I have never been as stoked about EV news as I am today. I woke up, looked at what to cover today, and saw a report that Rivian, after months of rumors about its anticipated R2 electric vehicle, is planning to host an event in just a couple of months.
As reported by Stu News Laguna, the city of Laguna Beach in California held a meeting on Tuesday. While a council meeting might sound unrelated, this is how all of this news comes together. One of the items on the council’s agenda was whether or not to allow Rivian to host an event in the city on March 7, 2024.
According to the meeting agenda, the company sought permission to host a public half-day event at Main Beach Park. Despite some public opposition to such an event, the city council approved the event after its meeting on Tuesday. 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 while it is also hosting an event in the South Coast Theatre — also in Laguna Beach — that the company revitalized and opened to the public in December. Rivian will be providing light refreshments as part of the public event and is taking responsibility for returning the space to pre-event conditions for the city, hopefully quelling some of the concerns of the public to use the space.
According to the council’s agenda report, the request from Rivian is being categorized as a product launch event by the council, all but hinting that the event will unveil the long-awaited R2 electric vehicle that is expected to be Rivian’s Model 3.
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
We’ve been waiting for the Rivian R2 for some time now, so I’m stoked to finally see an event taking shape. The timing makes sense as well since Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said that the company planned to unveil the R2 platform this year before it went into production in 2026.
As previously reported, the R2 is expected to come in at a starting price of $40,000 and, depending on options, top out around $60,000. For all of us who can’t afford an R1T or R1S since those vehicles start at over $70,000 but want a Rivian to take camping, backpacking, and everything else we want to do outdoors, the R2 could be the model we’ve all been waiting for. Meanwhile, Tesla is readying a launch of its $25,000 EV in 2025.
I can’t wait for March 7th. If the R2 turns out to be what I’m expecting it to be, I’m setting up a savings account and have two years to save enough money to finally say goodbye to my beloved Subaru and make the switch to an adventure-capable EV.
