Will the Rivian R2 Be Suitable for Camping and Off-Roading? Let's Find Out

This isn't the first time I'm doing a deep dive into camping and overlanding. For instance, I've written articles discussing what overlanding is and what the best vehicles are for this demanding activity. Moreover, I've discussed the off-road and camping capabilities of the Tesla Cybertruck.

Before we dive deeper, some essential facts about the Rivian R2, unveiled at Rivian's event in Laguna Beach, California, on March 7, 2024. The all-new EV is estimated to hit the roads in early 2026 in the US, while European customers will have to wait until 2027.

General Info

As soon as you look at it, you can tell the R2 is inspired by the larger and pricier R1S. Compared to it, it provides only five seats and will be offered at a much cheaper price point, starting at around $45,000 (€41,290). That makes it a direct competitor to Tesla's best-selling Model Y, which has a starting MSRP of $43,990 (€40,363).

To make things even better regarding pricing, the R2 might qualify for the $7,500 (€6,882) federal EV tax credit, making it an attractive and affordable EV option.

The Rivian R2 is based on the company's fresh mid-size EV platform, which claims to "deliver amazing performance, range, and cost efficiency." Its highlights include a structural battery unit with an interchangeable top and floor, high-pressure die castings, and the brand's in-house "network architecture, computer topology, and software stack."

Three motor configurations will be available for the R2: single motor (rear), dual motor (front and rear), and tri-motor (two rear, one front). What's more, this will be the first Rivian to be offered with RWD (on the single motor configuration). Two battery sizes will also be available.

Let me quickly tell you about the R2's dimensions. It's 15 inches (38 centimeters) shorter than its older brother, the R1S. What's more, the R2 boasts a height of 67 inches (170 centimeters) and a wheelbase of 115.5 inches (293 centimeters), six inches (15 centimeters) shorter than the R1S. Its maker terms the R2 as a "midsized crossover."

Naturally, Rivian wanted to outshine its competitor, Tesla. The R2 features 4695 battery cells – long story short, these cylindrical units are larger than the Tesla Cybertruck's 4680 cells, which translates to more energy capacity, better gains from regenerative braking, and higher rates of charge and discharge. That brings me to my next point: range.

Rivian estimates a range of over 300 miles (483 km) on a single charge for both the R2 and R3. The only exception is the single-motor version of the R2 with the small battery, which will have about 270 miles (430 km) of range.

By comparison, the Model Y Long Range Version is estimated to last 310 miles (499 km) - that's pretty close. However, when off-roading, you'll use more power. So, you can expect to lose about 15% to 20% of that range when off the beaten path. Of course, things will differ depending on what type of off-roading you do.

But let's assume you have the full range of 300 miles. Is that enough for camping and overlanding? Well, if you plan on going camping relatively close to home, or at least close to a charging station, you'll have nothing to worry about. However, if you plan to overland and head to remote places (which is an essential part of overlanding), you probably shouldn't embark on this type of adventure in an EV.

The R2's DC fast charging comes with native NACS capability and CCS with an adapter. Rivian estimates the EV will be able to charge from 10% to 80% in less than half an hour. Furthermore, the charge port was moved from the front left of the vehicle to the back right.

Features

Now that we've got the relevant general info out of the way, let's see how the R2 will handle off-roading. One critical piece of information is that the R2 comes with a good 9.8 inches (24.9 centimeters) of ground clearance.

Rivian created a fantastic off-roadable platform for the R1. In fact, the R1S was the first production EV to complete the challenging Rubicon trail last August. So, we can safely assume that should be the case for the R2.

Regarding suspension, Rivian hasn't yet released any info. The R1 models came with an adjustable air suspension, but there's a chance we don't see the same in the R2. A safe assumption is that it will feature coil springs and adjustable dampers. Again, we don't know any details about the suspension, so this is just my assumption.

We got a sneak peek of the drive mode software on the R2 thanks to the renowned YouTuber Marquees Brownlee, who did a tour of the R2 with Rivian's CEO, RJ Scaringe. At one point in the video, they talked about the display.

That's when we get to see three drive modes: All-Purpose, All-Terrain, and Snow. Underneath, we can see settings for the Ride (such as Soft or Hard), Regen, and Stability. This indicates there's no ride height option on the R2, like on the R1s. However, Rivian might add/change stuff until the vehicle's release, so keep that in mind.

I'll continue this article with some of the cool features of the R2 that might make a difference when camping, but I'm saving the two best parts for last. First off, one nice detail regarding Rivian's newly unveiled EV is that it comes with a drop-down rear glass. This feature allows you to store various long items through the back, such as surfboards, skis, and more. Moreover, the drop-down glass will also be useful when you want to grab stuff from the back – there's no more need to open and close the trunk.

Rivian offered its previous R1T and R1S vehicles with a flashlight and a Bluetooth speaker. For the R2, the company will ditch the Bluetooth speaker and provide only a flashlight held in a special spot inside the driver's door. It's Rivian's signature feature, and it's always nice to have when adventuring into the outdoors. Furthermore, the passenger door houses a power bank that doubles as a hand warmer, which is nice to have when adventuring in cold environments.

Storage is critical when camping in a vehicle. Luckily, Rivian is known to maximize storage space for its adventure-seeking customer base. The R2's center console boasts several different storage compartments and what looks like retractable cup holders.

One upgrade to the R2's storage is two gloveboxes. Rivian made sure both the driver and the passenger had their own storage spots. Regarding exterior storage, you still have a frunk.

Now, let me tell you about the R2's two best features for camping. First, the R2's seats can be folded down. I know this isn't a groundbreaking feature, but I get this – I'm not talking about just the rear seats. In fact, all the seats can be folded flat, making the interior the perfect camping spot.

Typically, adventurers fold the rear seats to make space to fit a mattress to sleep in the back. However, even if you move the front seats as much to the front as possible, you still lose some valuable real estate. One mod people go with is making the front seats swivel so you can have some extra room.

These options might work, but they can't be compared to Rivian's solution, which provides the most space inside. Of course, you still have holes between the front and rear seats, but you can place a mattress over them, and you're good to go.

If you want to choose a budget-friendly option, I'd say that a standard foam mattress will do the job. However, Rivian will also provide the option of a custom mattress specifically designed to fit perfectly over the seats, offering as much comfort as possible.

Just imagine – you set up your mattress after a long day of driving. You lie down and look above, straight through the enormous panoramic sunroof. You're probably in a slightly remote area, or at least not in a major city, so the stars light up the sky. Then, you can play some smooth jazz through the vehicle's surround sound speakers and enjoy the experience before dozing off to sleep. This is my vision of a cozy night camping in the R2, and I think you might relate to it.

Even though the sunroof can't be opened, you can drop the rear glass to have some extra air circulation. If that's not enough, the rear seat windows can be opened. They do not drop down conventionally, but they pop open to let some fresh air in.

Accessories

And finally, Rivian has developed an accessory ecosystem specifically designed for the new EVs. Some of them are meant to make use of the Accessory Port. The Accessory Port consists of two locking rails that allow you to install additional items without needing other tools.

This Accessory Port opens up new opportunities for camping. It can hold a sturdy two-bike mount designed by Rivian, as well as a suite of other accessories. One notable one is the Travel Kitchen. Just like the Bike Mount, the kitchen slides on the side rails and locks in place.

The kitchen comes with a cooler, a water tank, an induction cooktop, and a cookware set – it has all the essentials you'll need to start cooking on the go. Add some hanging lights, and you'll be good to go to prepare meals even after the sun sets.

A detachable cargo box is another accessory that can help turn the R2 into a camper. It features handles and wheels, enabling you to move it around however necessary. Then, you can pop it back into place. Basically, you can consider it an extra trunk that will come in very useful when the interior space is occupied by a mattress.

Let's move on to the roof, where things get even more interesting. It can be equipped with a cargo box or a Treehouse. The latter feature is not actually a treehouse but rather a rooftop tent with a rectangular shape and "windows."

It's not just any rooftop tent – even though it looks similar to a run-of-the-mill tent while folded, you'll discover some neat features once it's open. You'll find out it's a powered tent offering lighting, heating, and ventilation. Rivian went even further and dedicated an infotainment menu page for the Treehouse tent called "Basecamp", where you're able to set the desired ambiance via several predefined settings.

You can use the Basecamp page to choose your preferred temperature, adjust lighting options, see info regarding outlets and power use, and more. When sleeping inside, a "Super Dark" mode turns the screen red to prevent eye strain.

How is that possible? Well, the R2 comes with electrical connectors in the roof rails. Since you can control climatization and lights for the tent, it's safe to assume that these connectors will also have a data bus (besides the electrical connection). This is a major opportunity for both Rivian and third-party suppliers to come up with all sorts of useful accessories.

But wait, there's more. Customers will get a heated mattress with the tent. To make things even cooler, the Treehouse has its own movie projector. Of course, it's powered by the R2 and will project images on a roll-down screen located on a side window.

The R2 and R2 aren't the only EVs that will be able to accommodate this awesome tent. The Treehouse is rumored to be offered for Rivian's existing vehicles, the R1S and the R1T. Your next question probably is, "How much will it cost?"

Well, we don't have an exact number yet. However, we have the R1S three-person tent as a reference, which is currently available for $2,800 (€2,569). Considering it's not as advanced as the Treehouse, we can expect the latter to cost at least two times as much, making it quite costly – more than 10% of the R2's price.

Conclusion

All in all, it's safe to assume that the Rivian R2 will be quite capable when it comes to off-roading, at least if you opt for the AWD options. Sure, we can't compare it to a Jeep Wrangler due to its geometry, but it might be close to the capabilities of a Toyota 4Runner. Moreover, of course, the choice of tires will impact the off-road capabilities.

For overlanding, we already determined it won't be a good choice. Not because it can't go off the beaten path but because it's an EV, and EVs aren't ready for overlanding.

Lastly, regarding camping, the Rivian R2 can be a good choice. Rivian's suite of accessories will make camping easier, and the fold-down seats are a game-changer. Add the Treehouse tent and the outdoor kitchen, and you're ready to adventure outdoors – just make sure you're not too far from a charging station.