Will Gen3 hardware be included with R2 Launch Edition later?

[Eric9610]

FWIW this is about where I am.
I have an LE e-mail that says I should expect to be invited to order in Oct/Nov but also says " R2 Performance with Launch Package will remain available for you until it's your time to order."

Given that we have RJ setting investor expectations that Gen3 hardware will be available by EOY, and other folks having the same "will remain available" stanza when they're not expected to be invited to order until Feb 2027, I think it's likely that LEs will be available at some point with Gen3 - but TBH I am going to kick that can down the road as long as possible since I just foolishly leased an EV6 in late May (24 months) back when I figured that the earliest I'd be able to order with a Feb 2026 reservation was maybe this time next year. (Love the EV6 but it's not an R2, and Kia's very uninterested in ending my lease early.)

I also would not be entirely surprised if @Eric9610 was correct in predicting:
" They keep making [Performance] LE models for everyone that has a reservation. But the Premium [becomes available] with HW3." But I think it's more likely that since Performance trim -will- get LiDAR and RAP at some point, if things fall into place then there will be some later LEs with Gen3.

Rivian will need a model change for the production BOM and software plus certification this is why I believe that the more plausible option is to offer a new trim with HW3 and no LE. If they do offer a HW3 LE expect even larger lawsuits. I think Rivian is smarter than the past.

One line can produce P LE models and the other can produce Premium HW3 models. From a margin and $ perspective most logical.

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[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

FWIW this is about where I am.
I have an LE e-mail that says I should expect to be invited to order in Oct/Nov but also says " R2 Performance with Launch Package will remain available for you until it's your time to order."

Given that we have RJ setting investor expectations that Gen3 hardware will be available by EOY, and other folks having the same "will remain available" stanza when they're not expected to be invited to order until Feb 2027, I think it's likely that LEs will be available at some point with Gen3 - but TBH I am going to kick that can down the road as long as possible since I just foolishly leased an EV6 in late May (24 months) back when I figured that the earliest I'd be able to order with a Feb 2026 reservation was maybe this time next year. (Love the EV6 but it's not an R2, and Kia's very uninterested in ending my lease early.)

I also would not be entirely surprised if @Eric9610 was correct in predicting:
" They keep making [Performance] LE models for everyone that has a reservation. But the Premium [becomes available] with HW3." But I think it's more likely that since Performance trim -will- get LiDAR and RAP at some point, if things fall into place then there will be some later LEs with Gen3.

LE is LE and for launch time-frame. Once LiDAR and RAP enters production, it may not be available across all three non-Launch trims. It may just be Premium and Performance only and as an extra cost option (or combined with other options to make a optional tech package). Why do I think this? How the auto industry generally works, plus what's been done on R1. And semantically, it doesn't make sense to expect Launch to be available indefinitely. Like, 2 years after launch date isn't exactly launch any more is it? Launch typically means first-year production and some OEMs go further by limiting their LE to a specific number of units.

Original R1 LE, much like R2 LE, was basically top-spec with a few options made standard for LE only. Once LE R1 was removed from order books in (spring?) '23, R1 buyers had to add those options separately and at additional cost (like the 20" ATs and the reinforced underbody shielding).

If any of you R2-hopefuls has a case of FOMO, the answer is and has always been the same... You can delay and wait until more is known—or until they decide to force your hand with a "turn reservation into order or else" challenge, similar to what they did with dated vouchers to try to get original R1 price (pre-price hike) reservation holdouts off of the fence. Given current global climate on microchip production and supply... it wouldn't shock me if a price hike comes in the future. As big and powerful as it is, Apple resisted price hikes but ultimately did. I'm sure other businesses, who include chips in their products, are thinking it.

And I maintain LiDAR and RAP will come with additional cost to the consumer. Because "free" is just too good to be true. So if that's what you want, because FOMO, then be prepared that you might have to pay more.

 

[CharonPDX]

Rivan.com AI has this to say "Rivian plans to begin internal testing of LiDAR and the Gen 3 autonomy platform in late 2026. Broader customer availability will follow as production ramps up, but there isn’t a specific date yet for when customers will be able to order vehicles with LiDAR and Gen 3 hardware. If you’re hoping to get these features this year, they likely won’t be available for customer orders by November or December.” and also: "here isn’t a set date for when LiDAR and Gen 3 autonomy will be available on customer vehicles—including the Launch Edition. Rivian is starting internal testing of LiDAR-equipped vehicles in late 2026, and broader customer access will follow as production ramps up. So, if you’re hoping to get the Launch Edition with LiDAR and Gen 3, it’s not expected to be an option at launch or in the near term."

LOL. I asked Rivian Assistant AI about R3 timelines, and it just replied "R2 will start shipping to customers in Q2, 2026".

 

[mdpa]

My theory is I that I have timed things perfectly; access to the Launch Edition, but late in the year. It will be a better version than anyone foolish enough to order early.

 

[Dark-Fx]

My theory is I that I have timed things perfectly; access to the Launch Edition, but late in the year. It will be a better version than anyone foolish enough to order early.

Unless they decide to take things away for the sake of cost cutting.

 

[srkz]

The point is to have an exclusive, time limited deal to pull sales forward due to FOMO or genuine excitement. [...] Also, if they change the meaning of "launch edition" now, they'll have a hoard of angry customers that already bought the initial version.

It's not really a "Launch Edition" if there is a second, revised version of it with a different set of capabilities versus let's say making an under-the-hood technical fix if they identify a fault with some component.

I therefore agree with others that it is unlikely.

I agree with both of you, but that's exactly what they did when they had a Gen 1 quad-motor R1 "launch edition" in 2022, stopped selling it, and then had a big yay-for-us party and released the Gen 2 quad-motor R1 "launch edition" in 2025. Point being not that I think it's likely they'll include gen 3 hardware at the same price as the launch edition, but that they have a proven history of selling a launch edition that isn't quite ready yet, killing it off quickly and sweeping it under the rug and then selling a second launch edition with a strong whiff of "this is the one we really meant to sell all along."

Technically the underlying hardware for RAP1/LiDAR won't have any consumer facing capability difference since any differentiating software won't show up for at least a year or more after it comes out.

it's been beaten to death, Autonomy performance between gen2 and gen3 will be practically the same for many years to come.

I've got a bridge to sell you guys. It took them less than a year after releasing Gen 2 R1 before they disabled the Gen 1 autonomy camera and abandoned the Gen 1 autonomy platform entirely. A little over a year before UHF was released which was the first really significant feature improvement. That one year delay was little solace to the people driving around in one year old Gen 1 R1s with abandoned autonomy platforms.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Will it happen again the same way? Maybe, maybe not. Expect a repeat of their proven behavior and be pleasantly surprised when it doesn't happen, or expect a corporation to be altruistic and lay all their cards on the table at the start of the game and get taken for a ride.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Or why care so much about autonomous driving and be a fool?

I buy cars that are enjoyable and engaging to drive. Because I want the driving to be engaging, so that I'm alert and engaged. The ones that prove to be boring and a chore to drive, I get rid of them.

 

[srkz]

Or why care so much about autonomous driving and be a fool?

fool
/fo͞ol/

A fool is a person who lacks good judgement or common sense. As a verb, it means to trick or deceive someone.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

fool
/fo͞ol/

A fool is a person who lacks good judgement or common sense. As a verb, it means to trick or deceive someone.

And? You based a large purchase decision because you'd rather not drive and that decision made you a fool twice?

 

[Dark-Fx]

Or why care so much about autonomous driving and be a fool?

I buy cars that are enjoyable and engaging to drive. Because I want the driving to be engaging, so that I'm alert and engaged. The ones that prove to be boring and a chore to drive, I get rid of them.

Some people live and commute where driving is never fun. I pity them.

 

[srkz]

And? You based a large purchase decision because you'd rather not drive and that decision made you a fool twice?

Pretending not to understand what words mean doesn't change their meaning.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Pretending not to understand what words mean doesn't change their meaning.

Oh I understand the words. What I don't understand is your insistence on blaming others for consequence your own faulty decisions. Sure, Rivian didn't live up to their own stated goals more than once. But show me in the purchase agreement where those product capabilities are written down, as legal binding terms of the financial transaction. Business and product decisions change all the time, not just at Rivian.

Twice, knowing that Rivian is relatively new at this and its autonomous suite is constantly under development AND subject to change... Against common sense, twice you decided to move forward and set yourself up for dissatisfaction? Seems to fit a certain definition.

Whether Rivian should be held liable for those changes... that's for the legal system and arbitration to decide. Join or start a class action. Calling me names isn't going to change how you feel about Rivian's broken promises. Yet, you thought it'd be more productive to call me a fool. So who's the fool? Twice is not enough? Line right up for R2 LiDAR then.

 

[AirplaneDr]

The way Rivian has handled the specifics of RAP 1/LiDAR roll out has been bothersome to me. A much clearer way to have managed it would be to offer the 2027 as non LIDAR with lifetime auto+ included at no additional cost. Sell as many Performance as they can make and the market is interested in. If that doesn't fill out the 2027 production open it up to Premium orders, again with included Auto+. Then roll out the 2028 model year with RAP 1 and LiDAR, Auto+ is now monthly or $2500. Easy, understandable and fits people's expectation of new MY=new features.

As it currently stands we are left trying to divine if RAP1/LiDAR is a 2027.5 model, if it will be available with launch edition, the cutover date, will it cost more, etc? I'm still thinking that there may be a year or two where non LiDAR remains in production alongside LiDAR at an additional cost, maybe trim will be the differentiator. Rolling out the $45,000 version next year with RAP 1 and LiDAR just seems crazy with the current $68,000 version left without.

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