- The enthusiast-oriented Rivian R3X will launch before the mainstream R3
- No timeline has been given for when the R3X or R3 will launch.
- The Rivian R2 will go into production in 2026 and serve as the basis for the R3.
The Rivian R3X Electric Vehicle will to R3 baseRivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in an interview with The Verge this week.
Scaringe didn’t provide an exact date but said R3 will launch “as soon as possible” after launch Rivian R2is scheduled to be begins production at the automaker’s Illinois plant in 2026, adding that the R3X performance variant will be the first to launch.
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“I’ll say this: The first R3 we launch will be starting with R3X,Scaringe said.
Rivian unveiled the R3 and R3X at its R2 launch event in March. The hatchbacks will be smaller than the R2, about 15 inches shorter overall than that SUV, which in turn is smaller than the current Rivian R1S SUV and R1T pickup. Rivian is also aiming for a starting price below the R2’s $45,000 for the base R3, though the R3X will may be more expensive.
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The R3 lineup will share key components with the R2, including single-, dual-, and triple-motor drivetrains, battery packs, and structural components. But based on the excitement the R3 models generated at launch, their more compact packaging could help reviving the stagnant small car segment in the United States—especially for electric vehicles.
Volkswagen Group will invest up to $5 billion at Rivian in a deal that will give VW access to the U.S. automaker’s electrical architecture and software, and provide Rivian with funding that could help bring its R2 and R3 models to production.
