Rivian Is Coming To The UK - Here’s Why You Should Care

Rivian is still a largely unknown entity in Britain. The American EV maker doesn’t officially sell cars here yet - but that’s finally set to change. The company recently confirmed that the UK forms part of its European expansion plans. So, why should you care about yet another electric SUV brand heading our way?

Rivian has spent the past few years building some genuinely interesting electric cars, and the smaller models it plans to bring here could give Tesla, Volkswagen and the growing army of Chinese EV makers something genuinely new to worry about.

So, What Exactly Is Rivian?

Rivian is an American EV manufacturer best known for the R1T pick-up and related R1S SUV. Both are enormous by British standards, and both were designed with a strong emphasis on outdoor adventures, off-road ability and clever practicality rather than simply trying to imitate Tesla.

That has helped Rivian develop a fairly distinctive identity, complete with its instantly recognisable vertical headlights and deliberately chunky styling. The problem for us is that the R1T and R1S were primarily designed for North America and neither is currently sold officially in Britain.

But that’s where the R2 comes in.

Founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, has now confirmed that Rivian intends to expand into Europe - including the UK - with the R2 leading the charge. Better still, Scaringe says the mid-size electric SUV was developed with European customers in mind.

At 4.72 metres long, it’s still hardly tiny, but the R2 is substantially more manageable than Rivian’s huge R1 models and lands right in Tesla Model Y territory. It seats five and gets some properly useful touches too, including rear seats that fold completely flat, a powered rear window and, on higher specifications, a removable torch built into the driver’s door.

It isn’t some worthy eco-box when it comes to performance, either. The R2 Performance, which is already on sale in America, uses two motors and four-wheel drive, produces 656bhp and can hit 60mph in as little as 3.6 seconds.

There are much cheaper versions on the way, too. The American R2 range is due eventually to start at $44,990, while a 450bhp Premium model sits between the entry-level car and the full-fat Performance. UK prices haven’t been announced, so we wouldn’t simply convert those dollar figures and start saving just yet.

The R3 Is The One We Really Want

The R2 might be the sensible car Rivian needs to establish itself in Europe, but the smaller R3 is arguably the reason enthusiasts should be paying attention.

It’s a much more compact crossover with a squat, boxy shape that bears more than a passing resemblance to some of the coolest European hatchbacks of the Eighties and Nineties. There’s a bit of Lancia Delta Integrale in there, perhaps some Mk2 Volkswagen Golf and even a hint of old-school Volvo. That’s a rather refreshing combination in a market increasingly dominated by anonymous coupe-SUV shapes.

Rivian says the R3 will be smaller and cheaper than the R2, while retaining much of the same tech and adventure-focused personality. It will also be offered with different battery and motor configurations, with larger-battery versions expected to manage more than 300 miles between charges.

And then there’s the R3X.

Yes, Rivian Is Making An Electric Rally-Inspired Hot Hatch

The R3X is the performance version of the R3 and it’s exactly the sort of slightly ridiculous car we’d like to see more EV manufacturers building.

It gets a wider, tougher-looking stance and a tri-motor drivetrain, with Rivian promising extra performance both on and off the road. The company has deliberately leaned into the rally-car influence too, developing the R3X through its Rivian Adventure Department.

We don’t yet know exactly how powerful or fast the production R3X will be, but Rivian has previously said the quickest versions of its R2/R3 platform will be capable of 0-60mph in under three seconds.

Whether anyone actually needs a ridiculously quick electric crossover inspired by rally cars is another question. We’re just pleased somebody wants to build one.

Worth The Wait?

Rivian has confirmed Europe is coming and its UK website is already live and accepting registrations for updates, but there’s currently no firm date for British sales. Scaringe says strong demand for the R2 in America is going to consume much of Rivian’s available production capacity for some time. Auto Express estimates a European/UK arrival around 2028 or 2029, but that remains an estimate rather than an official launch date.

Still, Rivian is already expanding its manufacturing footprint and has broken ground on a new factory in Georgia - which is expected to play an important role in supporting its longer-term international expansion.

So yes, you’ll need to be patient. But in a market rapidly filling with electric SUVs that can sometimes feel increasingly difficult to tell apart, Rivian appears determined to do things a little differently.