RJ Scaringe confirmed to Reuters that Rivian is working on undisclosed R2 variants, even floating the R2X by name before catching himself and saying he didn't want to announce the program. With the Georgia plant being built for flexibility, an R2X performance trim, an R2 RAD Edition, and even a smaller R2T pickup all feel like real possibilities now.
Rivian topped Consumer Reports' Owner Satisfaction rankings for the third year in a row, but didn't pick up a single S&P Global Mobility loyalty award and slipped below average in J.D. Power's premium EV study. Same brand, three of the bigger industry surveys, three different stories, and the reason behind the gap is more interesting than the headlines suggest.
Volkswagen just raised its Rivian stake to 15.9% after another round of share purchases tied to the joint venture's milestone-based structure, putting VW closer than ever to being one of Rivian's most influential outside stakeholders.
Rivian confirmed today that the Cargo Crossbars sold for R1 will not be interchangeable with R2, which is a tough pill for anyone planning to own both trucks given the $700 to $800 price tag on the existing accessory.
Welcome to The Sunday Drive, a new weekly recap rounding up everything from the week in one spot. This first one covers R2 saleable production starting, Q1 2026 earnings, a Georgia plant capacity bump, $1B from VW, and a handful of smaller stories.
