American electric car maker Rivian (did you know they make electric cars with sad, laughing clown eyes?) held a media event for its new R2 SUV near Park City, Utah, two weeks ago. I’ll spare you the clinical detachment: it’s awesome. I want one. I will buy one. Exactly within a year. Please don’t tell my wife.
The Rivian R2 Performance (pictured in Launch Green) is the American electric carmaker’s third production vehicle, following the large luxury R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV.
In fact, I rate Rivian’s charming, innovative new Terrain Robot as one of the best vehicle designs in the world, not least because it looks convincingly like an SUV, with its culturally relevant hatchback silhouette, taller wheels and tires (32 inches), higher ground clearance (9.6 inches), steeper windshield angle, flatter hood and roof, and a squarer cross-section. If you let me, this is what Americans want their SUVs to look like, not robot lawnmowers from alien golf courses (I’m looking at you, Toyota bZ).
The best-selling electric car in the United States is Tesla’s Model Y, and it’s not an SUV. The R2 exploits the Model Y’s biggest weakness.
Rivian will release the R2 midsize SUV in phases by early 2027. The series debuts with the R2 Performance, available now with a dual-motor combination producing 656 horsepower and 609 pound-feet of torque.
For Rivian’s team, overcoming the aerodynamic drag inherent in traditional core designs was a doubly difficult task that required extensive computer simulations and iterative, millimeter-scale modeling. Details can be hard to see: note that the windshield wipers are located in a recessed area below the hood line (sunroof), so they don’t interfere with airflow over the windshield. Admire the stocking smoothness of the window frames around the cottage greenhouse. With the help of this AI-optimized slipstream, the R2 Performance’s 88 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of 330 miles, slightly better than the Model Y Premium (327 miles). Check the box.
By comparison, the R2 is slightly larger than the Toyota RAV4 and is the California-based automaker’s third product, following the large luxury R1T and R1S (pickup and SUV). The first R2 Performance vehicles are now available, starting at just under $60,000, which is about $25,000 lighter than the R1S. Later this year, Rivian plans to release the R2 Premium (starting at $53,990). In early 2027, the single-motor R2 Standard should drop, starting at just $44,990. I figured I had to tell my wife something then.
In some ways, the R2’s overall excellence couldn’t have come at a better time. The R2 project was started almost from scratch to take advantage of the latest advances in automotive manufacturing and global supply chains (China). Most first-generation electric vehicle projects require a traditional electrical architecture, consisting of dozens of electronic control modules (ECMs) dedicated to specific functions (windows, doors, wipers, brakes), all connected by miles of thick wires. R2’s new zone control architecture is neatly arranged across three large processors. The shorter wires reduce overall weight by 44 pounds and make production less susceptible to chip shortages.
The Rivian R2’s minimalist cabin décor features high-quality textiles in restrained tones. The central touchscreen runs Rivian’s operating system, Rivian OS. The R2 does not support Apple CarPlay.
Another sign of maturity: a body mass index of R2. This midsize five-passenger, four-door, two-motor SUV has a significantly stiffer hybrid metal monocoque body and body panels and can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. That’s about a ton lighter than the R1S and 455 pounds lighter than the current Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, a near-IC-powered sibling.
Historically, high battery costs have tended to replace customer-facing value – the goodies we can’t have, like top-of-the-line sound systems, premium interiors and finishes, the latest communications and connectivity. The R2 Performance has no advantage over similar products in its price range. Technology investors will love interacting with the R2’s unique Haptic Halo selector, housed in the steering wheel’s side arm. These electronically damped wheel selectors provide three-axis inputs, using micro-torque feedback to simulate the bump and pull of physical brakes. Many people find them very intuitive. I need to practice.
Wheelie trading allows drivers to harness the R2’s ultra-intelligent, ultra-fast user experience, with crisp, easy-to-read graphics and playful animations spread across the compass display and display in the center of the dash. Input lag is no longer an issue. Note: Rivian does not support Apple CarPlay; instead, it has its own device connection protocol and navigation embedded in the Rivian operating system.
The Haptic Halo controller is one of the innovations of the 2027 Rivian R2. These three-axis controllers are mounted in the side arms of the steering wheel and use micro-torque feedback to simulate the bump and pull of physical brakes.
The highlight of any walk around is the R2’s power hatch window, which is so practical I could barely contain myself. Surfboards, ladders, stockpiles of lumber, perennial Christmas trees – all can be extended out of the open hatch window long enough to get where you need to go.
Whether on the road or on gravel, the R2 Performance is a luxury car. Our example, equipped with the starter pack spec, did just that, shaking off the red light like a frightened tarpon, and I just hung on. In rally mode (exclusive to high-performance models), the battery can provide up to 646 horsepower to front- and rear-mounted AC synchronous motors. Rivian officially reports a 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds. Meanwhile, a combined 609 pound-feet of torque works out to 4,400 pounds of towing capacity.
The company says the R2 has a maximum charging power of 230 kW and can restore approximately 150 miles of range in 15 minutes, or 10%-80% of charge in 30 minutes. The R2 uses a NACS charging plug, and the car has access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Price is the final frontier of parity. The R2 Performance version starts at $57,990. That includes the whole smash: a full 656 horsepower electronically tuned with rear bias, dual-motor AWD and 21-inch tires. However, if you call the White House in the next five minutes (not really), Rivian is offering the Launch Package as a free option that includes a towing package, Nvidia-powered driver assistance technology (Autonomy+), and a Launch Key Fob.
There is no mass-market electric car in the world that offers better value for money. I’m sure my wife would agree.
2027 Rivian R2 Performance and Release Kit
The R2 Performance version starts at $57,990. That includes the whole smash: a full 656 horsepower electronically tuned with rear bias, dual-motor AWD and 21-inch tires.
base price $57,990
test price $61,485
Propulsion Fully electric with dual AC synchronous motors, 88 kWh, 400V lithium-ion battery pack, rear biased, multi-mode/terrain all-wheel drive.
