into the tailgate. No, this doesn't give the R2 the full California mode experience of a Fisker Ocean, but it still makes the hatch super useful for carrying long items, or for just making it easy to throw a backpack into the hatch.

Scaringe said that the R2 is "not just a vehicle, but it also represents a platform," and to that end, Rivian also debuted the even smaller R3 at Thursday's event. Of course, the R2 will be the first to launch, and we expect to see it in the first half of 2026, produced at Rivian's factory in Normal, Illinois.

Edmunds says

The R2's smaller dimensions will definitely appeal to a larger swath of electric SUV buyers. Ditto this compact model's cheaper starting price.