The Sunday Drive, Rivian Week in Review, July 20 to July 26, 2026
Rivian halts Half Moon Grey R2 deliveries, sues the federal government over tariff refunds, and puts out a charging adapter warning. Plus R2 battery pack costs, a tire efficiency breakdown,… · Rivian
R2 Gets a Heat Pump Across the Entire Lineup
Wassym confirmed R2 is getting a heat pump across the entire lineup, not just the top trim. The more interesting part is what Rivian built around it. A bigger compressor and a better battery-coolant handoff mean R2 can hold cabin comfort during a DC fast charge even in serious heat, which anyone who’s sweated through a triple-digit charging session will appreciate.
Rivian Connect+ Free 60-Day Trial Brings Rivian Assistant to All Owners
Rivian just rolled out a 60-day free trial of Connect+ to all owners, which means you can finally try Rivian Assistant without paying for it. Update to 2026.15 to turn it on, and here’s what you get before the $14.99 a month kicks in.
RivianOS 2.0 Coming to R2 at Launch, R1 Later This Year
RivianOS 2.0 is launching on R2 first, with R1 vehicles getting it later this year. Rivian’s goal is one core operating system that feels the same across the lineup no matter how different the hardware is, which means R1 owners aren’t getting left behind on an old build.
Rivian R2 Configurator Is Live but You Cannot Build the Cheap One Yet
The R2 configurator is live and you can finally price one out, but the only trim you can build is the $57,990 Performance, and the roughly $45,000 R2 we were all sold on is nowhere on the page yet. Add in colors that mostly cost extra and a Performance that lands dollar for dollar with a Model Y Performance, and the attainable Rivian still feels like a future-tense thing.
Rivian R2 Software AMA With Wassym Bensaid Set for Thursday May 21
Rivian’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid is back for his third Reddit AMA this Thursday, May 21st, and this one is focused specifically on the R2 software platform. He’ll be live from the Palo Alto office between 11:30am and 3pm PST.
Why Rivian Stock Keeps Falling Despite R2 Launch and Q1 Earnings Beat
R2 production officially started in April, Q1 came in ahead of estimates with a third straight quarter of positive gross profit, deliveries grew 20 percent year over year, and Volkswagen raised its stake to 15.9 percent. RIVN is down 31 percent on the year anyway. The gap between what Rivian is doing and what the market is pricing in has rarely been this wide.
Why Rivian’s AI-Defined Vehicle Push Actually Matters
Rivian’s AI-defined vehicle framing sounded like marketing theater when Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid first dropped it on stage at Autonomy and AI Day back in December. Five months later, with Rivian Assistant actually shipping and a wider AI strategy coming into focus across voice, autonomy, and the Volkswagen joint venture, it’s a lot harder to write off as buzzword theater.
The Sunday Drive, Rivian Week in Review, May 11 to May 17, 2026
Big week. The R2 configurator went live with pricing and colors confirmed, accessories pricing dropped, Forest Green showed up in the wild at the Palo Alto Block Party, Rivian Assistant rolled out in 2026.15, and customer deliveries are basically days away.
Rivian R2 Accessories at Launch, Pricing and What to Know
Rivian rolled out the full R2 accessory lineup alongside the configurator going live, with pricing now available for everything from the NACS Wall Charger to All-Weather Mats and Cargo Crossbars. Most of it is priced in line with the R1 side, but there is one compatibility detail R1 owners will want to know about before launch.
Rivian R2 Configurator Goes Live Today With Pricing, Colors, and Launch Package Details
The Rivian R2 configurator is officially live, and Performance buyers can now price out a build starting at $57,990 with a spring 2026 delivery. Early orders get a Launch Package worth roughly $3,700 in extras, including lifetime Autonomy+, and there is a lot to dig into across colors, wheels, and trim timing.