Rivian’s upcoming R2 SUV was spotted on Thursday at a Tesla Supercharger in Arizona, according to pictures shared by X user Chrisediting.
The sighting confirmed the model will feature a native North American Charging Standard (NACS) port on the rear driver’s side — the same placement used on Tesla vehicles.
The R2, set to enter production in the first half of 2026, will start at about $45,000 and is positioned to bring Rivian into a much broader segment of the EV market.
The appearance at a Supercharger marks the first time the vehicle has been seen testing with a built-in NACS connection, after Rivian began shipping NACS-to-CCS adapters to its R1 customers in April 2024.
In a research note earlier this week, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard said Rivian expects the R2 line to cost less than “half as much per unit to produce as the R1 line.”
Commissioning of the R2 line is slated for the third quarter of 2025, followed by validation of equipment and processes.
“Management is still targeting a starting price of ~$45,000 for the lowest trim, although we expect Rivian to first launch with a higher trim version initially,” Sheppard wrote.
If Rivian takes that approach, it would mirror other EV makers such as Lucid, which began Gravity production with higher-end trims before scaling down later this year.
Rivian announced in July that all of its 2026 model year R1 vehicles will come equipped with a native NACS port, while Quad-Motor R1s will also include a complimentary CCS DC adapter.
“Compatible Superchargers will show up in Rivian navigation when you are planning trips, with charger speeds and availability information listed,” the company said at the time.
“You’ll also be able to ‘plug and charge’ with automatic billing.”
The NACS confirmation for the R2 comes as Rivian accelerates its preparations for the model’s launch.
On Thursday, Illinois officials said French supplier OPmobility will assemble bumpers for the R2 at Rivian’s newly designated supplier park in Normal, the company’s main U.S. plant, which is being expanded to accommodate R2 production.
The announcement followed Rivian’s groundbreaking ceremony in Georgia earlier this week, where it is building a $5 billion factory slated to open in 2028.
The dual-track expansion underscores how the Irvine, California-based EV maker is working to scale both manufacturing and supply chain capacity ahead of its next-generation model rollout.
