Rivian has finally announced the official release date for the first R2 vehicles. Invitations are about to go out, and you can try to snag one.
Starting on June 9th, invitations will start going out to interested buyers who have made reservations. You can make your reservation here. How is Rivian selecting who gets an order invitation first? There are a few factors at play here. First, your reservation timestamp: people who reserved the R2 early will be prioritized. However, R1 owners will also get “accelerated delivery timing.” You can even enter your expired lease information in your Rivian Account and that will apparently be factored in as well. You may also get an early order invitation if you live near a Rivian Service + Demo Center.
On June 9th, R2s will be available at these places so you can book a test drive. Anyone is welcome, although those with reservations and invitations to order will have priority. You can start booking on June 9th.
Said Rivian: “We want to give everyone the most accurate picture of when they can order their R2. To do that, we’re bringing a randomly selected group of reservation holders into early batches, which will help us refine our timing estimates so that everyone can benefit from a clear and transparent purchase process.”
Those who ordered on June 9th will also have their R2 delivered in two to six weeks.
Is it worth trying to get an order invitation for the R2?
Mmmmmm, that depends.
When the Rivian R2 was initially announced, rumors started swirling about its price. It was promised to be $45,000, but many were skeptical as the reveal date loomed. However, Rivian officially declared soon after that the R2 would be about $58,000 upon launch. That’s because the initial R2 will be the R2 Performance with the Launch Package model. The Premium trim doesn’t arrive until later this year, and the base model that’s $45,000 isn’t here until 2027.
Those who want an order invitation will need to splurge on the R2 Performance with the Launch Package. It comes with Autonomy+, a tow package, a launch key fob, access to an exclusive Launch Green paint color, and 330 miles of range. I’d say it’s worth it if you really, really want an R2 and already planned to buy one. If that’s the case, why not pay a bit more for a model that’s even more off-road ready?
The R2 has been touted as a weekend warrior for young backpackers. Rivian describes it as rugged and “ready to leave the pavement behind.” It’s definitely attempting to be more fun and adventurous than other EVs in the same price range, like the Tesla Model Y. If this is the kind of vehicle you want, the tow package seems like a nice touch.
However, if you’re not dying for an R2, you should just wait for the base model next year. There is really no point in paying extra, especially if you’re not planning to go off-roading. I think it’s a pretty cool SUV myself, but I’d probably wait until the base model came out unless I needed a new car sooner.
