I Drove A Rivian R2 Prototype. It

When you buy a Rivian R1S, you’re getting an electric SUV that can do almost anything. The R1S offers superb range, a surprising amount of power and speed, solid off-road capability and software that makes the car better and better over time. 

The downside is that you also have to pay a lot. If you want a dual-motor R1S with decent range and equipment, you’re looking at spending about $85,000 and up. A loaded version will put you over $100,000. Compelling as Rivian’s EVs are, their price tags have inherently limited the company’s dreams of growing beyond a startup and becoming a major, mass-appealing automaker. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

That’s what makes the upcoming Rivian R2 so important. In theory, it should offer most of the R1S’ capabilities in a smaller package that’s every bit as quick, actually more technologically advanced—and maybe, just maybe, about half as expensive. Such a car wouldn’t just be key to Rivian’s survival. It would be a breath of fresh air for the challenged American electric-vehicle landscape in 2026.

But after driving a nearly production-ready R2 prototype, I think it’s possible Rivian can pull this off. And then comes the hard part.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

(Full Disclosure: Rivian covered travel and lodging for this test.) 

2026 Rivian R2 (Prototype Ver.)

Base Price TBD (Manufacturer $45,000 est.)

As-Tested Price TBD

Battery 87.4 kWh (Preliminary Estimate)

EV Range 300+ miles (Manufacturer Estimate)

Charge Time 10% to 80% in 30 min. (Manufacturer Estimate)

Output 656 horsepower, 609 lb-ft of torque

Charge Type Tesla-style NACS (Max Charge Speed Unknown)

Drive Type Dual-Motor AWD (As Tested)

2026 Rivian R2 Dual-Motor: Specs And Features

The dual-motor R2 prototype that I drove is close to what the vehicle’s launch trim will be, Rivian officials said. It packs more than 300 miles of range, 656 horsepower, 609 lb-ft of torque, and a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.6 seconds. 

That’s some serious heat for a family-friendly SUV that’s not only positioned against the ubiquitous Tesla Model Y but also potentially against mainstream gas-powered crossovers. The power and speed alone are on par with a dual-motor R1S with the Performance Upgrade. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

Rivian still isn’t talking dollars for now, but it has long said the targeted starting price is $45,000. Lately, company execs have said the launch version will be more well-appointed and more expensive, but not range-topping; exactly what that all means remains to be seen. The final range figures and battery sizes haven’t been released yet either, but my tester’s frunk-lid sticker indicated an 87.4-kilowatt-hour pack for whatever version this R2 is.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

Rivian says the R2 will charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes, though its max charging speeds remain undisclosed. We also know that it’ll use a 400-volt architecture, not an 800-volt system as you see in some ultra-fast-charging EVs.

Your average person could easily mistake the R2 for the R1S. That makes sense, given how an early R2 design actually led to the R1S. But the R2 is 15 inches down in length, four inches smaller in width, and almost 11 full inches shorter in height. (They may not look it, but the R2 and the Model Y are pretty much the same size.) 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

Rivian’s Chief Design Officer Jeff Hammoud told me this was a deliberate choice. They didn’t want the “fast jellybean” shape that defines so many modern EVs, Hammoud said, and Rivian’s existing customers already loved the R1S’ distinctly boxy shape. 

“Certain vehicles, I’ll use a [Porsche] 911 for example, if you put a sheet over top of it, you could ask pretty much anyone, and they’d say a 911 is underneath,” Hammoud said. Rivian wanted to deliver the same kind of instantly recognizable shape. The squared-off design also helped designers keep the beltline low and the greenhouse tall to maximize both outward visibility and interior space, he said.

Rivian’s Jeff Hammoud

Photo by: Patrick George

Rivian executives also told me they’re undeterred by the design similarities between the R1S and the R2. If all goes according to plan, the R2 will be the first Rivian many people see—not just a premium SUV for wealthy Californians and the Hamptons crowd, but something that could be as popular as the Model Y is in almost every American city. 

But what makes the R2 especially notable is that it isn’t just a shrunk-down and de-contented R1S. It should be a better car.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

The R2 rides on a completely new EV platform from its predecessors, one that uses about half as many raw materials and components for dramatically reduced costs. It uses almost four miles less wiring per car than the very first R1 models did. It uses new batteries, new electric drive units, more powerful new computer hardware, a more advanced software platform, and it opens the door for more sophisticated automated driving assistance tech—eventually including lidar as Rivian aims for full self-driving. 

“Our mission is very clear,” the R2’s Chief Engineer, Max Koff, told me. “It’s to deliver an amazing product that blows people’s minds.” 

Rivian’s Max Koff

Photo by: Patrick George

The team may have had no choice. Without the $7,500 tax credit and with nearly all other competitors, including Tesla, dialing back their EV plans, Rivian’s future depends on making a product that can sell solely on its own merits. Here’s what stood out most from my time behind the wheel.

It’s Very Fast—And The Size Is Great

Okay, the price isn’t the “only” downside to the R1S. For many people, its sheer size is another. All the horsepower in the world—and it offers plenty—can’t mask the fact that the three-row R1S is a pain to park on the street or in many garages. I see them all the time in New York City; I’ve driven them there, too, and it’s not an experience I enjoy. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

The R2’s size is much more my jam, and I suspect many families will feel the same way. It’s not even far off the 2026 Toyota RAV4 I tested recently: capable, comfortable, roomy without being too big, about as mainstream as popular American SUVs and crossovers get.

The R2 feels just like a shrunk-down R1S inside, but it never feels cramped. Or worse, like a tall hatchback, as the Ford Mustang Mach-E or Model Y sometimes can. Thank that boxy shape that Hammoud and co. championed so much. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

You might think that when you add 656 hp to a vehicle that size, it’d be a verified screamer. And guess what? You thought right. The R2, in this trim at least, is viscerally fast—the kind of “scare the hell out of your passengers” EV that can convince people to break up with gas. Its passing power was genuinely surprising, up there with some of the best sports cars I’ve tested.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Rivian

Still, don’t expect the sheer agility of something like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. I thought the R2’s size still makes it more of a cruise missile than a true canyon-carver. Then again, better drivers than me at this event pulled ahead hard on the mountain roads, so maybe its cornering limits are higher than I could take advantage of.

It Can Off-Road, Too

The R2 doesn’t have an adaptive air suspension like the R1S for cost reasons. But it still corners pretty flat and with minimal body roll for its size. And it doesn’t seem to sacrifice off-road prowess, either. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

After some on-pavement adventures, we took the Rivian R2 to the Wildomar OHV area in nearby Murrieta, Calif. for a quick run up and down a series of dusty inclines. Equipped with all-terrain tires—unlike the summer performance rubber found on some Rivians—and aided by its dual-motor AWD system, the R2 handled the trail confidently.

Like the rest of the Rivian family, it offers a range of drive modes, including All-Terrain, Rock Crawl and Sport, each of which meaningfully alters the SUV’s character. In All-Terrain mode, the R2 charged up the inclines with impressive ease.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Rivian

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Rivian

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Rivian

Photos by: Rivian

It did even better going down. Even though the R2 doesn’t have a dedicated hill descent control mode, its regenerative braking system kind of handles that automatically. While this wasn’t the most complicated trail I’ve ever driven, the R2 took care of steep drops and light rock-crawling better than I expected. 

I don’t know how many people will off-road their Rivian R2s, or currently do so with their R1S-es and R1Ts. But if they want to get into it, the R2 can handle itself.

The Haptic Halo Wheels Take Some Getting Used To 

Here’s one big departure from the R1 models. The steering wheel buttons have been replaced with two wheels that move up and down, side to side, and “click” almost like a mouse button with haptic feedback.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

Photos by: Patrick George

The “Halo Wheels” are programmable and used to operate many different functions via the driver display, including the audio system, climate control, drive modes, automated driving assistance systems and more.

You won’t find many other physical controls in the R2’s cabin, and that’s a deliberate choice, Rivian software chief Wassym Bensaid told me. Buttons, he said, can generally only control one thing at a time; they aren’t “software-defined,” so it’s hard to get them to do more things as new features are added over time. “We are introducing a concept where the steering wheel… can evolve over time, hand in hand with the UI, and have that holistic experience,” Bensaid said. 

I didn’t fully get used to them on my brief drive; moving the left wheel up and down to control the volume was easy, but the side movement to cycle through audio tracks proved frustrating at times. The same went for using the right wheel to move between climate functions and map displays.

But I think that with some software fine-tuning—and maybe some in-screen tutorial icons—an R2 driver will get the hang of it. It’s like switching to an iPhone or an iPad for the first time, if you’re old enough to remember that. Some gestures you use often, others you hardly do. But this is a very novel approach to car controls and I’m eager to see where Rivian takes it.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

It Feels Like Something Different

If modern electric crossovers are guilty of one thing, it’s adhering too closely to the Model Y playbook. This isn’t to say that all EVs drive the same, as many critics claim. I don’t agree with that. But many entrants in this size and price range just don’t feel radically different from one another. 

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

The R2, however, is a different animal. If anything, it feels a bit closer to an overpowered Toyota 4Runner than another Model Y clone. The R2 still has that truck- and SUV-like jounce to the suspension to make it feel off-road-capable, even if it also comes with excellent on-road manners and tons of speed.

The haptic click wheels, for better or worse, are something truly unique. And then you get to all the distinctly Rivian menus and graphics. The R2 feels like it was designed by people who were genuinely trying to have fun, rather than meticulously craft an interior that mimics a Scandinavian prison from the future. (Like the R1 models, the R2 still forces you to operate the air vents from a screen, and I still hate that.)

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

In other words, the R2 isn’t an appliance. Too many EVs can feel that way. This one actually has some emotion behind it. And maybe that sort of energy is what the space needs right now.

I Wanted More

My professional analysis is that if the R2’s final price is competitive, it will sell well. That’s especially true out in California, where around 20% of new car sales are already EVs.

2026 Rivian R2 Prototype Drive

Photo by: Patrick George

My personal opinion is that I didn’t want to give it back. I have driven a few prototypes, but rarely one so comprehensively charming, fast and capable. I wanted to do more highway pulls in the R2. I wanted to go back to the trails. I wanted to take it camping. I wanted to take it on a cross-country road trip. I wanted to take it to Wegman’s, even, to show it off to my friends and family. It just seems like it’s up for all of that, and then some.

I still have my doubts: that the launch will be bug-free, that any new EV can fight through the noise and make an impact in 2026, that the final price won’t turn people off, or that people are willing to warm up to such a new brand they’ve had comparatively little experience with. Rivian doesn’t have quite the hype Tesla did when it launched the Model 3 and Model Y, for example, but it needs this car to be similarly successful. 

When we’ve spoken to Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, he’s insisted that the key to wider EV adoption is—get this—cars that are actually good. Worth buying for more than just cheap lease deals and tax breaks. Americans, he says, haven’t had many great choices yet beyond Tesla and a handful of others.

But if the R2 is good enough to surprise people, and I think it is, then it may just defy the odds.

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

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