The Rivian R2 is the brand’s new entry level model. But while it looks a lot like a shrunken head version of the R1S, it has a few unique features that required a lot of engineering and design work.
The compact SUV has a boxy profile, but if you look at it from the rear, you’ll see that the roofline actually tapers down under a spoiler for improved aerodynamics. The Jeep Wagoneer S has a similar design.
A difference between them is that the R2’s tailgate glass rolls down like a window to offer access to the cargo area without opening the door, like an old station wagon. It’s an uncommon feature these days that’s only otherwise found on the Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX.
The issue this presents is what to do about the window wiper. The blade can’t rest on the glass when not in use like on many SUVs, or else you can’t open the window, and Rivian founder R.J. Scaringe told The Drive that they didn’t want it to be permanently exposed, as it is with the R1S’s fixed window design.
Toyota addresses this by installing it above the window, where it can hide under the lip spoiler that extends beyond the end of the roof, but Rivian’s design won’t allow for this, so it came up with another idea. The tailgate has a shelf at the bottom of the glass in which Rivian has installed a “Rear Window Wiper Receptacle and Drive System,” and it has filed for a patent on it.
When not in use, the entire wiper arm and blade park completely inside a pocket, sitting flush with the bodywork, leaving the rear tailgate opening unobstructed.
This is important if you are going to load long things through it, like the stereotypical surfboard automakers always depict with this type of window.
While the R2 is expected to be popular in EV-crazy California, Rivian engineered the device to handle the cold and snow. There’s a seal for the lower portion of the wiper arm and the receptacle is heated to melt snow and ice that collects inside of it. An integrated drainage system constantly clears the liquid away.
Rivian isn’t the only electric automaker to tackle this problem, however. The discontinued Fisker Ocean had a feature called California Mode that opened all of the windows including the one in the tailgate. Fisker didn’t use a wiper like Rivian’s or Toyota’s, it kept things simple and just didn’t use one at all. Instead, the vehicles came standard with digital rearview mirrors that could be relied on if the window became obscured. Some liquid could also be cleared off by opening and closing the window, but it’s not exactly the same as wiping it and sure could get cold if you’re in the mountains instead of at the beach.
Of course, cool features and tech aren’t cheap and that’s the case with the R2. While the window and wiper will be included on the $57,990 Peformance trim and $53,990 Premium trim launching this year, the base $44,990 Standard that will be added to the lineup next spring will have a fixed rear window with a wiper mounted in the glass, just like the R2’s.
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