Rivian isn’t just positioning itself as an electric car company. It also wants to be an upmarket, environmentally-conscious adventure brand. (Think Patagonia, but for cars.) Their first two EVs — the R1T truck and R1S sport-utility vehicle — are badass, high-performance, gear-toting overlanders. Their third vehicle may aim toward the Subaru end of the off-roading spectrum…and not in the slow-crossover-clogging-a-two-lane-highway sense.
We knew Rivian’s third vehicle will be rally-inspired. CarBuzz, citing high-placed Rivian sources, offers some further details. According to them, the new vehicle is — at least at present — dubbed the “R2R.” It will use a quad-motor all-wheel-drive system producing up to 500 hp. The looks, reportedly, will be a cross between the old Subaru Impreza WRX wagon and the oft-maligned but off-road capable Isuzu Vehicross.
The R2R may even be affordable…relatively speaking. Rivian startled competitors by pledging a low (by luxury electric vehicle standards) starting price of $69,000 for the R1T and $72,000 for the R1S, and the base models may end up being even cheaper. CarBuzz says the price point will be “more agreeable” than those figures, which could make it well-placed to compete with some distinctly less off-road capable Tesla vehicles.
When the third Rivian vehicle will arrive remains unclear. Production and development timelines all over the automotive world have been set back by the pandemic; Rivian has already pushed back the R1T launch to 2021. But we’ll definitely be looking forward to driving it when it does.
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