Rivian’s All-Electric Performance SUV Prototype Will Go Into Production, CEO Says

Rivian’s lineup is set to get a much-needed injection of fun.

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The EV maker’s CEO, RJ Scaringe, has confirmed that the rally-like R3X variant prototype the brand showed off earlier this year will go into production, according to the Verge . That’s not a complete surprise; what is, though, is that it will launch before the model it’s based on.

Earlier this year, Rivian outlined an ambitious plan to expand its lineup in the years to come. The company, which launched the R1T in 2021 and R1S in 2022, unveiled three new models that it hoped to start selling before the end of the decade. Up first was the R2, a mid-size SUV, which was followed, weeks later, by the subcompact R3 and R3X.

While the R2, which will compete with SUVs like the Porsche Macan and BMW X3, will probably be more important to the company’s bottom line, it was the R3 and R3X that got enthusiasts talking. That’s because the smaller models are unlike anything we’ve seen from Rivian up until now. They’re both technically SUVs, but they look more like wagons from the 1980s in the best way possible. This is especially true of the rally-inspired R3X which comes equipped with thick protective cladding and rides on a set of chunky all-terrain tires. For a certain kind of off-road buff, it’s the first Rivian truly worth getting excited about.

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During a recent interview with the Verge’s Decoder podcast, Scaringe told host Nilay Patel that excitement for the R3X is palpable. Not only is it the upcoming Rivian that the executive is most looking forward to, but it’s also the one he hears about most from others.

“I’m so excited about the R3X,” Scaringe said. “It’s probably the car that we get the most questions about, and I mean the packaging on it is just exceptional.”

Scaringe wouldn’t go into specifics but said that he wants to put the R3X into production, “as soon as we possibly can.” He also revealed that while the R2 will be the next model that Rivian launches, it will be followed by the R3X and then the standard R3. It’s previously been reported that the R2 will likely launch in 2026, which means that Rivian’s first hot hatch should go on sale sometime during the second half of the decade.

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