Rivian needs the R2 to be a hit to scale up its business and spread out development costs. Now, with pricing announced and deliveries set to begin soon, the California startup's make-or-break moment is here.
Rivian has released pricing and specifications for the R2, and we now know a lot more about the long-awaited $45,000 base model, which will appeal to a far broader audience than the nearly $60,000 Performance trim that's launching first. But there's a catch. Compared to rivals like the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Chevy Blazer EV, the entry-level R2 falls short in one critical area: driving range.