R2 Early Production Vehicle Sneak Peak on CNBC [Ride Along Video w/ RJ Scaringe]

[MountainBikeDude]

Watch the full segment:
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/02/04/rivian-r2-suv-rj-scaringe.html

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[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Can you say “awe-struck”?

 

[VandalSibs]

I sure hope that this is a button for a "Home" screen....

 

[iamnid]

I sure hope that this is a button for a "Home" screen....

It looks more like the quick controls that let you open the frunk, rear hatch, etc. that we have right now along the top of the screen.

 

[VandalSibs]

It looks more like the quick controls that let you open the frunk, rear hatch, etc. that we have right now along the top of the screen.

Yeah it does..... but it normally doesn't show up in that bottom row of icons right now. So I'm crossing my fingers!

Granted, I'm pretty sure that we're all gonna get some sort of interface refinement around the time R2 launches to bring things closer together across the Rivian line-up... but we'll see!

 

[Eric9610]

Just remember the R2 display is much smaller than the R1 and reorganization of the menus will be inevitable.

 

[bfilippo]

Great piece!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Some notable nuggets:

Reservation holders take heed and not let expectations run wild: “I’ve covered the auto industry for almost 15 years and I’ve never seen a flawless launch…” This is a true observation and those expecting perfection would be unrealistic and setting themselves up for pain.

Now we know what could be intent for registered "R4": robot taxi

Yeah it does..... but it normally doesn't show up in that bottom row of icons right now. So I'm crossing my fingers!

Granted, I'm pretty sure that we're all gonna get some sort of interface refinement around the time R2 launches to bring things closer together across the Rivian line-up... but we'll see!

What you are seeing is a different organization of UI for R2. Note the menu bar at top (R1) is absent and its contents moved elsewhere—most likely to improve usability. And maybe also due to different display sizes.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

My biggest takeaway is that the adults in the backseat looked very comfortable.

 

[kanundrum]

Steering Wheel scroll dials stay
Seat seems to not have much bolster which is a shame
rear is basic

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Seat seems to not have much bolster which is a shame
rear is basic

Common theme in the auto biz, to save weight and cost. "Optimization". If done right (higher density foam in the right shape and places) it can still be comfortable.

 

[macb00kemdanno]

Seat seems to not have much bolster which is a shame

This has been known for a while. Granted, I don't think I'll be corner carving in an R2...

 

[JeepEVer]

A pre-production R2 was shown, and no new information here. Disappointed in this CNBC report.

But 23 months after putting down my reservation I am still super excited to be able to place my order for an R2, and hopefully in the next few months! And then many more months until delvery.

 

[SadHill]

He did say it was an early pre-production vehicle. So I wonder how much we saw in it won’t be in the actual production model.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

A pre-production R2 was shown, and no new information here. Disappointed in this CNBC report.

But 23 months after putting down my reservation I am still super excited to be able to place my order for an R2, and hopefully in the next few months! And then many more months until delvery.

You won't see new info until Rivian holds their official launch event. If they've given journalists anything new until then, it'd be off-the-record and under media embargo. And journalists, especially those employed by larger outlets—like CNBC and have professional standards—are incentivized to not leak, and risk damaging their own reputation and get black listed (and lose ability to access any scoops in the future).

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