Rivian’s R2 Helps Drive Record Q3 EV Deliveries

Rivian delivered 19,248 electric vehicles in the third quarter after building 19,751 vehicles, marking its strongest delivery period to date. The jump was roughly 45% compared with the same quarter last year. TechCrunch reports that the new, more affordable R2 SUV played a major role, though Rivian did not break out how many R2 units were included.

The third quarter was the R2’s first full quarter of sales after its June launch. Rivian plans to release full third-quarter financial results on October 29, which should give investors and EV watchers a clearer view of how the sales surge is affecting the business. For now, the headline takeaway is simple: Rivian’s broader lineup is gaining volume at a key moment.

Rivian has said the R2 currently starts at just under $60,000 and expects to sell between 20,000 and 25,000 R2 vehicles by the end of the year. The company also plans lower-cost models that could be priced as low as around $45,000. If Rivian reaches its targets, it believes it can sell between 65,000 and 70,000 total vehicles this year across the R2, R1 lineup, and commercial electric van.

Rivian is building the R2 at its factory in Normal, Illinois, where it expanded production space for the new SUV. It is also building a new factory outside Atlanta, Georgia, where it expects capacity of as many as 300,000 vehicles per year in the near future, with room to expand later. Strong R2 sales are important because Rivian needs the vehicle to help offset years of heavy losses while it also invests in autonomy and a robotaxi version of the R2 through a deal with Uber.