Rivian Recap: 01/02/2026
Hey there,
Here's your weekly Rivian Recap for January 2nd, 2026.
It's hard to imagine we are in the year of R2 finally, which I may jokingly refer to as "R2026" since Rivian is going to be all in on this mid sized launch.
We've got production numbers in for Q4, a 2026 autonomy roadmap coming soon and more.
Let's dive in!
Quick Note: Last week I did a test run of an audio version for the Rivian Recap. Unfortunately, it took more time and energy to produce than expected and I don't love gating content behind a paywall. The experiment is over, for now.
That time & effort is better spent bringing you the latest YouTube videos and tools (for example, a new leasing calculator ships next week!).
For those who signed-up, please hit reply with your YouTube username and a shipping address so I can send you a special thank you.
R1 & Software
The Q4 2025 production numbers are in, and while they are near the top end of the guidance that was revised multiple times, they were still far lower than the prior two years for R1S, R1T, and the delivery van.
With 42,284 vehicles produced, and 42,247 delivered Rivian saw a nearly 20% decline in deliveries compared to 2024.
Part of this is the saturation of the luxury EV market, and part of it was the push to show gross profit margin to satisfy the unlocks for the VW joint venture.
Rivian needs scale to be cashflow positive, but they can't throw money at subsidizing the offers for R1 to reach that volume. As has been expected, R2 and beyond are more important than ever to hit lower price points and higher volumes as that is where the bulk of the market is at.
While all eyes are on R2, there are some milestones we expect to see hit R1 probably towards the early part of R2 production.
And as you can imagine, they are heavily weighted towards Autonomy+ with two key features slated to for 2026 introduction.
Auto Parking
The most glaring omission for a vehicle in the price range of R1 is the lack of parking assistance automation. Even low budget imports have had this feature for years, and the Rivian has relied on exceptional cameras + sensors.
Having parallel and perpendicular parking will be great, and these are the kinds of features I could see nudging people towards the one-time purchase option as much as any other "autonomy" feature for normal folks.
On-Ramp to Off-Ramp
Listed as "Merge onto the highway and your vehicle will follow your route, taking interchanges until you exit.", this feature is really kind of a roll-up of several features and pre-cursor for point-to-point.
Some required milestones to achieve something like this include:
- Automatic lane changes (overtake slow vehicles, follow exits)
- Adjacent traffic awareness for merge behavior
- Navigation respect for autonomy
- Speed limit offsets?
Going for a more limited operating domain feels more achievable than a widely available point-to-point, but could easily come with similar frustrating guard rails as we saw with the previous "Enhanced Highway Assist".
Notably absent from the future promises was the "Comfort Assist", but the on-ramp to off-ramp functionality should supersede that limited scope and be more what users actually want.
I've noted for some time that "normal" people don't care about full autonomy, but they do care about not needing to be so stressed out during long highway commutes so this slate for 2026 should round out what 90%+ want.
Given the software features present in the Model Y when equipped with FSD, I would be willing to bet that Rivian is likely targeting these by mid-2026 to be feature rich and competitive.
R2 & Beyond
It looks like we are going to see a hype machine hit full swing here over the next 90 days or so leading up to initial R2 customer deliveries.
If they follow the same playbook as the earliest R1 deliveries, expect the first 1-2k to go to employees who have a higher tolerance for bugs and issues.
Then we will see a multi-month run of the non-LiDAR and "enhanced Gen2 compute" equipped versions of R2. The updated computer and sensor suite are expected late this year, and look well worth the patience in my view.
Even then, as I've been building my new lease calculator to make it clear how much you're paying in interest for a lease, it's even more obvious than ever that the bulk of the market should consider leasing these vehicles.
With rapid technology improvements for autonomy, charging, thermals, efficiency, and brutal depreciation - leasing looks better and better.
Community
Rivian posted their "2025 in the Rearview", including a nice recap on how the year went across the Rivian community.
Of course there were the new products (Gen2 Quad, Dune, Borealis), but the big takeaway remains the amazing Rivian community of owners.
Did you have a favorite software update, product, or community event?
Hit reply and let me know what your favorite 2025 event was.
Worth Checking Out - Sponsor
I've had our VION sunshades in both our R1S and R1T for months now. They're custom-fit for Rivian's expansive glass roof, and honestly, they can make a big difference on hot days or when the vehicle is parked.
VION sponsored my 1-year review video, and they're offering Rivian Recap readers 10% off anything site wide with code "TRAVIS".
Check out their sunshades, carbon activated air filters, and more:
VION Sunshade // VION Air Filters
My thanks to VION for helping make this newsletter possible.
Latest Deals
There were a few shifts to the January 2026 offers from the past two months, but generally my recommended configurations stay the same.
The dual-standard, while more expensive than November and December by $100/month, still represents the best value in the lineup.
2026 R1S dual-standard (with premium audio)
2026 R1T dual-standard (with premium audio, tonneau, utility panel)
The Tri-Motor has improved driving dynamics that make my preferred configuration if I were picking up a new R1 today and wanted to optimize for the driving experience and premium feel.
$5,000 lease bonus cash for 2026 R1S/R1T
1.99% financing for 2026 models (dual large & max w/performance, quads).
0.99% financing for 2026 tri-max models.
I'm excited to launch my new custom Lease Calculator next week, giving you clear insight into if the "cost" of a lease is a good deal or not based on your interest cost for the lease.
Now that Rivian publicly displays the residual values (yay, transparency!), we can calculate how much your lease costs. I'm stoked with how it's coming.
Here's a sneak peek for a 2026 R1S Tri-Motor:
All referrals also get 3 months of free charging on the Rivian Adventure Network, which would be handy with holiday travel.
I hope enjoyed this weeks edition of the Rivian Recap. Let me know what you'd like to see more of in future editions!
Even if you just want to say hi, hit reply – I'd love to get to know you 👋
Stay curious ✌️,
Travis Ketchum
P.S. Thinking about buying a new Rivian?
Make sure you use a referral code. A friend, a neighbor, or someone who has helped you along the way.
Here's mine: TRAVIS4699411