Poll: Should Rivian Consider a 3-row R2 model?

[Swezey]

they should, they could call it... the... R1S. It would be revolutionary.

/thread, next

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[captainjp]

No

 

[Eric9610]

Rivian needs to make the current R1S a 4-seater with captain seats in the second row and move them back further. Then they need to make a true 3 row SUV on the R1T platform and wheelbase with 4 wheel steering.

 

[VandalSibs]

No way - I'd actually prefer if they offered a cargo 2-seater version, like Tesla does in Europe.
My wife and I never haul people, we haul three dogs. Extra seats for humans means less space for dogs.

Tesla has never sold a two-seat vehicle ever, to my knowledge. Do you have a link or evidence that Tesla has that as an option?

 

[Mos Eisley]

 

[Mos Eisley]

Tesla has never sold a two-seat vehicle ever, to my knowledge. Do you have a link or evidence that Tesla has that as an option?

They do... in France

https://electrek.co/2024/03/06/tesla-launches-model-y-2-seats-smart-business-solution/

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Rivian wants to continue to sell the R1 lineup. In my opinion, they will take what they have learned from the R2 and apply it to the Gen 3 R1. This means structural battery pack with 4695 cells, haptic halo wheels, new OS, faster RAP1 chipset, LiDar, and maybe even the R1 base model having a more traditional suspension to reduce cost and slot right in between the highest-end R2 and the lowest-end R1.

Again this is only my opinion, but I can’t see them purposely cannibalizing the R1 with the R2, even though it will happen naturally to some extent due to the value proposition for some people realizing they don’t need a 3-row SUV, don’t need a highly capable off-road vehicle, don’t want to pay for expensive repairs and insurance, etc.

Also, the Illinois Plant is set up to produce the R1 lineup (the tooling, the lines, etc.) Once the Georgia Plant gets online (2028?) and starts pumping out the R2 and R3 then I feel like the Illinois Plant will return its focus to producing the Gen 3 R1. They’re probably already developing it now. It’s an extremely over-engineered vehicle and they can take even more cost out of it than they did with the Gen 2 R1.

I personally think they should shut up about the R4 and R5 as well. This is a surefire way to get many people to sit on the fence and wait for everything to come out when they really need sales to focus on their current offerings. Sell an R2 or an R1 now, then introduce new models a few years later that might suit a customers needs better and get them to do a trade-in and/or upgrade.

I’m hopeful that everything will work out and I can’t wait to get my R2 and eventually an R3 for my wife. This is what Rivian should be hyper focused on in addition to expanding service, expanding their charging network in remote places, working on the Gen 3 R1, autonomy, etc. They have more than enough to do.

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

I test drove the R2 yesterday. Nice vehicle more "well put together" than my Tri R1T, but is just to small for us. Just my opinion, but they should put a fixed suspension & other cost savings used in the R2 into an R1. According to my Rivian engineer neighbor that would take $17,000 out of the cost. With new X5 EV (which supposedly is larger than previous version) starting at $81,000, 144kw battery, 435 mi range & 10-80 in 20 minutes Rivian will need to do something relatively quickly. Their probably is low R1 sales make every variant more expensive per unit.

I said the same thing in my post. Have an entry-level R1 with a more traditional suspension like the R2 and slot it in between the high-end R2 and low-end R1.

 

[Kidentist]

No! Stop it.

 

[tivoboy]

No,

just no.

 

[CrazyOne]

No, they will cannibalize their r1s sales

They absolutely should try to cannibalize sales. R1 costs so much more because of complexity. If that complexity isn't adding value for customers R1 can die or evolve.

If they don't do it, some other company will do it for them.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Why stop at at 3 rows?

 

[Eric9610]

I said the same thing in my post. Have an entry-level R1 with a more traditional suspension like the R2 and slot it in between the high-end R2 and low-end R1.

I don't know that they will have much savings in the weight department and that is what allowed them to switch to a lower cost solution. I am not aware of any 7k+ lbs car that uses tradtional suspension. The majority of the weight savings on the R2 comes directly from a smaller battery pack. the R1 is 20% larger pack vs R2.

I would love to have a standard suspension R1, I just don't see it in the cards as this adds complexity and cost to the production line.

I also believe the lower weight is what gives the R2 such a better driving feel.

 

[jrmbadger]

Tesla introducing the YL in the US is likely a response to strong competition from the R2 and the loss of the Model X. I believe Tesla would not launch the YL if it still sold the X. Similarly, I'd be surprised if Rivian did a 3 row version of the R2 while they are still selling the R1S.

Practically speaking, the three row model Y long range we own is nice - and the extra seats are certainly something that attracted us to the design as we have a large family, but the seats are VERY small and cramped. From reviews I've seen of the YL, the third row there is better but still not great and headroom is very bad. Also, from what I remember, Tesla eventually canceled the regular 3 row Y because of weak sales. That means, unless Rivian can engineer USABLE seating in a third row, e.g., by extending the wheel base, it likely won't sell well.

I'd focus my efforts, (if I were Rivian) on delivering the autonomy platform ASAP on the R2s and then getting the R3 out the door before worrying about a third row seat in the R2.

 

[VSG]

Oh please no. If you want a minivan just buy a minivan.

Regardless, the competition is not the Model Y. If you look at it that way then Rivian is just fighting to be a bigger fish in a very small pond (EV market in US). That's not success. Rivian's biggest competitors are ICE vehicles like the Subaru, which has some of the same adventure creds. If Rivian doesn't make inroads into the ICE market then its growth will be limited. There's plenty of market for an adventure vehicle, which isn't served by the Model Y.

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