2026 Rivian R2T Gets Virtually Imagined as a Nimbler, More Affordable EV Pickup Truck

But that is not too cheap, right? Especially considering its direct competitor, the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro kicks off at almost $56k even after all the recent price hikes. Still, that does not mean Rivian’s breakthrough model, alongside its $78k R1S full-size EV sport utility sibling was in low demand. Actually, even though last year Blue Oval’s F-150 EV offering was America’s most popular electric pickup, Rivian’s R1T plus R1S sales were even higher, in comparison.

That means the American electric vehicle manufacturer and automotive technology company that has only been around since 2009 might have the same startup-to-stardom trajectory as its rival Tesla before it. But that includes a lot of arduous work and especially more vehicles of different shapes and sizes to sell. Well, no worries, as suspicions of fresh products have been confirmed by various trademarks for quite a long time, already. And, among them, there are also the R2T and R2S nameplates.

While logic might dictate otherwise, the R1T and R1S will remain the company’s flagship models and the upcoming R2s will instead get based around a smaller vehicle platform destined for more affordable EVs. And that is not from the rumor mill but rather official confirmation from Rivian’s CEO. Instead, we do have an unofficial presentation that focuses on the potentially upcoming R2T EV pickup truck, which could be landing some workhorse jobs in America around 2026.

According to a fresh CGI from TopElectricSUV.com, not everyone needs to afford the big R1T that competes with the GMC Hummer EV and Ford F-150 Lightning (soon also with the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV, or the Tesla Cybertruck and Ram 1500 Revolution BEV) and instead Rivian fans just need to be patient for the official arrival of the 2026 R2T, which is part of the company’s global expansion plans. After all, in Europe, a full-size pickup truck is not exactly customary, let alone with an electric powertrain.

Instead, more ‘compact’ dimensions fitting the mid-size class would be decidedly suitable for markets outside North America, including the Old Continent. In the United States, meanwhile, the main draw toward this smaller Rivian would have to do with pricing, as the news outlet envisions a base MSRP of around $55k for the upcoming EV pickup truck. That is not bad, as competition will intensify and in the coming years there might be other rivals such as a ‘mini’ GMC Hummer EV, Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon EV, Toyota Tacoma EV, and maybe even a Ford Ranger Lightning, among others.