Rivian R3 to be Meaningfully Cheaper Than the R2, CEO ConfirmsAutoGuide.comMarcus LewinskyMon, September 21, 2026 at 10:52 PM UTCAdd us on Googlerivian r3 to be meaningfully cheaper than the r2 ceo confirmsRivian's next model, the R3 hatchback, will arrive priced "materially lower" than the R2, CEO RJ Scaringe said in a recent interview. With the R2 eventually starting at $45,000, that points to an R3 that costs significantly less than that figure."The next product, which we creatively call R3, is going to take the price point down. We haven't announced pricing yet, but it will move materially lower," Scaringe said. "There's a product beyond that, called R4, which again moves that further."The R2 currently starts near $60,000 for its debut trim, the Performance edition with Launch Package. Rivian plans to release an R2 Standard by late 2027 priced at $45,000, with rear-wheel drive and a Rivian-estimated "275+" miles of range. R2 deliveries began in June, and Rivian expects the model to lift its annual EV sales as high as 70,000 units this year, its largest volume yet.AdvertisementAdvertisementDetails on the R3 remain thin. The hatchback, shown as a surprise reveal at the R2 event, will be built at Rivian's upcoming Georgia factory, which is slated to begin production in 2028. Scaringe has said the R3 lineup will launch with the R3X, a performance-focused variant tuned for off-road use.Beyond that, the picture gets vaguer. Scaringe indicated the R4 will cost even less than the R3, pointing toward a genuine budget EV, though its form factor remains unknown. On the Plugged-In Podcast in 2025, he described the R4 and R5 as "a sibling set, where you have two very different vehicles that share the same platform."The affordable EV segment now has more options than ever, with recent arrivals such as the price-cut Hyundai Ioniq 5, Subaru's Uncharted, and Toyota's bZ, even if most models on sale still carry higher stickers. As Scaringe commented, "It must go well."
