Production of the Rivian R2 has begun despite storm damage at the factory

Rivian has rolled out the first customer-ready R2 SUVs from its factory in Normal, Illinois, in just a few days. hit by an EF-1 tornado who tore off part of the roof.

Despite the damage, founder and CEO RJ Scaringe told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday morning that Rivian does not expect any delays in the release of R2, which is essential to the company’s survival.

“The tornado passed through the end of the plant, tearing off the roof of the building, and bringing down other plants, so the last 72 hours have been daylight,” he said. Scaringe explained that Rivian had to change the way it brought some equipment into the factory to build the R2.

But “we are not changing the process,” he said, referring to the company’s manufacturing process.

Scaringe was not asked when Rivian would deliver the first R2 during the interview. The company has previously said that it will start delivering the R2 SUVs before the end of the first half of 2026.

Getting R2 into production is a company priority. It is the first production car Rivian has made that has access to mass market customers, as it costs significantly less than the company’s current R1 EV. It should also help the company turn a profit after years of losing money on every car it sold.

The company has high expectations for R2. Rivian told investors earlier this year that it expects to deliver between 20,000 and 25,000 of the SUVs by the end of 2026. If Rivian achieves this, it will be one of the fastest new EVs launched in the US, second only to Tesla’s Model Y.

That said, Rivian is launching an R2 model that costs about $13,000 more than the $45,000 price tag the company has been promoting for years. The release R2 it starts at $57,990, with a lower price of $53,990 coming later this year. Rivian won’t sell the R2 below $50,000 until the first half of 2027, with the original model starting at $45,000. it won’t hit the market until late 2027.

And if the $45,000 R2 ever arrives. When Rivian announced the price of the SUV in March, the company said that the starting price will start “around $45,000” – not “at $45,000” as it emphasized on its website as recently as February.