Rivian‘s upcoming mid-size SUV will be among the first vehicles globally to launch with a newly finalized eSIM standard designed for automotive use, the company announced Monday alongside German security technology firm Giesecke+Devrient and AT&T.
The R2 will use GSMA SGP.32, an eSIM architecture that allows automakers to add or switch mobile network operators over time, as the US EV maker’s R2 model is planned to be the debut model in Europe.
However, the debut on the Old Continent has recently been postponed indefinitely.
As reported by EV in mid-February, Rivian has quietly delayed the launch of its R2 electric SUV in Europe and pushed back the Canadian debut by at least a year, its website showed.
The company removed its previously stated 2027 target for Europe, replacing it with the message “Rivian is coming to Europe — be one of the first to get the latest news and updates” without specifying a launch year.
eSIM Standard
The standard eSIM allows Rivian to deploy the same hardware globally while managing connectivity remotely — reducing the complexity of working with multiple carriers across different markets across the globe.
G+D will provide the automotive-grade eSIM hardware and remote management infrastructure, while AT&T will serve as Rivian‘s initial mobile network provider in the United States, delivering 5G connectivity for in-vehicle services, over-the-air software updates and other digital features.
“Reliable, high-speed connectivity and open standards are foundational to the modern vehicle experience,” Brandon Blumber, Rivian‘s Global Director of Business Development, said in a statement.
The SGP.32 standard eliminates the need to design region-specific connectivity hardware, a challenge that has historically added cost and complexity for automakers entering new countries — according to the joint statement.
G+D and Rivian will present the technology at the IoT Summit during MWC Barcelona on Wednesday, March 4.
Rivian R2
Rivian will be sharing “full details” of its upcoming model on March 12 at the 2026 SXSW Music Festival & Conference.
The event, sponsored by the company for the second consecutive year, will be held between March 12 and 18.
The matching date of Rivian’s March 12 save the date and the event was first noticed by Rivian owner and enthusiast Chris Hilbert, who wrote in an X post on the same day that he expected “SXSW to be the big R2 reveal to the world based on the timing announced” by the company.
