Rivian starts making the R2 electric SUV

The road to making a new car is long and difficult, and for Rivian, still a fairly young electric car company, the stakes are higher than ever. Last Thursday, the company reached a major goal at its factory in Normal, Illinois. It began building the very first versions of its newest model, the Rivian R2. For now, these first units are not destined for customers. Instead, they are called "validation builds" - the factory is finally testing its machines and robots to see if they can build the EVs correctly and quickly.

Rivian proved they could design and build a great car with the R1T truck and R1S SUV. Now, the question is different. The company needs to prove it can build thousands of smaller, more affordable ones without making mistakes. The early Rivian R2 models will be used to find any problems with parts or tools before the real assembly line starts moving at full speed.

One of the most exciting things about the Rivian R2 is the price. Most cars from this brand have been very expensive, often costing over $90,000. The Rivian R2 is different - it is expected to start at around $45,000. This lower price should help it compete with other popular EVs like the Tesla Model Y. The $45,000 price is for the basic model of course, and more expensive versions with more features will likely come out first.

The Rivian R2 will come in three versions with either one motor, two motors, or three electric motors. The fastest version will be able to go from 0 to 62 mph in less than three seconds - faster than many sports cars. Rivian also says the car will be able to travel at least 299 miles on a full charge, which is plenty enough for long family trips.

The R2 is a bit smaller than the older R1S. It is about 15.4 ft long, 6.2 ft wide, and 5.6 ft tall. Even though it is smaller, it is built for people who love the outdoors. It has 24.9 cm of ground clearance, helping it drive over rocks and dirt paths. Inside, the seats are designed to fold completely flat, creating a large, level space where two people can actually sleep comfortably while camping.

The next few months are very important for Rivian. In 2025, the company saw fewer people buying their expensive trucks. The company needs the Rivian R2 to be a hit so it can carry on growing its operations. The factory in Illinois is being set up to build as many as 155,000 of these electric SUVs every year. If everything goes well with the testing builds, the company will be able to move from being a startup to a major EV manufacturer.

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