Big milestone for the team at
Rivian today.
Embargo lifted on our first R2 media drives, and the early coverage is encouraging - not just for what it says about the vehicle, but for what it means for customers. I also had the chance to personally drive one of these pre‑production vehicles, and it was awesome. I can see exactly why the press is so excited about it.
Across outlets like AutoFocus (MKBHD), Doug DeMuro, JerryRigEverything, Car and Driver, MotorTrend, InsideEVs, TopGear and others, a few themes keep showing up. R2 delivers serious performance and capability in a more attainable package, with dual‑motor prototypes being quoted at around 656 hp, 0–60 in about 3.6 seconds and 300+ miles of range. It still feels like a real adventure SUV, not a watered‑down version of R1 - confident off‑road, composed on‑road and very usable day to day.
Our software and in‑vehicle experience are getting a lot of attention too, with several reviews calling out how different the new platform and OTA updates feel in real use. The new Halo steering wheel is one small example: it brings key controls under your thumbs and makes the car feel even more connected and responsive.
Most of all, thank you to the many thousands of people who have been heads‑down on R2 for the last several years.
Building cars is really hard.
Hands down, the best part of this new role has been meeting and working with so many of you. Today’s coverage is a reflection of that effort, and of the journalists and creators who told the story so well.
On to launch.
#Rivian #R2 #CustomerExperience #EV