The Rivian R3X Is the EV for Car Geeks

Rivian stole the show at its recent new model unveiling. From itself.The electric vehicle startup last week took the wraps off its highly anticipated second model line, which is appropriately called the R2.Slotted in the lineup below the current R1T pickup and R1S SUV in size and price, the compact R2 is set to start at $45,000 when it goes on sale in 2026.That pits it directly against the Tesla Model Y, which was the best selling vehicle — not electric vehicle, just vehicle — in the world last year with 1.2 million deliveries.The Rivian R2. Courtesy RivianThe R2 looks like a smaller version of the R1S, with the same two-box styling and Rivian’s signature oval headlight clusters. The rugged SUV will be offered in a variety of trims with either one, two or three electric motors.The Rivian R2’s interior. Courtesy RivianThe last of those will be able to accelerate to 60 mph in less than three seconds — which will put a lot of muscle cars and six-figure supercars to shame at the drag strip — and they will all be available with more than 300 miles of range per charge.There’s a large “frunk” storage area under the hood and both rows of seats fold forward, so you can create a flat floor and camp inside of it with the air conditioning or heat on, as there aren’t any deadly fumes to worry about.You can also open all of its windows, including the one on the tailgate, for the most open air experience possible in a hardtop.It was very much what everyone was expecting it to be like and more, but it came with some bad news.Rivian was planning to build it at a new $5 billion factory in Georgia that would have the capacity to crank out 400,000 vehicles annually, but the project is now on hold.The EV market is tighter than expected, and so is the money in the company’s accounts, so Rivian is going to launch it at its existing factory in Normal, Illinois, where the R1s and the cargo vans it builds for Amazon and other fleet customers are manufactured.The facility has an annual capacity of 215,000 total vehicles, so any hopes of the R2 toppling the Model Y will have to wait.But there was one more thing …Rivian rolled a surprise third model onto the stage called — wait for it — the R3.The Rivian R3. Courtesy RivianNo one knew it was coming, and the little guy drew everyone’s attention from the R2 and the factory.Smaller than the R2, Rivian described it as a crossover, but its angled tailgate gives it the appearance of an oversized Volkswagen Rabbit from the 1970s.The Rivian R3 can carry a surfboard. Courtesy RivianIt also has a frunk, fold-flat seats, and a split tailgate that allows the top part with the glass to be flipped open separately so that it can carry long items like surfboards or, as Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe jokingly suggested, trombones.It’s the kind of design car geeks lose their minds over, because they don’t make them like that anymore, but Rivian wasn’t done.At the risk of sending the audience into a frenzy, it revealed an R3X version that looked ready to drive out of the Laguna Beach studio and head to Mexico for the Baja 1000.The Rivian R3X. Courtesy RivianIt was jacked-up on giant off-road tires and Mr. Scaringe said it had “the soul of a rally car” with “insane performance” courtesy of a powerful tri-motor drivetrain. The prototype actually did go for a spin on the street after the event and became a social media starlet with videos of it posted across all the platforms, and that’s going to have to tide its fans over for now.Rivian didn’t say how much it will cost, but confirmed it won’t go on sale until sometime after the R2, so it’s likely at least four years away.For Rivian’s sake, here’s hoping that the styling will still be retro-cool then and not just old.

The Rivian R3X Is the EV for Car Geeks

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