Rivian's Surprise Reveal Introduces New R3 And R3X Electric Crossovers

Rivian may have had us expecting the new R2 SUV, its smaller, five-seater sibling to the original R1S, but it also had a surprise waiting in the wings too. The Rivian R3 will be an even smaller model for the Tesla-rival, a five-seat crossover that will not only offer the automaker's smallest car, but also its first to get an "X" branded performance version. That'll be the hot-hatch-esque Rivian R3X.

The R3 will be based on the same, newly-designed platform that Rivian developed for its post-R1 series vehicles. That includes a new, larger cell battery design, and the Enduro electric motors that debuted on the dual-motor configurations of the R1T and R1S. That's a smaller package motor than the original design Rivian used on its earliest, quad-motor configurations, as well as more efficient and cheaper.

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Compared to the R2, the R3 will be 135 mm shorter, or more than 5-inches. It'll have the familiar Rivian family face, with a body-spanning LED light bar punctuated with upright LED lamps. However, at the rear there'll be a more sharply-angled hatchback, which will not only power open to reveal the trunk (and fold-flat rear seats), but have what Rivian calls "flipper glass" too. Basically, the upper glass section of the trunk lid not only lifts separately, but can be lowered to a programmed position to secure longer items like surfboards.

In the cabin, it's another familiar affair. The R3 will have a large, center touchscreen to control most of the features, with a second, smaller display for the driver's instrumentation. Storage will include a front trunk, or frunk, as well as two gloveboxes: one ahead of the front passenger, and one in the center of the dashboard. There'll also be Rivian's popular pop-out flashlight, which docks into the driver's door where it recharges.

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Though it may be shorter, Rivian isn't stinting on performance. The R3 will have the same single, dual, and tri-motor configurations as offered on the R2 — which in their most potent form on both R2 and R3 will be capable of a 0-60 mph time under 3.0 seconds, the automaker claims — as well as the same larger-format battery cells. With the bigger battery, you can expect over 300 miles of range on a charge. 

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With a shorter wheelbase, though, the R3 should be more of a driver's EV. "It's dynamically incredible," Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe said of the company's new baby, and just to underscore that there's a second, even more aggressive version.

The Rivian R3X takes the automaker in a new direction, somewhat away from the concept of off-road exploration that the R1S and R1T capitalized upon. In fact, it's almost a hot hatch variation on the R3, though still with some adventuring spirit.

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It'll have a wider stance than the regular R3, with wider wheels and tires. There'll be more ground clearance, too, potentially making the R3X just as much at home in the wild as it is whipping around urban areas. And, with the Rivian tri-motor configuration as standard, it's going to be fast.

Rivian

Inside, there'll be a more eye-catching cabin with some brighter seat fabric options. The biggest questions, of course, are when the Rivian R3 and R3X will go on sale, and when they'll actually hit the road. That, Rivian isn't saying, though given the $45,000+ R2 isn't expected to begin production until the first half of 2026, would-be buyers of its smaller sibling may have to be extra-patient.