Rivian surprises us with a new EV model called the R3, smaller and more affordable than the R2

Weeks have been leading up to Rivian’s public unveiling of its new smaller electric SUV, the R2, today, but did anyone expect to glimpse another EV in the works? Following the debut of R2, Rivian followed up with the first images of a model to follow called the R3. Described by Rivian as its “take on what a crossover can be,” the R3 promises to arrive smaller and at a lower MSRP than the R2.

The debut of the R3 is exciting news, as nearly all of our recent coverage of Rivian has been centered around the R2 – the American automaker’s smaller and more affordable follow-up to its flagship R1S SUV.

As promised, Rivian premiered the R2 in Southern California today, confirming some of the details we already surmised while providing a slew more. Leading up to today’s event, we at Electrek were somewhat disappointed to hear the R2 would be the only model unveiled and that there would not be R2T and R2S variants like its larger predecessors.

However, that was not the case. As an encore to the R2 reveal, Rivian shared not one but two EV variants to follow on the same midsize all-electric platform as the R2. The first shared was the R3 – Rivian’s first crack at a true EV crossover. Have a look.

Rivian R3 is in the works and will be smaller, cheaper

Following the R2 reveal, Rivian took to X to share the first public images of the R3 seen above. The caption reads, “R2 is just the beginning. Say hello to R3.”

Well, hello R3!

We really only have the images shared to go off of so far, along with details from Rivian’s post that the R3 will share the same platform as the R2 but be smaller and more affordable. For comparison, Rivian shared today the R2 should start at an MSRP of around $45,000, with customer deliveries expected to begin in the first half of 2026.

There has yet to be a word on when we might see the R3 begin production and deliveries, but once the R2 lines are humming at Rivian HQ, it should be easier to start smaller builds on the same mid-size platform. From the images shared, we can see a lot of similar design elements on the R3 compared to the R2, but with a smaller footprint.

The R3 video below, also shared by Rivian, showcases the same powered rear glass that will first debut on the R2. Despite its promises to be smaller, the R3 looks like it will still have a massive frunk and plenty of cargo space thanks to its fold-flat seats.

Lastly, Rivian took to social media again with another surprise – a rally-inspired crossover variant called the R3X, designed for “maximum performance, capabilities, and fun.” Trust we will keep you updated on more details of this new R3 model as they come to light.