It’s almost time. After years of rumors and teasing from the company, Rivian is finally ready to unveil its next-generation electric adventure vehicle to the world. I’m sure a lot of people have their reservation fingers ready depending on what they see at this event.
On March 7th, Rivian will host its official reveal event for its R2 electric vehicle. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has called the R2 the company’s Model 3 moment, so there is a lot riding on this vehicle being a mass market hit that the company expects it to be.
If you’re a fan of the R1T electric truck or R1S electric SUV, you’re probably interested in seeing what Rivian’s R2 is going to look like, what features it will have, and what it will cost.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the event and what to expect from the R2.
How to watch the Rivian R2 reveal event
There are actually quite a few ways to watch Rivian’s R2 reveal event, so let’s dive into those details and options.
The event is set to kick off on Thursday, March 7th at 10:00 AM PST. The company is hosting a live stream, but it is expected that it will be doing the stream from its South Coast Theater retail location in Laguna Beach. Will you be able to attend the event in person? Most likely not, but there is a chance you’ll be able to check out the R2 on that day.
Rivian recently applied to host a half-day event at Main Beach Park in Laguna Beach. The event is expected to run at the park from 3:45 PM to sunset, and a portion of the event will be open to the public. The event will feature six vehicles that the company is hoping to display in the park — likely the R2 that is being unveiled earlier that day. So, if you happen to be at the park later that day, you might be able to get hands-on with the R2 on the same day as the reveal.
Rivian has submitted a request to utilize the grass area in front of the Main Beach Lifeguard Tower for showcasing its vehicles. The display is scheduled for March 7, 2024, from 3:45 PM until sunset, and it will complement the simultaneous product launch inside the Rivian Theatre. Importantly, there are no plans to use amplified sound or additional lighting during this event. Complimentary light refreshments will be provided.
The vehicles will be on display for informational purposes only and will not be available for sale. The public is cordially invited to come and learn more about Rivian vehicles.
For all of us who won’t be able to be there in person and will instead be tuning into the live stream, Rivian will be hosting it on multiple platforms. The company says that it will stream the event on a number of platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter):
The company also says it will be streaming the event on YouTube, saying in a recent teaser video to “Meet R2 — our new take on electric adventure. Watch the live reveal event on March 7th, right here on YouTube.”
I’ll be sure to update this post once the placeholder videos and posts go live on the platforms so you can quickly tune in.
What to expect from the Rivian R2 reveal event
So, what can we expect from Rivian’s R2 reveal event? Well, the R2 of course.
It really feels that this event is going to be entirely focused on unveiling the company’s next-generation electric vehicle. While I’m sure there could be some small announcements regarding the company’s charging network and perhaps some small updates for its business and other vehicles, there really haven’t been many rumors about that. It seems this one is all-in on R2.
While we’ll have to wait until the event to see the R2 in all its glory, there are some things we’ve started to learn about the upcoming electric vehicle. Rivian did confirm in its first environmental impact report that the R2 will be a lower-priced midsize vehicle, coming in smaller and more affordable than the R1T and R1S:
Our next-generation product line, R2, is being developed to bring the essence of our current products into a midsize form factor and lower price point. From its design, to the integration of hardware and software, to the engineering of the manufacturing process, we plan to leverage our many learnings from R1 to drive down costs while delivering performance features and capabilities that will inspire customers.
All of that seems to line up based on the recent R2 teaser video the company released:
We also experienced a huge leak of details about the upcoming electric vehicle from Rivian’s own website two days before the event. Code found on the website revealed a ton of details about the vehicle, including a confirmation that the R2 will start at a $47,500 base price or $40,000 if you and it are eligible for the federal EV tax credit when the company starts deliveries in 2026.
We also know that the vehicle will be capable of up to 330 miles of range and acceleration speeds of 0-60 miles per hour in 3 seconds. It will seat five people, use Tesla’s NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector, feature the beloved front trunk, and pack a max ground clearance of 9.8 inches.
It also sounds like you’ll be able to pop the rear windows off of the vehicle, turning the experience into something more like a Jeep. The company has also designed a new bike mount system that, according to Rivian, doesn’t require any tools to attach and secure it to your vehicle.
A recent patent application also showed off a vehicle that appears slightly different and smaller than the R1S electric SUV that we know. Specifically, the vehicle depicted in the image below features slightly different headlamps and a more compact design than the current 3-row SUV. Scaringe threw some fire on rumors that R2 could be more than an SUV, however, when he said in an interview that “our next set of products, what we call creatively R2, will be smaller in terms of form factor but also a much lower price point.” Set of products, not a product! All of the teasers seem to indicate something that looks very much like what is seen below:
The image above also looks similar to the recent photo that was taken of a suspected Rivian R2 in Los Angeles. The vehicle, which looked to be part of a photo shoot on top of a parking garage, was quickly debated to potentially be the R2 due to its seemingly smaller size and the fact that it features different wheels and the charging location was on the back of the vehicle.
Will you reserve an R2?
Personally, this is the event I’ve been waiting for in order to decide what my next vehicle will be. As a current Subaru Crosstrek owner, I want a vehicle I can take into nature for camping, biking, hiking, and more. While my Crosstrek has been great, I’d love to make the jump to electric.
However, since Rivian’s current vehicles cost $70,000 or more and Subaru’s Wilderness editions of the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback start at $34,000, the R1T and R1S are way out of my price range. If the R2 actually comes in at $40,000 and also qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, I’ll be putting a reservation in. If not, I think a Subaru Outback Wilderness is my next vehicle. Even if that’s how it works out, that new Subaru will probably be the last gas-powered vehicle I ever purchase.
What about you? Will you be putting a reservation in on the R2? We’ll all find out on March 7th!
