From the makers of the world’s first electric pick-up truck: Here comes the Rivian R2 

If the brand Rivian hasn’t yet been lodged in your long-term memory, it soon will be. The R1S is its flagship electric SUV, and Rivian also made the world’s first electric pickup truck back in 2021. Tesla Cybertruck, are you listening?   

This burgeoning player in the electric market isn’t swimming alone in these ferocious waters. It’s backed by Amazon and Ford. But, as Rivian reached over 68,000 reservations within the first 24 hours of its R2 announcement, there’s bound to be some smiles at Amazon HQ.  

The first thing you might notice about the R2, it’s cute in a gawky way but that only make its more endearing. With stylised features and very animated front headlights, it gives off Pixar vibes, somewhere between the brand’s jumping desk lights in the opening credits and EVE from Wall-E. It looks ready for adventure and eager to please. Ok, enough personification, let’s get down to brass tacks. 

Tesla’s Model Y does have the edge over the R2 on size. At 1.85m long, the R2 clocks in at the same size as a Ford’s perfectly-blended Mustang Mach-E. But the Rivian absolutely smokes the Model Y in terms of ground clearance with 250mm space. This stacks up, as Rivian designed the R2 'for the adventurous’. 

If current specs are to be believed, the R2 will offer up to 341 miles of range. Powering this will be three different motor layouts, from standard rear wheel drive all the way to a triple motor which should top 60 mph in under 3.2 seconds. Exact figures for horsepower and charging times are also still up in the air but all power sources will be set up for rapid charging, hitting a 10-80% charge in less than 30 minutes. 

Inside, the R2 looks to echo the natural environments it’ll explore, with upcycled wood trim and recycled ocean plastic materials. The fabrics have been chosen for ease of cleaning, in keeping with its outdoor-focused, functional design. To allow for maximised storage for camping trips, buyers can find extra cargo space in the front bonnet and all if it gets chilly, they can fold down the seats – and we’re talking fully fold down – to sleep inside the vehicle. Adding to the vibe of being designed for camping trips, it even has a handy torch tucked into the body of the driver’s door. 

Over the air tech updates will allow for future-proofed functionality while current equipment, including 11 cameras and five radars, will provide reasonable autonomous capabilities across the R2 and R3 models.  

“I can’t wait to get these to customers,” shares Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, and we can see why. They’re fun, practical, and at a suspected £35,000, not eye-watering.  

Now, after all this, you might be getting a little bit attached, but you’ll have to leave the Rivian on your dream list for a little while longer. The R2 is unlikely to reach the UK until 2027. So why did you tell you now, you ask? Well, it’s nice to have something to wish for... 

Hero image credit:  Rivian