- The enthusiast-oriented Rivian R3X will launch before the mainstream R3
- No timeline has been given for when the R3X or R3 will arrive
- The Rivian R2 will go into production in 2026 and serve as the basis for the R3
The Rivian R3X electric hatchback will arrive before the base R3, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in an interview with The Verge this week.
Scaringe did not provide an exact date, but said the R3 will launch "as soon as we possibly can" after the launch of the Rivian R2, which is scheduled to start production at the automaker's Illinois plant in 2026, adding that the R3X performance variant will be the first to arrive.
Rivian R3
"I will say this: The first R3 that we're launching, it's going to start with R3X," Scaringe said.
Rivian unveiled the R3 and R3X at the R2 debut event in March. The hatchbacks will be smaller than the R2, measuring about 15 inches shorter in overall length than that SUV, which in turn is smaller than the current Rivian R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck. Rivian is also targeting a starting price below the $45,000 cost of the R2 for the base R3, although the R3X will likely be pricier.
Rivian R3
The R3 lineup will share major components with the R2, including single-, dual-, and tri-motor powertrains, battery packs, and structural elements. But based on the excitement the R3 models generated at their unveiling, their more compact packaging could help revive a stagnant small-car segment in the U.S.—especially with respect to EVs.
The Volkswagen Group will invest up to $5 billion in Rivian in a deal that will give VW access to the U.S. automaker's electrical architecture and software, while giving Rivian funding that could help get the R2 and R3 models across the line and into production.
