Overview
- Rivian began building R2 manufacturing validation units at its Normal, Illinois plant, according to CEO RJ Scaringe.
- These near-production vehicles use production-intent tooling to prove repeatable, high-volume manufacturing and to support crash and EPA range certification.
- The company says customer deliveries remain on schedule for the first half of 2026, with no specific date announced.
- Positioned around a $45,000 starting price to challenge Tesla’s Model Y, the R2 is expected by industry reporting to launch with higher-priced trims before the entry model.
- Rivian rapidly expanded the Normal facility by roughly 1.1 million square feet and plans a public R2 update later this quarter and further details on its February 12 earnings call, with one validation unit sent on a Route 66 road trip.