Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has teased the upcoming R2, while also detailing a range of updates the company is working on for its existing R1S and R1T.
The teased Rivian R2 clay model was shown briefly behind by Mr Scaringe and Rivian head of design Jeff Hammoud in a series of Q&A videos posted on Instagram.
Although the clay model was draped in a black cloth concealing the majority of the design details, it’s clearly an SUV model that appears to be smaller than the existing R1S. There will also be a pick-up version.
At this stage it’s understood the Rivian R2 range will be introduced in 2026 and be produced at company’s future plant in Georgia.
During one of the Instagram stories Mr Scaringe said the products like the R2 and beyond are being designed to “make sure they go very quickly into a whole host of different markets”.
At this stage Rivian hasn’t expanded beyond North America, though the company has previously said it intends to begin expanding its presence into right-hand drive markets after US and Canadian deliveries begin.
A Rivian spokesperson told CarExpert earlier in the year there’s currently no news on an Australian launch of the brand.
In addition to the teased R2 clay model, Mr Scaringe confirmed it has scrapped plans to introduce its anticipated Tank Turn feature that allows the vehicle to spin on the spot.
Mr Scaringe said the feature “was something super early in the program we planned to do”. The company also published a video in 2019 of the feature at work.
“Over the last, I guess, year and a half we arrived at the view that it’s a feature that, while we can do it, it’s so easily abused and so hard to make sure that we don’t tear up trails and really do things that are in contrast to what we stand for,” said Mr Scaringe.
R1T
While Rivian is scuttling plans to introduce this feature, its CEO has confirmed it’s working on some overall improvements to its mapping system with EV route planning, surround-view camera improvements with a panning ability, as well as a redo of the rear console screen.
There was also a brief look at the company’s yet-to-be-released high-performance drive unit. There was no more information provided about this.
R1T 
R1S
Motor Trend reported in August last year there could be a rally-inspired Rivian electric SUV that’s designed to be as capable as a Jeep Wrangler or Land Rover Defender off-road, and as quick as a Porsche Cayenne on it.
Reportedly dubbed the R1X, this performance SUV could produce 895kW of power and 1627Nm of torque. It’ll also reportedly have only two rows of seating instead of the R1S’ three.
