Rivian R2

Rivian is about to hit pause in Normal, Illinois. According to Chris Hilbert on Twitter, the factory will shut down starting September 15 for a three-week retool, with production expected to restart in early October. We reached out to Rivian for confirmation, and while they didn’t share much beyond what’s already out there, they did send us this short statement: “We have a three week shutdown to retool in preparation for building R2 next year. We look forward to sharing…

The excitement around Rivian’s upcoming R2 is real, and honestly, it feels deserved. This isn’t just another EV, it’s Rivian finally stepping into the mainstream. The R1T and R1S are amazing trucks, but with starting prices well north of $80K, they’ve always been a little out of reach for a lot of people. The R2 changes that. We’re talking about a mid-size SUV starting around $45,000 (hopefully). That’s a massive shift. Suddenly, Rivian isn’t just the cool, outdoorsy brand for…

RJ Scaringe gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the R2 on social media, showing the battery, propulsion system, and chassis coming together in the marriage fixture at Rivian’s pilot line. This is the stage right before the body is added, and the packaging on the R2 looks incredibly clean and well thought out, which RJ called out as one of his favorite parts of the design.

Rivian just shared a behind-the-scenes look at the R2’s first builds, and it’s clear this vehicle is designed for scale. The R2 is simpler by design, with subframes and suspension components that snap together quickly to speed up assembly. Engineers are fine-tuning every step now to avoid issues when full production starts. These early R2s are already hitting the desert for intense testing. From deep sand and boulders to water troughs and gravel impacts, the goal is to push the…