Rivian Launches $45,000 R2 SUV as North America EV Sales Fall 21%
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 20
Rivian Launches $45,000 R2 SUV as North America EV Sales Fall 21%
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 20
Summary
Rivian’s new R2 SUV, released in June at about $45,000, gives the EV maker a lower-priced model at roughly half the cost of its R1 predecessor.
More than 400 robots and in-house factory software at Rivian’s 7 million-square-foot Illinois plant are central to its push to build the R2 more efficiently and scale U.S. production.
That rollout comes in a sharply weaker market: North American EV sales fell 21% in the year through August versus the same period in 2025, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
U.S. policy has added pressure after the Trump administration eliminated EV tax credits and weakened fuel-efficiency rules, even as trade barriers keep cheaper Chinese EVs largely out of the market.