First Drive: The 2027 Rivian R2 entirely changes the EV game

**TL;DR:** First Drive: The 2027 Rivian R2 entirely changes the EV game

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Rivian provided flights from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Utah, and accommodation so Ars could drive the R2. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. This month, Rivian begins customer deliveries of the highly anticipated R2 model that aims to bring the startup’s aspirational adventure lifestyle to the mainstream EV market. That has required cutting costs, scaling production, and reaching new customers—a big brief, then, for the diminutive R2.

To show exactly how a startup transitions to a mass-market automaker, Rivian hosted a picturesque media event in Utah that included both on and off-road driving in the Launch Edition that stickers for just under $60,000 (including destination). We also got plenty of access to the technological development that underpins the brand’s critical electric crossover. The R2 almost perfectly matches the dimensions of today's best-selling US cars. 4 mm) longer than a Honda CRV.

The R1’s instantly recognizable profile and design language carry through, but unique packaging requirements dictated nifty design soluti

Source: Ars Technica Features

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Last updated: June 16, 2026.

Additional context: early-cycle stories often look bigger in headlines than in day-to-day impact. The useful move is to identify the smallest set of facts that would change your decision, then wait for those facts to land.

Additional context: early-cycle stories often look bigger in headlines than in day-to-day impact. The useful move is to identify the smallest set of facts that would change your decision, then wait for those facts to land.