American brand, Rivian, is planning to bring its latest electric SUV – the Rivian R2 – to the UK in the next few years according to a report from Autocar.  

Rivian was established in 2009, and began selling vehicles in North America in 2021, with the R1T pick-up truck and R1S SUVs its only models. The R2 is a smaller, 4.7-metre long SUV that will rival the Tesla Model Y with an electric range of over 300 miles, and the option of a single motor, rear-wheel drive model and an all-wheel drive, dual motor version. 

What’s so special about the Rivian R2?

While Rivian hasn’t taken the world by storm, like Tesla, it is often rated as having technology that’s on a par – if not better than that of its American rival. Rivian’s real selling point is its new technology that reduces the number of ECUs needed across the platform while still maintaining world class software integration. We’d better hope it’s good, as Rivian’s tech will soon to be used by the VW Group and will appear first on the VW ID.1. 

Are there any other Rivian models coming to Europe?  

Rivian also intends to bring the smaller Rivian R3 – a smaller, raised hatchback that would rival the VW ID.3, Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq. The Rivian R3 hatchback uses the same platform as the bigger R2 SUV, and has also been shown as a rally-raid style 4x4 in the form of the R3X. 

When will the Rivian R2 come to the UK, and how much will it cost? 

Rivian has said that it intends to bring the R2 to Europe in 2026, where it will go on sale first in left-hand drive markets. The plan is to bring the R2 to the UK not long after, but exact dates are still unconfirmed.  

As for pricing, that’s also still to be confirmed but the R2 goes on sale in America for $45,000 – which is roughly £33,500. How the price would stack up by the time sales begin in Britain is another question, but we’d expect it to be much closer to the Tesla Model Y’s price of £45,000 and up.