R2 is launching as a Performance Launch Edition only, and a chunk of what got shown at SXSW isn't available at launch. Some configurations are coming later in 2026, others slip into 2027, and a few combos like Borealis on the single motor Standard aren't ever going to exist.
Rivian's Gear Shop Spring Savings event runs from April 23 through May 3, with discounts on a good mix of accessories and apparel that apply automatically at checkout and stack with Reward points.
If you're configuring a Launch Edition Performance R2, the 20" All-Terrain wheel upgrade is the smarter long term pick. The 21" All-Season runs a tire size nobody else makes yet, and R1 owners already know how that story goes. The range tradeoff is smaller than you might think.
R2 production is officially rolling at the Normal plant and customer deliveries are coming later this spring. CFO Claire McDonough confirmed the news in a Reuters interview this morning, along with some pretty wild cost numbers on what R2 is actually going to cost Rivian to build compared to the R1.
The gap between what RJ Scaringe has actually shipped in the last eighteen months and how anyone is talking about him feels wider than it should be. Here's the case for why he might be the most underrated CEO in automotive right now.
