The Rivian R3X Is A Cool-Looking Little Off-Road EV You’ll Have To Wait A While To Buy

The “one more thing” at Rivian’s R2 reveal event on Thursday was actually two more things.

CEO RJ Scaringe made the totally unexpected announcement that the company had an R3 model in the works.

Two versions of it rolled out on stage, The R3 and the R3X, both sharing a subcompact crossover body that has something of an oversized hatchback look, with an angled rear window.

They actually appear very similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but imbued with Rivian’s signature styling.

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Details on the models were very scarce, including how much they are projected to cost and when they will go on sale, although they will definitely be cheaper than the $45,000 R2 and arrive after it enters production in the first half of 2026.

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They will also be built on the R2’s platform and use the new larger and more powerful 4695 battery cells Rivian is switching to.

They both have front seats that can be folded flat with the rear ones to create a floor for sleeping on and a “flipper” hatchback window that opens independently of the tailgate so long items like surfboards can stick out.

The R3X is “rally inspired” and outfitted like an off-roader. It will also be outfitted with a high performance tri-motor drivetrain.

Its power rating and projected acceleration times were not shared, but Rivian said the tri-motor version of the R2 can sprint to 60 mph in less than three seconds.

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