Rivian unveils three new EVs with surprise launch of R3 and R3X

  • Rivian unveiled three new SUVs, including two nobody was expecting
  • All three are smaller than the Rivian R1T/R1S
  • All three will be available with three engine options

Published on Mar 08, 2024 at 3:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis

Last updated on Mar 15, 2024 at 4:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Adam Gray

Rivian has unveiled three new vehicles.

And one of them is making people talk for all the right reasons.

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Rivian is one of Tesla’s most credible rivals as a US-based, EV-only automaker.

Just like Tesla, it started out as a ‘two-bit’ startup before becoming a fully-fledged automaker – and a public company, too.

Obviously, Tesla’s market value is larger, by a significant margin, and they sell more cars, too.

However, Rivian occupies a slightly different segment of the market – a bit more premium perhaps.

After the Rivian R1T and R1S, truck and SUV respectively, the company unveiled the R2.

As the name suggests, the R2 (pictured below) is a smaller and cheaper version of the R1.

However, it’s the other vehicle, the R3, that’s causing quite the stir.

The R3 is a super-compact SUV that looks like a combination between a crossover and a mid-size hatchback.

There’s also a ‘hot’ version, the R3X, which is the one people are talking about.

The R3X is going viral on X because people see similarities between that and various iconic vehicles, starting with the Lancia Delta Integrale.

Other users also think it looks like a VW Golf Cross Country and even the Lada Niva, a plucky, no-nonsense off-roader from the Soviet-era USSR.

Spec-wise, both the R2 and R3 will be available with a Single-, Dual- or Tri-Motor variant.

The Tri-Motor version does 0 to 60 mph (0-97 km/h) in under three seconds.

Thanks to DC fast-charging, both are capable of charging from 10 percent to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes, which is basically the same as the record-breaking Li Auto Mega.

And there’s also another reason why the R2 is a big deal.

Apparently, this’ll be the first Rivian to be available outside of North America and in Europe.

Hopefully the R3 will be available in the Old Continent, too.

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Experienced content creator with a strong focus on cars and watches. Alessandro penned the first-ever post on the Supercar Blondie website and covers cars, watches, yachts, real estate and crypto. Former DriveTribe writer, fixed gear bike owner, obsessed with ducks for some reason.