On Thursday, March 12, Rivian plans to launch the hotly anticipated R2 crossover, a smaller alternative to the $76,990 R1S with a starting price of just $45,000. But it may not be possible to make it quite so affordable anymore, as the automaker has recently removed all reference to that figure from its website. Since the R2’s official unveiling in March 2024, industry experts and consumers alike have been excited by the proposition of packing Rivian’s tech, style, and capability into a more attainable package, and during Rivian’s 2025 Q4 earnings call in mid-February, it reiterated that the $45,000 price would stick, but as first reported by Spanish-language publication Autonocion, the removal of this price in the last couple of days can only mean one thing: the Rivian R2 will cost more than anticipated.
Of course, Rivian may try to make the R2 even cheaper than $45k, but that’s highly unlikely given the tight constraints of producing a new car.
Rivian R2’s $45,000 Price Is Gone, But Why?
Eric Anderson/Rivian
With the R2’s pricing disappearing in the short time between Rivian’s earnings call and now, one can only assume that unforeseen troubles have made Rivian more cautious. Could the war with Iran, which began on February 28, two weeks after Rivian’s last confirmation of the R2’s pricing, have anything to do with it? It’s possible, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting global shipping lines, something that analysts have already predicted will impact the likes of Toyota and Hyundai.
Related: Rivian’s Future Now Hangs on the R2 — Here’s Why
Although headquartered in Irvine, California, with another office in Atlanta, Georgia, and production taking place in Normal, Illinois, Rivian gets its batteries from Samsung, motors and brakes from Bosch, and seats from Hyundai Transys, and like other automakers, these global partnerships are critical to the production of its vehicles. With uncertainty surrounding the conflict, it may be that Rivian is no longer confident that various components will see stable pricing in the weeks and months to come. This could push the R2’s starting price closer to $50k, if not beyond it, and the Launch Edition customers will be offered first might even reach $60,000 or more.
Rivian R2 Isn’t the Only Affordable EV to See Price Changes
Rivian
With the average new car price exceeding $50,000 last year, American buyers are desperate for affordable new options. Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto passed 100,000 reservations in just two weeks because of its original projected starting price of $20,000, but after $7,500 federal tax incentives for EVs came to an end, the company was forced to readjust its estimate to “mid-$20,000,” which could be $25,000-$27,500, assuming nothing else happens to increase the price. EVs aren’t the only vehicles facing these challenges, either. Destination fees on new cars have jumped 67 percent in the last decade, and tariffs could send the sticker prices of many cars further skyward over the course of 2026. Hopefully, whatever price adjustment Rivian intends to make will be relatively minor, but any increase will be painful for those who wanted to take delivery of a new R2 this year. And for Rivian, which is betting on a resurgence in EV demand to see success, increased pricing could throw a wrench in its plans after deliveries fell in 2025.
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