Last year, Rivian proved it could survive on its own, with production exceeding most expectations and sales in tow for record numbers. But the company has a long way to go before escaping the startup label.
Of course, with more than 50k sales in 2023 of its vehicles (up 147%), you could say they're not precisely startup material anymore. Indeed, the Rivian R1T and R1S fared a lot better than the previous year, but they're also a far cry from Tesla's production figures – its best-selling Model Y crossover was one of the top delivered nameplates in America, the best-selling model in Europe, and one of the absolute best worldwide.
For reference, Rivian only sold a little over 20k examples in 2022, so the growth is substantial. It is, of course, more important that the rise is sustainable, and Rivian can only do so much with the big R1T and R1S models since the pickup truck and SUV start from around $80k at home in America. They battle models like the Tesla Cybertruck and Model X on equal footing, but we all know that Musk's company also jumped to sales stardom only after they introduced the cheaper Model 3 and Model Y options to the market.
Naturally, the company's corner office head honchos know they need to diversify the lineup and lower the MSRPs to gain mass-market traction, which is why it is no surprise that the rumor mill has caught wind of whispers that Rivian is preparing something big for a worldwide launch event scheduled on March 7 in Laguna Beach, California. As such, everyone and their mother now assume they are preparing for the launch of the R2 family of models.
That's not hard to guess, especially since a recent leak also pointed out that unless it's a double reveal, the first one to arrive will not be the R2T pickup truck but rather its R2S sport utility sibling. A fresh patent sketch from a recent filing showed a smaller compact or mid-sized off-road SUV, and of course, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators also jumped at the opportunity of depicting it in fantasy land.
More precisely, the Halo oto channel on YouTube provides fresh automotive info corroborated with their virtual designs; now, there are new CGI ideas about this upcoming Rivian that looks like a shrunken variant of the current R1S. The new SUV, though, would cut down the pricing of the larger sibling in half and start from around $40k before incentives, which is a bold move from the little EV automaker if the rumors pan out.
If the leak is legitimate and the pixel masters are right to envision the R2S as a smaller R1S, still focused on off-road adventures with the family rather than speed and performance, would you buy one instead of a Tesla Model Y, especially if pricing is on par?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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