The Rivian R2 is giving the electric vehicle maker new momentum after reaching its first customers on June 9, as production more than doubled year over year in the second quarter and Rivian raised its full-year delivery guidance by 3,000 vehicles to a range of 65,000 to 70,000 vehicles in 2026.

Rivian’s financial outlook is also improving, although the company continues to face significant losses. The stronger results are giving CEO and founder RJ Scaringe more room to discuss future products, including the rally-inspired R3X hot hatch.

RJ Scaringe Highlights Rivian’s R3X Plans

Scaringe has cautioned that Rivian is not yet at the point of celebrating its progress, but his willingness to discuss products further down the pipeline suggests growing confidence in the company’s direction.

Speaking with UK auto enthusiast site Auto Express, Scaringe described the R3X as taking “a more off-road rally perspective on performance.”

The R3X is not scheduled to enter production until 2028 at Rivian’s new plant in Stanton Springs, Georgia. The facility is still under construction with the help of a $4.5 billion loan from the US Department of Energy, while excavation for stamping presses is underway, according to the company.

The R3X is expected to feature three motors and a futuristic interior with a rugged design. It is expected to launch at the Georgia plant ahead of the compact R3, from which the lower-volume variant is derived.

Rivian Targets a Broader Market With R2 and R3

The R2 and R3 are intended to reach mainstream buyers with prices well below Rivian’s current $80,000 base price for the R1T pickup and $84,000 for the R1S.

When CarBuzz asked Scaringe earlier this year how low Rivian could push pricing in the future, he declined to provide a number. The new well-equipped R2 Performance starts around $58,000, while the single-motor Standard R2 is expected to launch in summer 2027 from the Illinois plant, starting around $45,000.

Rivian has also said its goal is to price the R3 even lower when it arrives in 2028.

Rivian Adventure Department Expands Performance Focus

The R3X is also a sign of Rivian’s effort to expand its brand image beyond zero emissions and into off-road performance for enthusiasts. The recently founded Rivian Adventure Department, or RAD, is intended to push those boundaries and introduce similar fun-to-drive variants.

The approach is described as being similar to AMG’s role at Mercedes-Benz and the M division’s role at BMW.

Scaringe told Auto Express that the R3X had already been designed before RAD existed. “Had we figured out that we were going to create RAD before that, we would have just called that car the RAD R3X,” he said.

Rivian’s Second-Quarter Results Show Progress

The future of the R3X, as well as Rivian’s broader future, depends on the company making money. Its second-quarter financial results showed improvement after Rivian accumulated net losses topping $25 billion over the past five years.

Rivian reported an automotive gross loss of $36 million in the second quarter, compared with a $335 million automotive gross loss in Q2 2025.

CFO Claire McDonough attributed the difference to higher production and delivery volumes, increased revenue from automotive regulatory credits and a refund for federal IEEPA tariffs.

Automotive revenue reached $1.1 billion, up 23% from Q2 2025. Rivian also surpassed its earlier expectation of delivering between 9,000 and 11,000 vehicles during the quarter.

Rivian Produced 12,613 Vehicles in Q2

Rivian produced 12,613 vehicles and delivered 12,194 during the second quarter. In Q2 2025, the company produced 5,979 vehicles and delivered 10,661.

Over the same one-year period, Rivian increased its service centers from 81 to 104 and its stores from 31 to 43. Its Rivian Adventure Network chargers increased from 781 to 1,073, while charging locations rose from 123 to 155.

Since September 2021, Rivian has sold 187,759 vehicles, compared with 142,254 as of Q2 2025.

Despite those improvements, Rivian still expects to finish 2026 with an adjusted loss of about $1.9 billion before interest and taxes, underscoring the financial challenge that remains.

Rivian Prepares to Expand Production Capacity

By the time Rivian’s Georgia plant opens, the R2 will have spent two years in production at the company’s current facility in Normal, Illinois. That plant builds the R1T and R1S as well as electric delivery vans for Amazon, with 40,000 delivered so far and 60,000 more on the way.

The Normal plant has annual capacity for 215,000 vehicles, and a second shift is expected to begin in the coming weeks as Rivian ramps up R2 production.

When the Stanton Springs plant opens, it is expected to add capacity for another 300,000 vehicles annually, beginning with the R2 and R3.

For now, Rivian’s stronger production and delivery figures, improved automotive gross loss and higher 2026 delivery guidance provide signs of progress as the company continues working toward profitability and the next phase of its product lineup.