Rivian R3 and R3X debut as electric hot hatches

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe had "another" Steve Jobs moment with the debut of the R2 electric SUV.

On Thursday, after the R2 took the stage, Scaringe unveiled its smaller, sportier siblings, the R3 and a performance variant called the R3X.

Details on the R3 are slight, but its design makes a statement.

Sitting lower than the R2 and with a squatter stance, the R3 is 5.0 inches shorter than the R2 and looks like a hot hatch.In 2018, Scaringe heralded the idea that the automaker's third car would be a rally car-like vehicle.

The front of the R3 resembles the R2 thanks to the automaker's trademark lighting signature. The roofline tapers down to the rear hatch. It looks like a Subaru Outback Wilderness version of the Volkswagen Golf.

The rear hatch opens like a traditional hatchback, but with a hidden party trick. The glass itself can be opened separately from the hatch, which Rivian calls the "flipper glass. This allows long objects such as surfboards to fit into the small footprint of the R3.

Rivian's packaging innovations also extend to the R3. It has dual glove boxes, first- and second-row seats that fold completely flat, and a large front trunk for secure storage.

The simple dashboard features a digital meter cluster and a large touch screen that houses most of the vehicle's controls.

Cork and anodized aluminum are used inside the R3X's cabin. The exterior will be fitted with rally-style wheels, but it is unclear if this will be a performance model.

The R3 will have the same skateboard chassis as the R2 with 4695-style battery cells. Output has not been disclosed, but we do know that the R3 will have a three-motor powertrain with one motor in the rear, one dual motor on each axle, and one motor in the front and two motors on the rear axle, given the performance orientation of the R3, it is likely that at least a dual-motor powertrain will be used as well as a tri-motor setup. According to Livian, the R3X will have more dynamic capabilities both on-road and off-road.

Rivian is committed to the Tesla NACS charging port, and the R3 is expected to have a charging port on the passenger side rear fender like the R2; CCS charging will likely work via an adapter; the R3X will also have a charging port on the passenger side rear fender like the R2. Rivian has stated that a fast charger will be sufficient to charge the car to 10-80% in 30 minutes.

Rivian plans to include five radar units and 11 cameras in both the R3 and R2 as part of its active safety technology.

Production of the R2 will begin in 2026 in Normal, Illinois, but it is unclear when and where the R3 will be built. However, Rivian has confirmed that it will be less expensive than the R2, starting at $45,000.