The Sunday Drive, Rivian Week in Review, April 27 to May 3, 2026

Kicking off something new today, The Sunday Drive. Every Sunday I’ll round up everything I covered through the week so you can catch up on anything you missed in one spot. This first one is a heavy one, mostly because Thursday alone had enough news for a full week.

That big day kicked off with R2 saleable production officially starting on April 22, customer deliveries landing in the next few weeks, and Q1 revenue at $1.38 billion with deliveries up 20% year over year to 10,365. Full earnings breakdown in R2 Rolls Off the Line as Rivian Posts Q1 2026 With $1B VW Cash and a Bigger Georgia Plant.

The Georgia plant news got read sideways in a few headlines. The DOE loan technically shrank from up to $6.6 billion to up to $4.5 billion, but Phase 1 capacity actually went up 50% to 300,000 units a year. Production still on track for late 2028. Context in Rivian’s Georgia Plant Just Got Bigger, Even If the Headlines Say Otherwise.

A LinkedIn post from a newly promoted R2 Group Leader hinted that Rivian is already staffing the night shift just over a week into volume production. More in Rivian Quietly Staffing R2 Night Shift Just Days After Production Start.

Did a full dimensional breakdown of the R2 against the R1S earlier in the week. The R2 is meaningfully smaller in every way that matters but somehow has more rear legroom than its big brother. Side by side in Rivian R2 Dimensions, How It Compares to the R1S.

On the paint side, Borealis is being skipped on Launch Edition entirely, Forest Green is coming later this year, and Coastal Cloud Signature might join the party. Full update in R2 Launch Edition Paint Options, Borealis Skipped and Forest Green Coming Later.

The first video of the production R2’s rear wiper finally showed up too, and it works exactly like you’d hope. Quick read here, First Video of the Rivian R2 Rear Wiper in Action.

The RJ pay story made the rounds and got read pretty badly almost everywhere. The $403 million figure is technically correct but most of it is paper value tied to options that only pay out if Rivian roughly 9x’s. Actual cash was closer to $25 million. Breakdown in RJ Scaringe Didn’t Actually Make $403 Million in 2025.

Rivian also expanded its Caruso partnership with more than 150 DC fast chargers going into Caruso properties across Southern California, plus two new showrooms. Story here, Rivian and Caruso Expand Partnership with 150 Plus Fast Chargers and Two New Showrooms in Southern California.

Marketing finally got a permanent leader, with Jenny Lewis joining as VP, Head of Marketing and eCommerce after RJ held the role on an interim basis since October 2025. More in Rivian Hires Jenny Lewis as New VP of Marketing and eCommerce.

And on the ALSO side, the first TM-B Launch Edition bikes are confirmed shipping at the end of June, keeping things roughly inside the spring 2026 window. Read here, ALSO Confirms First TM-B Launch Edition Bikes Ship in June 2026.

Customer R2s should start landing in driveways soon. Catch you on the next Sunday Drive.