There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the debut of the new Rivian R2 ahead of its unveiling next month on March 7. So much so, that a trio of dubious photos has sent the internet on a Nancy Drew-worth quest to uncover the truth.
According to the multitude of social media sharers — and there are quite a few , including Daniel Aland Getting on Facebook, the first two images supposedly portray a pair of Rivian R2s perched on a rooftop in downtown LA, captured from a bird’s-eye view during what is claimed to be a photo shoot or some other grand presentation.
Naturally, the first question that pops to mind is why Rivian would choose such a central and public location when it clearly wants to keep the R2 under wraps for the time being? It doesn’t quite add up, but then again, not much does these days.
More: Rivian R2 To Use A More Simplified And Cheaper Electrical Architecture
If we are to entertain the possibility that these photos are not the work of an AI prompt, then they were either taken from a considerable distance such as a nearby office with extreme digital zoom, resulting in significant distortion, or snapped with a potato-quality cell phone— which is a bit hard to believe in this day and age.
As for the third image circulating online in three different versions (see above), one is blatantly AI-manipulated. However, whether it was made outright with AI or if someone attempted to do the opposite by sprucing up a genuine photo with digital means is up in the air. But frankly, even the second, lower-quality version looks a bit fishy to us at this scale.
Since we published this story, a third image of those two aforementioned ones emerged on Reddit, providing us with the full scene. Some commentators are speculating that if authentic, they might be depicting an updated or new version of the R1S. In any case, we’re tentatively labeling these as “to be determined” for now.
We’ve also reached out to Rivian, and we’ll update this story if they respond.
Here’s the building on Pico Blvd and Broadway in LA, where the gathering supposedly took place
So what do we know about the R2?
As for the actual, real Rivian R2 that will be revealed in SUV form, very few official details have been shared up until now.
We know that it will be more affordable and compact than the R1S, which starts from $74,900 after the latest cuts. Previously, the company has hinted that this model could start as low as $40,000, with pricing ranging up to $60,000 for the more expensive trims and models. There’s a good chance it could qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax incentive, lowering its entry price point to the low $30,000s.
While the reveal is set for next month, the electric SUV that will rival the Tesla Model Y won’t actually be ready for production at Rivian’s second manufacturing plant opening in Georgia until 2026.