The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover

Rivian didn’t just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event — in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian’s smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it’s also cheaper. Rivian didn’t reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2’s $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road — the car will follow the R2, which isn’t set to be available until the first half of 2026.

The Rivian R3’s styling is similar to that of other Rivian cars, but in a hatchback shape. At the front, the car still has oval headlights, while at the back, unlike most hatchbacks, there’s lift-up rear glass.

The R3 is also available in a series of configurations, including single-motor, dual-motor, and tri-motor drivetrains. Rivian even announced a performance variant of the car, called the R3X, which has a slightly wider stance and a tri-motor setup. It looks to be Rivian’s take on a rally car, though the exact performance of the car has yet to be revealed.

Depending on the price of the car and the timing, Rivian could become one of the major EV players. The EV world has been dominated by the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Ford Mustang Mach-E, at least in the U.S. If the Rivian R3 can hit a similar price point while delivering Rivian’s trademark sportiness and utility, it could seriously raise the level of competition in the EV space.

Of course, given the pace of EV development, it’s hard to imagine what the landscape will look like by the time the R3 is released — which is unlikely to be before the second half of 2026, at the very earliest, and more likely in 2027 or beyond. The R3 isn’t yet up for reservations, unlike the Rivian R2, which can be reserved right now.

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