Rivian surprised us all with an even smaller SUV, the R3.
At the launch event for the new Rivian R2 SUV, the fledgling automaker surprised us with an even smaller, cheaper crossover, the R3.
"We're very excited about what this will deliver beyond what we've seen with R2," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said at the launch event. "It takes the R2 package, the R2's platform, shrinks it down and asks, 'What is a crossover?' "includes it in our assessment of the issue."
While the R2 is slightly smaller than Rivian's first SUV, the R1S, the R3 is even lighter. Scaringe says the R3 sits on a wheelbase that's five inches shorter than the R2. Both the R2 and R3 ride on the same platform, and the smaller SUV will also be available with single, dual and tri-motor powertrains.
The R3 looks much more like a lifted hatchback than the R2, but unlike most hatchbacks, the R3's rear window is removed. It also has a front boot and, excitingly, two glove compartments. There will also be a sporty version called R3X. It looks like a small rally car, with a tri-motor powertrain, larger wheels and slightly increased ground clearance.
Rivian hasn't revealed many details about the R3 yet, but it did say that its price will be an estimated $45,000 less than the R2. Deliveries of the R2 are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026, so we may have to wait a bit for the R3. Reservations for the R3 are not yet available, and a page on Rivian's site promising more information about the crossover was down at the time of this writing.
Source: https://www.motor1.com/news/711575/rivian-r3-reveal/
