Rivian will deliver the first R2 SUVs on 9 June 2026 - the model that CEO RJ Scaringe described as "perhaps the most important thing we have ever launched". The starting price sits under $60,000 for the first trim, with a standard version at $48,490 due in 2027, and the cheapest version around $45,000 toward the end of 2027.

R2 is a strategic bridge for the company - the older R1, with prices over $75,000, ended up too expensive for the broader public. R2 is smaller, cheaper, and aimed squarely at competing with the Tesla Model Y. Rivian's target: deliver around 25,000 R2 units by the end of 2026.

What is at stake? Profitability. Rivian has not turned a profit since it was founded in 2009. Every quarter it burns hundreds of millions of dollars in operating losses, and the cash still on its balance sheet is tied directly to the success of the R2. If the model misses on deliveries and margins, the company will have to go back to capital markets - a scenario investors are already tired of.

Beyond R2, the plan also includes the R3 - a hatchback version aimed at an even smaller, more urban segment. But R2 is the test: if all 25,000 units sell by New Year, Rivian stays an independent player in the US EV market. If not - the read will inevitably turn to a buyout by a larger player.