Rivian updated its R2 webpage on Thursday to announce that demo drives of its upcoming midsize SUV are “coming soon,” as the company prepares to place the vehicle in showrooms ahead of first deliveries.
The updated page reads: “R2 is coming to select Rivian spaces this summer. Can’t wait? Try out an R1S today.”
A “Schedule” button directs visitors to book an R1S or R1T test drive in the interim.
According to X user RivianTrackr, who cited a source familiar with the matter, demo vehicles are expected at high-traffic Rivian Spaces and service centres “around July.”
Separately, Jim Hernandez, a Rivian Field Sales Manager at the company’s Scottsdale, Arizona location, confirmed on LinkedIn that the R2 is not yet available to drive at his store but will be.
“The R2 is coming, and trust us, the wait will be worth it,” Hernandez wrote, adding that his team is “fully staffed” and ready to walk customers through the vehicle’s details.
The demo drive announcement follows the R2’s official launch on March 12 at SXSW in Austin, where the company revealed full specifications, pricing, and opened the online configurator.
Rivian also offered the first public R2 rides at the festival from March 13 to 18, though those were passenger experiences on a custom off-road course — not customer test drives.
Production and Deliveries
The R2 Performance Launch Edition, priced at $57,990, will be the first variant to reach customers this spring.
Production is set to begin over the next few weeks at Rivian‘s plant in Normal, Illinois, starting on one shift before adding a second later in the year.
First deliveries will go to existing R1 owners.
Rivian has guided for 62,000 to 67,000 total vehicle deliveries in 2026, with management expecting R1S, R1T, and commercial van volumes to remain roughly in line with 2025’s 42,247 units — implying 20,000 to 25,000 R2 deliveries in the model’s first year.
Chief Executive Officer RJ Scaringe has called the R2 the vehicle that will transform Rivian into “a very large company” and the key to achieving sustained profitability.
Deliveries First, Demos After
The R2 Performance Launch Edition, priced at $57,990, is scheduled for first deliveries to Rivian employees before external customers in late June.
Rivian offered the first public R2 passenger rides at SXSW in Austin on March 13, where attendees experienced the SUV on a custom off-road course.
Trim Rollout
The R2 will launch in stages. The Performance trim arrives first this spring with dual-motor all-wheel drive, 656 horsepower, and a 0-to-60 time of 3.6 seconds. It rides on an 87.9 kWh battery with a 9.6-inch ground clearance.
The Performance Launch Edition includes lifetime access to Rivian’s Autonomy+ hands-free driving system, a Rivian Green key fob, the signature Drop Glass rear window feature, and a tow package rated at 4,400 pounds.
After the limited Launch Edition, the regular R2 Performance will be available at a lower price.
The R2 Premium follows in late 2026 at $53,990, with 450 horsepower and a 4.6-second 0-to-60 time.
The Standard Long Range arrives in early 2027, and the $45,000 Standard — the price Rivian has promoted since the R2’s original unveiling in March 2024 — is not expected until late 2027.
After the Launch Edition, Autonomy+ will be available as a $49.99 monthly subscription or a one-time $2,500 purchase.
A second-generation autonomy system built on Rivian’s RAP1 processor — featuring 11 cameras, five radars, and one LiDAR unit — is in final validation for a late 2026 R2 variant.
Factory and Scale
The Normal, Illinois plant has capacity for 215,000 vehicles annually, including up to 155,000 R2s. CEO RJ Scaringe told CNBC that the R2 will make up the “majority” of Rivian’s volume by the end of 2027.
A second factory in Georgia is under construction and projected to begin operations in 2028, supporting expanded R2 production alongside the future R3 and R3X.
Rivian has delayed the R2’s Canadian and European launch and removed pricing from its Canadian website.
The R2 enters the most competitive segment in the American passenger car market, targeting the Tesla Model Y — which CEO Elon Musk has called the world’s best-selling vehicle across all powertrains in 2025.
