Rivian R2 Is Imminent: How It Stacks Up Against The Tesla Model Y

LifestyleCars & BikesRivian R2 Is Imminent: How It Stacks Up Against The Tesla Model YByBrooke Crothers,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Brooke Crothers covers and reviews electric vehicles and autonomy.Follow AuthorMay 31, 2026, 08:24am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Attendees look at the new Rivian R2 electric vehicle at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach, California, on March 7, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesThe Rivian R2 launch is set for June 9. It is one of the most highly anticipated electric vehicles in recent years. And the R2 is loaded with cutting-edge hardware and AI to compete with Tesla. The R2 Is Bound to Be Judged Against the Model YThe comparison is inevitable. The Model Y, the bestselling EV in the U.S., competes with the R2 in size and AI smarts. “The R2 that’ll hit the streets this summer will be the nearly-$60,000 Performance model with 656 horsepower. The price lines up with the 510-hp Model Y Performance,” said Car and Driver Editor-in-Chief Tony Quiroga in an email. The most inexpensive version of the R2, around $45,000, won’t be available until late 2027, according to Rivian’s website.But the initial high price may not impact sales necessarily. “The customers probably aren’t that price sensitive. Both are considered luxury brands, so there’s less price sensitivity,” said Quiroga.Rivian Faithful Vs. TeslaRivian already has a core of passionate, loyal owners but Tesla has a ten-year head start. “While Rivian has generated its own core group of fans, it hasn’t engendered the same kind of cult-like interest that Musk’s Tesla did,” said Sam Fiorani, Vice President, Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. And another challenge it faces is the post-tax-credit EV market. “After the market for electric ve...