Rivian CEO Has Never Been More Confident in His Company
RJ Scaringe speaks on the Rivian R2 and R3—and expansion.
Rivian will continue its rollout of electric vehicles despite changes in policy, the end of tax credits, and slower consumer adoption. It’s currently preparing to launch the Rivian R2, an SUV that will provide the volume and scale the automaker needs to turn a profit.
The Rivian R2 is still on track to arrive in the early part of 2026 on a new platform. Unlike the larger Rivian R1 family, which includes the R1T electric pickup truck and the R1S SUV, the R2 is an SUV only. “There is no pickup version of R2,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe says at an Automotive Press Association event at the automaker’s facility in Plymouth, Michigan.
But the platform it uses will yield more SUVs, including the Rivian R3 and R3X, drawing Rivian ever closer to the inflection point of scale that will drive long-term viability. The larger, pricier R1 platform, launched in 2021, has not been able to achieve that.
Driving the New Rivian R2
The R2 in development now also represents Rivian’s growth as a company. The R2 prototypes being tested now are closer to a production-tooled car in terms of a percentage than what Rivian sold as its first R1s, Scaringe says. “It’s sort of mind-blowing when I look at the difference in how this vehicle is being developed and launched compared with what we did with R1.”
One huge difference: the supply chain. It was hard to develop and bring along a supply chain as a newcomer, with the added complications of shortages during the pandemic. That has flipped 180 degrees, he says, in terms of how suppliers are engaging with them now.
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Rivian expanded its plant in Normal, Illinois, by 2 million square feet to add R2 production, half of that for a new body shop and general assembly and the other half for a supplier park to bring them on-site. The campus is now 6 million square feet.
The smaller R3 will be built at the new plant under construction in Georgia that will be built in two phases to make additional R2 volume, the R3, and assorted siblings and variants, starting in 2028. It will have the capacity to build 400,000 vehicles annually.
R2 Customers Expected to Buy, Not Lease
While the R1 models had a higher percentage of customers who leased because of the incentives framework and their higher, luxury-level prices, Scaringe thinks there will be more purchases than leases of the R2. Because it will be priced in the meat of the market, he thinks two-thirds will purchase.
He believes lagging EV sales in the U.S. is generally due in part to a lack of choices, and while there are certainly more today, not all are desirable, which is why Tesla has retained its dominance. Some companies introduced EVs as compliance vehicles and sold them with cheap lease deals that disrupted the market. He thinks those tactics—and types of vehicles—and irrational EV sales will go away. Good products will increase EV sales as a percentage of total sales. If a car is compelling enough, it will sell regardless of powertrain type, and that is where he sees Rivian falling. He says for three-quarters of Rivian customers, it is their first EV and the R1S is a top selling premium SUV in California regardless of powertrain.
“I’ve never been more bullish,” Scaringe says. And there is more to come: R4, R5, and potentially R6, as well as global expansion, but not everywhere. “We don’t plan to go to China.”
Europe for sure, with the R2 and R3, says Scaringe. “We’ve not thought of anything to date that would not be sold both in the United States and Europe. For us, those are the two main markets.”
Dealing With Changing Policies in U.S.
Looking at ever-changing policies of the current Trump Administration in the U.S., there are many changes that Scaringe classifies as noise as opposed to ones that are more likely to remain and must be factored into business decisions. One to adhere to: the anti-China strategy which encourages a reduction in reliance on raw materials and assemblies from China, which Rivian will do.
Another is the increased focus on domestic production. All Rivian assembly is in the U.S. Its batteries come from Korea, but the R2 will eventually use batteries from a new LG plant being built in Arizona.
No Plans to Fail
Scaringe says he knew he wanted to start a car company since he was 10 years old and the mechanical engineer says a healthy dose of idealism has helped him get this far, given the challenges of a startup that requires a lot of capital and technology to break through.
He has been told his company will fail for the entirety of the 16 years since Rivian was founded, and at times it came close to being accurate, but “I’ve never been more confident than I am today.” The struggles and learnings from launching the R1T, R1S, and a commercial van for Amazon, all at the same time, with a new supply base, and during a pandemic, are proving invaluable in the development of the R2 and preparations for its launch. “There’s a certain magic to it,” he says. He has no plans to stop now. Failure is not an option.
Tesla’s New Budget Models Are Here—Are the Savings Worth the Sacrifices?
Turns out that Tesla didn’t just create a cheaper Model Y, it added a cheaper Model 3 to go with it.Justin BannerWriter
ManufacturerPhotographerOct 07, 2025
After months of teasing, Tesla has finally revealed its cheapest Model Y yet that comes with less to offer—the most important of which is less price. As it turns out, Tesla was doing similar things to its Model 3 sedan, adding a more stripped down, base model of its entry-level sedan to pair with the least expensive version of its best-selling SUV.
Known as the Model 3 and Y Standard trims, at $38,630 to start, the Model 3 Standard is now the least expensive Tesla you can buy ($5,500 less than the next cheapest model), while at $41,630, the Model Y Standard is $5,000 less than the next-step up Model Y. So, what was sacrificed to get to those bargain basement prices?
Standard Model Y and 3 Range and Performance
On specs alone (hat tip to Kyle from OutOfSpecReviews), the Model Y and Model 3 Standards will lose out in terms of performance. Both are RWD only versions with less range and acceleration out of the box. The Model 3 Standard will reportedly be capable of traveling 321 miles on a full charge using a smaller, 69.5-kWh battery pack, 42 miles less than the Model 3 Premium RWD (formerly known as Long Range) with its 80-kWh battery pack. The loss of rear motor output means a slower 0-to-60 mph time as well, which is reportedly 5.8 seconds for the Model 3 Standard versus 4.9 seconds for Premium RWD (although curiously, both cars reportedly have the same 286 horsepower). Top speed stays the same at 125 mph.
The Model Y Standard will see similar range and performance changes. Its range will be the same as the 3 Standard at 321 miles, which is down 36 miles over the Y Premium RWD. Acceleration to 60 mph is 6.8 seconds for the 300-horsepower Y Standard, a substantial increase of 1.4 seconds over the Y Premium (both are also top speed limited to 125 mph). When it comes to charging speeds, both Standard models are also not as fast there either with 225 kilowatt speeds as opposed to 250 for the higher spec RWD models.
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Tire wise, a switch to 18-inch Hankook Ion Evo high-efficiency EV tires for both Standard models likely help with range but also no doubt sacrifice some grip performance in the process. The Model Y Premium rolls on 19-inch wheels over the 18-inch Aperture wheels that are part of the Standard trim (you can option up to 19s, however). On the plus side, the one-inch reduction of wheel size should bump up the sidewall height on the Model Y and could lead to a bit more compliant ride versus the 19s. Given that 18s are already standard for the Model 3 Premium, there should be no real change in how the Standard 3 will perform over the Premium from a tire performance standpoint.
Some Light Exterior Touches
Both Standard models also see exterior changes that are more pronounced for the Model Y Standard. The lightbars across its frunk and rear liftgate connecting the headlights and brake lights together have been deleted. This will be a huge indicator if you’re driving a Standard or Premium version of the Model Y. The Model 3 Standard will be less of a tell as there are no lightbars to change, but the 18-inch Prismata wheels are of a different design and far more closed.
Each model gets automatic high-beam LED headlights, but neither will have adaptive light control. Exterior mirror controls will have manual functions now, with the Model Y going to manually folding units, while the Model 3’s now manually adjustable. As far as color options are concerned, the standard (no pun) no-cost coat is Stealth Grey, a nearly black hued gray that is the same across all trim levels. For an additional $1,000 you can get your Standard 3 or Y in Pearl White Multi-Coat or for $1,500 you can get them sprayed in Diamond Black. There are no other color options beyond those at present.
So, About that Glass Roof
Inside, as you’d expect, the Standard trims have been trimmed back some as well. First up, the perforated vegan leather surfaces have been replaced with textile inserts, but the rest of the surfaces will still use the not-so-cow hide and microsuede materials. The wrap-around ambient interior lighting of higher-spec models is gone, but footwell and door pocket lighting will remain. The steering column uses manual controls to adjust the steering wheel position, but the front seats do retain power adjustability and heating, and instead of reaching between the seat and door for the controls, adjustments are made in the menu on the infotainment screen. The rear seats will be a manual folding affair with manual head rests on the Model Y Standard.
One of the strangest moves Tesla made for the Model Y Standard is what it did with the glass roof. Instead of using metal or a rumored fiberglass top, Tesla elected to retain the glass setup but instead covered it up with a conventional headliner (the Model 3 Standard retains its panoramic glass). Additionally, Tesla removed the Model Y’s rear passenger screen and its ‘air wave’ rear ventilation for the Standard and replaced it with a pair of USB C connections and manually adjustable second-row vents. Removing the air wave has allowed the center console for the Model Y to increase its storage space for the front occupants, with a look and feel reminiscent of the Cybertruck. Tesla has also simplified the entertainment system by reducing it to a seven-speaker system (over the 15 speakers plus subwoofer on the Premium) and it doesn’t list the inclusion of an FM radio connection.
The Model 3 Standard retains the same center console design as other Model 3s, with the major change being exposed front cup holders on the Standard trim. Its audio system has the same seven-speaker offering on the Premium RWD, but the Standard RWD does not list its FM/AM radio connection. We had seen that there would be a less powerful radio option, but we weren’t expecting the loss of a terrestrial radio connection in the Standard trim’s content. While Autopilot isn’t standard (due to the lack of Autosteer functionality), you do get adaptive cruise control, and you can option for the $8,000 Full Self-Driving (FSD) on the Standard trims. How the lack of Autosteer gets resolved when you do go for the option of FSD on the Standard isn’t mentioned by Tesla on the features and options lists.
Sub-Standard Sales Potential?
When looking at the Standard trim of the Model 3 and Model Y, you start to wonder if they are worth it. While they are well below $45,000, a slightly used 2025 model year version of either vehicle can be had for equal or even less money, and you’ll get all the content lost to create the Standard trims. Still, there will be those who just must have an all-new Tesla for as cheap as possible, and the Model 3 and Y Standard trims will fill that void. We do wonder how many people will go for the lower-priced models with less content, however, given how quickly Tesla pulled the low-cost version of the Cybertruck due to weak demand only after five months or so.
Chevrolet Trax: Car and Driver 2025 10Best Trucks
Chevy’s small crossover reminds us how good it feels to get more for less.By Rich CepposPublished: Dec 3, 2024
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Marc Urbano|Car and Driver
In recent years, Chevys have earned 10Best crowns numerous times. Camaros and Corvettes have blazed their way onto our list thanks to their thumping V-8 power, tarmac-warping acceleration, viscera-rearranging handling, and ripped physiques. The Trax, Chevrolet’s subcompact crossover, shares none of those characteristics. It’s brilliant nonetheless.
While we love cars with outsize personalities and big power, we also celebrate any vehicle that nails its mission, and it’s especially noteworthy if the vehicle’s intended purpose is to provide basic transportation at an affordable, high-value price point. The Trax is that rarest of things, an inexpensive vehicle that delivers greatness and value with surprising style and grace.
This is the second year in a row that the Trax has climbed onto the 10Best Trucks podium. After its initial win, we inducted one into our long-term fleet to get extended exposure. We’ve been driving a top-spec Activ model for more than six months, ample time to reveal the sorts of things that could have dimmed our affection and prevented a 10Best repeat. But the opposite has happened: It has continued to delight our flinty-eyed staff.
What makes the Trax so special? Everything that counts in a small crossover.Car and Driver
The Trax’s exterior design is fresh and easy on the eyes. Same for the interior, and the accommodations are unexpectedly welcoming. Though the Trax is technically a subcompact, you’d never know it sitting in the cabin. Like other vehicles in this cost-conscious class, the interior has plenty of hard plastic surfaces, but that’s offset by clever design details everywhere your eyes fall. The circular HVAC vents are artful, the plastic instrument-panel trim subtly patterned. Opt for the Activ model, and there’s bright contrast piping on the seats that adds an upscale touch, along with soft padding on the front interior door panels. The digital instrument cluster abuts the large infotainment screen, which features cleanly rendered graphics and intuitive operation.
Then there’s the pleasantly coordinated way the Trax goes down the road. The ride is supple enough to absorb broken pavement but never floaty, the handling poised, the steering progressive, and the brakes powerful and secure. Even the tiny turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder exceeds expectations. Having a mere 137 horsepower underfoot isn’t the drawback you might assume, thanks to lively throttle response around town and the V-6-like growl of the turbo three when you lean on it—and with an 8.8-second 60-mph time, that will be often. We never find ourselves wanting for all-wheel drive, which the Trax doesn’t offer.Marc Urbano|Car and Driver
What makes this goodness truly stand out is the price. The Trax starts at just $21,495. The well-equipped Activ trim is $25,395, and it wants for none of the essential amenities. A word that keeps coming up around here to describe the Trax is “honest.” It’s more car than you’d expect to get for your money in just about every way—something a small Chevy hasn’t been in a long, long time. So, yep, the Trax makes it two in a row, because getting more for less is good. But getting great for less is even better.
Specifications
Chevrolet Trax
Base: $21,495
Power: 137 hp
PERFORMANCE
60 mph: 8.8 sec
EPA Combined: 29–30 mpg
