2027 Rivian R2 Standard Starts at $46,235Rivian (Rivian)With customer deliveries for the $60k 2026 Rivian R2 Performance Launch Package beginning today, the electric vehicle company has finally announced plans for its long-promised entry-level R2 model. Priced at $46,235 to start (including destination and delivery), the new single-motor, rear-drive R2 Standard will feature a different battery than the $49,985 R2 Standard Long Range and is expected to achieve a Rivian-estimated 275 miles to a charge versus 345 miles for the pricier model.Like the long-range version, the R2 Standard will feature a single "Maximus" permanent-magnet motor good for 350 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque and an estimated 5.9-second 0–60 mph time. The biggest change—and the likely driver for the $3,500 gap between the two models—concerns the R2 Standard's battery, as it doesn't appear to have the same 87.9 kWh pack as the rest of the R2 lineup. Rivian says the Standard's battery capacity is yet to be confirmed and it wouldn't elaborate any further about the pack's size or other details. But sources at the company told us that the R2 Standard will use the same 4695 cell as the R2's other battery.We suspect that Rivian is able to shave cost by using a different battery chemistry for the R2 Standard's pack. In the R1 lineup, the "Standard" pack has an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) chemistry, which is cheaper to manufacture but less energy dense than the NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) "Large" and "Max" battery packs it also offers. With the R2 Standard Long Range (as well as the R2 Premium and R2 Performance) confirmed to have NCMA (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Aluminum) chemistry, we think that the savings—and resulting range hit—probably comes from employing an LFP pack in the base R2.AdvertisementAdvertisementElsewhere, it appears that equipment levels between the R2 Standard and R2 Standard Long Range should roughly match. Outside, "Esker Silver" will be the only no-cost color option, and 19-inch wheels are standard. Inside, the R2 Standard will have black faux-leather seats with stylish textured cloth and plastic-like accents, helping to ensure the vehicle doesn't feel cheap compared to pricier R2s.There's been a move lately by electric automakers to offer more affordable versions of their vehicles, likely in response to the loss of government incentives and the continued perception that EVs cost more than equivalent gas-powered models. Tesla, for instance, now offers a cheaper version of both the Model 3 and Model Y, with the latter starting at $41,630 at today's prices and offering up to 321 miles of range. Chevrolet also offers an entry-level version of its Equinox LT, which starts at $36,795 and nets 319 miles of range.Rivian says more information on the new 2027 R2 Standard will be available closer to its planned launch in the summer of 2027, with the R2 Standard Long Range arriving before it in the spring of next year.
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