American electric vehicle manufacturer, Rivian introduced the Rivian R2 an all-new mid-size SUV in the USA. The brand, at the launch, also introduced a hot hatchback – Rivian R3, based on the same midsize platform. Rivian also revealed that the brand will be launching a performance variant of the R3, christened the R3X – a modern retro electric hot hatch from our dreams.
Rivian is placing the R3 below the R2 in terms of pricing, the latter of which is expected to start with a tag of USD 45,000 MSRP. In addition to this, the brand also revealed that the brand is working on its cost through manufacturing, design innovation, and robust supply chain development. Thanks to this, Rivian will be available to a wide range of consumers, at least in the U.S.
The R3X mid-size crossover comes with a distinctive design that reverberates with other Rivian models. The Rivian R3X comes with a sporty and athletic silhouette and a hatch style design. On the inside, the brand reveals that it has worked on the legroom of the vehicle to offer a comfortable drive on long trips. The seats also fold flat enhancing the luggage carrying capacity of the vehicle. The R3X also gets two landscape screens for the driver and central infotainment. The R3X also gets a Squircle steering wheel with rotary controls. In addition to this, the car also comes with a grey and beige cork-texture dashboard and beige seats with aluminium and orange inserts.
The Rivian R3X features Rivian’s all-new platform that claims to deliver a balance between performance, range and efficiency. The platform features a structural battery unit and uses high pressure die casting. The top of the battery unit also serves as the floor thanks to its intelligent design. The drive unit of the R3X also features the network architecture, computer topology and software stack all developed internally by Rivian.
The Rivian R3X will be the performance variant of the R3, however, details of the powertrain are still scarce. What we know is that the in-house drive unit that powers the R2 will come with a Single-Motor (Rear-Wheel Drive), Dual-Motor (All-Wheel Drive), and Tri-Motor (two motors in rear and one in front) configuration. In its top-spec the drive unit is capable of propelling the car from 0-100 kmph in more or less 3 seconds. Also, the all-new 4695 cell is capable of delivering close to 482 km of range on a single charge. The battery is also capable of DC fast charging and takes less than 30 minutes to charge from 10% SOC to 80% SOC.
The Rivian R3 also comes with features such as 11 cameras and five radars offering dramatically advanced autonomous capabilities. The brand claims that the R3 comes with a combination performance, off-road capability, passenger comfort, and storage. The R3X on the other hand will offer even more abilities both on-road and off-road.
Currently, customers in the USA can book the Rivian R2 by putting down USD 100 as the booking amount. The brand announced that deliveries for the R2 are expected to begin in the first half of 2026. Furthermore, the R3 and R3X deliveries are scheduled to commence after R2. Also, Rivian revealed that the Rivian R3X will be available internationally following their North American launch.
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