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Should You Buy or Lease the Rivian R2 Launch Edition

R2 Catalina Cove

Leasing is confirmed for the R2 Launch Edition from day one, which is new territory for Rivian, and if you're trying to figure out how to pay for yours, I'd lean lease. Not for the money, but because R2 is a brand-new platform arriving right before LiDAR lands in late 2026, and that's hardware you can't add to an early build later. Here's the case for leasing, the case for buying, and why I'm personally doing the opposite of what I'd tell you to.

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What the Next-Generation Rivian R1 Could Bring in 2027

Rivian R1S Quad

The 2027 model year R1 is probably going to be a light refresh while Rivian keeps its head down on R2, so I'm looking past it to the next-generation R1 expected around summer 2027. Here's my full wishlist, from captain's chairs and the R2 LiDAR system to 800V, vehicle to home charging, and a battery that stops thermal limiting the second things heat up.

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The $130 Federal EV Fee Explained and How It Compares to Gas Tax

R1S Driving

The House wants EV owners paying $130 a year to the feds, and after running it against what gas drivers actually put into the Highway Trust Fund, the number is more defensible than the reaction. The real problem isn't the size of the fee, it's that they made it flat, so the person babying their R1S around town pays exactly the same as the one stacking 25,000 miles a year.

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