The first media reviews of Rivian‘s upcoming R2 SUV will be published on February 10, after InsideEVs accidentally disclosed the embargo date in a video later removed from YouTube.
In the video published Friday, the publication’s Editor-in-Chief Patrick George inadvertently revealed that he had driven the R2 and that coverage was embargoed until Tuesday morning.
“I got to drive the R2 today and that was, uh, yeah,” George said. “I sadly can’t talk about it at all. It’s all embargoed for next Tuesday.”
“This EV is a very big deal,” he added.
The video was subsequently taken down, as the embargo date was not meant to be publicly disclosed.
Rivian has not officially announced a media event or specifications reveal for the R2.
The embargo lift is expected to include detailed specifications, trim levels, pricing, color options, and potentially the opening of the vehicle configurator for customer orders.
Production Timeline
CEO RJ Scaringe said last month that Rivian plans to begin production of customer units “this spring,” offering a more concrete timeline for a model expected to significantly expand the company’s reach into more affordable price segments.
During a tour of its Normal, Illinois, factory in January, Rivian told local outlet WGLT that customer deliveries will begin “by June.”
The R2 had “well over 100,000” pre-orders, according to Tim Fallon, Rivian‘s former vice president of manufacturing.
Key Details
The R2 is Rivian‘s first vehicle designed for global markets, with an entry-level price of $45,000 and an estimated range of 300 miles.
The EV maker plans to expand into Europe in 2027, starting with the R2 model.
Rivian has indicated it will launch with a higher-priced dual-motor Launch Edition before the base variant becomes available.
Scaringe told CNBC this week that the R2’s bill of materials is roughly half that of the R1 models, representing a “dramatic reduction in the cost structure.”
“R2 is really instrumental for driving the business to positive cash flow and overall profitability,” the CEO said.
The five-seat SUV is built on a new platform that will also underpin the smaller R3 crossover, slated for 2028. Both models are designed to support US and European markets.
During its Autonomy & AI Day event in December, Rivian revealed the first R2 builds equipped with LiDAR.
Scaringe reiterated this week that the LiDAR version will not be available at launch but will arrive “shortly after.”
The company has selected China’s LiDAR manufacturer RoboSense as its supplier, several indicators show.
Star Wars Marketing Campaign
Earlier this week, Reddit users spotted a convoy of R2 SUVs being filmed on a highway, dressed in various R2-D2 liveries — suggesting Rivian is leaning into the Star Wars connection for its marketing campaign.
The sighting follows Rivian‘s playful nod to the association at its Autonomy & AI Day in December, when the company brought out a special R2-D2 livery version of the SUV.
The R2 name has led many to associate the vehicle with the iconic Star Wars droid.
The Reddit post has gone viral, with some users speculating that May the 4th — “Star Wars Day” — could be a possible production start date, though this remains unconfirmed.
Rivian‘s partnership with Disney’s Lucasfilm dates back to last year, when the EV maker collaborated on a commercial tied to the conclusion of the Star Wars series Andor.
Wayne Rodriguez, Director of Brand Partnerships at Disney, shared the commercial on LinkedIn at the time, writing that the series “masterfully captured the spirit of rebellion and the relentless drive for a better future — values we’re thrilled to champion in our exciting partnership with Rivian.”
