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The smaller Rivian R2 electrical SUV can be made in right-hand drive on the market within the UK, however Australian availability continues to be up within the air.
RJ Scaringe, Rivian’s founder and CEO, advised Autocar the corporate will launch the R2 in North American throughout the first half of 2026, with European gross sales following on from that. As soon as these launches had been out of the way in which, the R2 would then be launched into the UK in right-hand drive.
With the R2 confirmed as being engineered for right-hand drive, the possibilities of it being bought Down Beneath have elevated considerably.
When requested about an Australian launch, a Rivian spokesperson advised CarExpert, “It’s our ambition to promote our vehicles globally – together with Australia – nevertheless we don’t have a timeframe to share in the intervening time.”
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Though agency dates for the European and UK debuts to but to be set, each the R2 and the even smaller R3/R3X had been developed with Europe in thoughts.
Measuring 4715mm lengthy, 1905mm huge, 1700mm tall, and with a 2935mm wheelbase, the R2 is 35mm shorter and 73mm narrower than the Tesla Mannequin Y, however has a extra upright physique.
Not less than in photographs, the upcoming R2 and the bigger seven-seat R1S are onerous to inform aside, however the five-seat R2 is a large step down in dimension. It is 385mm shorter and 109mm narrower than the R1S, which is simply accessible in North America.
Measuring 5100mm lengthy, 2014mm huge, 1816mm tall, and with a 3076mm wheelbase the R1S is in roughly the identical class dimension because the Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Unveiled in close to manufacturing kind in March 2024, the R2 is ready to be provided with three drivetrains: single-motor rear-wheel drive, dual-motor all-wheel drive, and tri-motor all-wheel drive.
Concrete energy outputs and battery sizes have but to be revealed, however final yr Rivian claimed all three drivetrains would have no less than 480km of vary underneath the US EPA testing regime.
The R2 has a goal beginning worth of US$45,000 (A$69,000), which is line ball with the bottom Mannequin Y Lengthy Vary Rear-Wheel Drive mannequin accessible within the US.
Based in 2009, we needed to wait till 2021 for Rivian’s first customer-ready autos to begin trundling out of the outdated Mitsubishi manufacturing facility in Regular, Illinois. The corporate’s present lineup is proscribed to the R1T ute, associated R1S SUV, and the EDV supply van, initially developed for Amazon.
Though the R1T ute and associated R1S SUV have earned vital reward, together with just a few automotive of the yr awards, gross sales have been sluggish and regular reasonably spectacular.
Pricing little question performs a big half on this, with the R1S priced from US$76,990 to US$121,990, and the R1T going from US$70,990 to US$115,900.
For context, within the US, the Vary Rover Sport begins from US$81,550, and a petrol-powered by Ford F-150 begins at US$40,045, with the electrical F-150 Lightning kicking off from US$65,540.
Final yr Rivian bought simply 51,579 autos in North America. With small gross sales, a big R&D funds, and a money-munching manufacturing operation, Rivian misplaced US$4.7 billion (A$7.2 billion) final yr.
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