Rivian R2 Price Leak Reveals Higher-Than-Expected Starting Cost

The starting price for Rivian’s eagerly awaited electric SUV, codenamed the R2, has been leaked online ahead of its launch in few hours to come. Rumored pricing indicates that Rivian’s next vehicle will start at a higher price than previously anticipated.

The information came to light after one reporter’s embargoed story was accidentally posted online, then deleted, allowing readers to quickly screenshot the information. Word spread across online forums and social media shortly after. In its leaked debut pricing, Rivian’s R2 Performance Launch Edition is expected to start at $57,990 before a destination fee of roughly $1,495. Performance specs are rumored to include dual motors with an all-wheel-drive powertrain making about 656 horsepower, along with an 87.9-kWh battery pack and an EPA range of around 330 miles.

Lower down the topline, Rivian’s R2 Premium is expected to debut with a starting price of $53,990. The car will use the same battery pack and EPA range as its higher-performance sibling, but it’s reported to have about 450 horsepower and lacks select features like semi-active suspension and driving modes.

Slated to launch at a still affordable $48,490, a rear-wheel-drive version of the R2 Standard is said to come later in the launch cycle. Oddly enough, swapping out all-wheel-drive for RWD is rumored to net you a greater range of around 345 miles due to increased efficiency and less weighty drivetrain components.

Rumors of Rivian’s $45,000 entry-level R2 pushing back to late 2027 have also surfaced. Promoted heavily by Rivian in the past as the company’s most affordable EV yet, the base R2 is rumored to come with a smaller battery pack and around 265 miles of range.

Rumors of Rivian’s higher-than-expected starting price were strengthened when Rivian quietly deleted mentions of the $45,000 starting price on the R2’s product page earlier this week. The electric automaker is set to reveal the R2 on June 6.

Needless to say, expectations are high for Rivian’s next EV. Rivian has positioned current models like the Rivian R1T and Rivian R1S SUV as premium electric vehicles, but the R2 will target the heart of the electric SUV market and go head-to-head with competitors like the Tesla Model Y.