Rivian is removing the entry-level Dual Standard trim for both the R1T and R1S models as it prepares to introduce the more affordable R2 mid-size SUV in its lineup.
The company announced it on Tuesday through an e-mail sent to customers, titled “Dual Standard is ending.”
“We have changes coming to our vehicle line up later this year, take advantage of lease offers on Dual Standard while you can,” the e-mail read.
Starting from March 4, Rivian began offering a $749 monthly rate on any R1 Dual Standard leasing contract signed until March 20.
The R1S Dual Standard SUV is priced from $76,990, while the the 2026 R1T pickup’s price begins at $72,990.
As the variant is phased out, the entry prices for the R1 models (in the Dual trim) will begin from $83,990 and $79,990, respectively, an increase of $7,000.
Leasing Offers
Rivian increased leasing prices for its 2026 R1S and R1T models on 36-month contracts in the first two months of the year.
The Dual Standard trim saw an increase of about $100, bringing monthly payments to $909 for the R1S and $879 for the R1T, before March’s cut.
Last month, the monthly payments for Dual variants — soon to be the entry-level trims to the R1 models — rose to $1,069 per month, while Tri-motor variants increased by roughly $200, reaching around $1,450 per month.
R2 Launch
Rivian‘s upcoming model — the mid-size SUV R2 — is poised to have an entry-level price of $45,000.
It will, however, launch with a higher priced, dual-motor variant. According to the founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, the $45,000 trim will be launched “shortly thereafter.”
By discontinuing the Dual Standard R1, Rivian is widening the price gap between its premium R1 models and the more affordable R2.
Pricing for the R2’s debut variant, set to be revealed this Thursday, is one of the most closely watched details for investors.
The industry is currently navigating weaker EV demand following the expiration of the $7,500 federal tax credit last year, which caused sales to slow sharply in the final months of 2025.
The R2 SUV is expected to materially expand Rivian’s addressable market as the EV maker pushes into lower price segments, closer to what the average American consumer pays for a new vehicle.
Speaking with CNBC last month, Scaringe said “R2 is really instrumental for driving the business to positive cash flow and overall profitability.”
The Irvine-based EV maker had an industry-record cumulative loss of over $24 billion, as of the end of 2025.
Sales Results and Outlook
Last month, Rivian sold 2,700 vehicles in the US, a slight increase from January but a 34.1% drop from a year ago.
The figures extended the year-over-year decline that started in December, which followed positive results in both October and November.
Rivian expects to deliver between 62,000 and 67,000 vehicles this year, of which roughly 20,000 to 25,000 units are estimated to correspond to the new R2, as production ramps up at the Normal factory.
The company’s management admitted in the latest earnings call that sales for the R1 models and the electric delivery van (EDV) are likely to remain flat in 2026.
“On a full-year basis, you can think about the R1 coupled with the commercial van being roughly in line with our 2025 total volumes,” the company’s CFO Claire McDonough said in the latest earnings call.
