Everything Rivian Is Doing at SXSW 2026

Rivian is back as the headline sponsor of SXSW 2026, and this year it’s all about R2. From March 13 through 18, Rivian is setting up shop on South Congress in Austin with the Electric Roadhouse, a hub for panels, live music, and most importantly, your first real chance to see R2 in person.

The R2 lineup will be on display daily from 9am to 7pm with full details on pricing, specs, colors, wheels, and interior options. But the real highlight is the R2 Electric Joyride, an off-road passenger ride on a custom course built right in the middle of downtown Austin. You won’t be driving, but an expert driver will take you through steep hills, sharp turns, and rough terrain so you can actually feel what R2 can do. That alone makes it worth the trip.

The event kicks off March 13 with RJ Scaringe and Mark Rober hosting “Are You Faster than a Robot?”, an interactive challenge pitting audience members against an autonomous robot built through a new Rivian and CrunchLabs partnership. Throughout the week, there’s a solid lineup of panels too. Rivian’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid talks AI-defined vehicles with Fast Company, RJ Scaringe joins Kara Swisher for a conversation on EV adoption, Chief Design Officer Jeff Hammoud leads a discussion on nature-inspired design, and CFO Claire McDonough joins a panel on women driving innovation across legacy industries.

Beyond the main programming, the Electric Roadhouse will have a hospitality lounge, Proud Mary coffee off the tailgate of an R1T, live music curated by KUTX, giveaways from Dometic, and pop-ups around Austin with limited-edition tote bags and a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream truck. ALSO will also be on-site with test rides of their TM-B electric bike.

If you’re anywhere near Austin during SXSW, this is shaping up to be the best opportunity to experience R2 before deliveries begin. The RivianTrackr team will be on the ground covering everything firsthand, so stay tuned to RivianTrackr.com for live updates and full coverage as the event unfolds.