Rivian Recap: 03/27/2026
Hey there,
Here's your weekly Rivian Recap for March 27th, 2026.
What most people missed with the R2 details from SXSW, a big overhaul for the Rivian web experience, $1b cash gets unlocked, and a closer look at the phone charging pad included in new builds.
Quick note:
The early feedback has been invaluable... but feel free to hit reply here and let me know what you'd love to see included in the series! 🙏
Let's dive in!
Software
It's easy to forget that the web experience as much software as anything in our pockets or in the vehicle.
This week, Rivian dropped an update to the configuration experience for R1 in what I assume is preparation for the R2 configuration (soon? 🤞)
The new update allows users to see the vehicle in 3D from all angles, including interacting with doors, hood, and even roll the R1T tonneau back and forth.
Is it necessary? Of course not.
It is a cool flex of technology powered by Unreal Engine (same same powerful engine used in games and in-car animations). Absolutely.
Frankly, Rivian has been on a tear with their web experience across the board.
From the R2 marketing page:
To the all-new account management dashboard:
Here's to hoping this design ethos brings itself to the mobile app soon for those us with the 1st world problem of owning multiple Rivians.
We already got DigitalKey which no longer forces us to open the app and select the new vehicle for access and entry. I'd love to see a way to quick swipe between vehicles for other app based controls.
Hardware
Last week we got our first peek at the new OEM magnetic phone charger.
This week, those builds are finally becoming the norm with customer deliveries as new builds work their way through logistics.
First impressions are that the new pad is a serious upgrade visually, and that the magnets work well for keeping the phone in place.
It didn't take much convincing for the first Redditor to rip the pad right up out of the slot to see what the under wiring looks like.
(I love my fellow nerds)
It's still a bit unclear what the true power delivery is. Early reporting by Jose indicates it may be as slow as 5w.
Should that be the case, the aftermarket solution from Soonish remains a really compelling option for existing R1 owners that delivers today.
The OEM charger should be available via the Gear Shop in the coming months though, hopefully it's more like weeks as the design is clearly superior.
I think both look aesthetically pleasing, and I'm so happy to see Rivian finally fix this from the factory in a way that is a meaningfully better customer experience.
But if you have an existing Gen1 or Gen2 vehicle, I would still recommend the Soonish solution thanks to the far improved charging speeds.
(Disclaimer: The Soonish links are affiliate, but the product is excellent.)
With the dust finally settling from the big SXSW media dump, I had a chance to distill what was shown and reported to single out 28 things most people could've likely missed about R2.
There are unique differences with production R2 that diverge from what was shown in the March 2024 prototype.
But there were also some surprising differences with R2 that stray from the existing playbook and design choices that Rivian made with R1.
Here are the Rivian R2 details most people missed.
Rivian just secured an IIHS+ top safety pick for a 3rd time.
The R1S and R1T continue to be among the safest vehicles in their class, as rated independently.
This strong commitment to safety should bode well for R2 as testing commences, although I do wish the fleet had amber turn signals.
At this point, we have plenty of research that amber turn signals actually reduce the likelihood of getting into a crash in the first place by 5.3%.
Given the photos we saw of the RAD vehicles, it looked like the R2 had amber turn signals at that event, but production intent R2 at SXSW did not.
For global shipments, R2 is going to be required to have amber turn signals, so why they wouldn't just do that from the start in the US is a bit baffling.
Speaking of the frosty FAT Ice event recently, VW just announced that Rivian has completed the cold weather validation to unlock another $1b in cash.
Rivian has shown a clear focus to hit the terms of their investment benchmarks every step of the way, even if that means other things get delayed.
The first vehicle the joint venture will be shipping is the ID.EVERY1, followed by Audi and Scout but eventually spreading across the entire VW ev-based portfolio.
Hitting these milestones are important given the rate that Rivian is still burning cash until they get to volume production with R2 and R3.
A similar set of benchmarks is in place for $950m of Ubers $1.25b investment terms. However, hitting Autonomy timelines seems more prone to delay risk, but Rivian must be bullish to chase these terms.
Community
A bit of a departure from the normal community posts, but this one your kids might find fun (or if you're a gamer nerd like me, it could appeal to you as well).
We got our first look at the Fortnite and Rocket League Rivian R1S models, so you may soon come around the corner to see your kids ripping a rigged our Rivian to score a clutch goal in Rocket League.
These models look like a more rugged version of what RIvian has shown, including the new RAD livery and the patented (but never released) front winch.
Could we see an X version of our favorite Rivians in the future?
R2 demo drives are coming soon!
When you scroll down to the bottom of the R2 marketing page, you'll see a badge that R2 demo drives are coming this summer to Rivian spaces.
That likely means demo drives in July, after the very earliest customer deliveries and volume production starts ramping up a bit.
Worth Checking Out - Rivian Roamer
I'm a data junkie, especially when it comes to longer road trips.
If you want to know when your Rivian is flagged for a software update, or how much energy you burned ripping that last leg... Rivian Roamer is great.
Last summer I was an early beta tester and the advanced features of Rivian Roamer helped me catalog the best (and worst) charging sessions to marry the experience with quantifiable data.
The free version is wonderful, but the nerdy telematics data (driving, charging, phantom drain, etc.) is super powerful.
Get your first month of Rivian Roamer+ free with this referral link.
My thanks to Rivian Roamer for helping make this newsletter possible.
Latest Deals
The dual-standard lease offer has now expired, and I would not recommend purchasing this configuration anymore due to the imminent end of production, and on-going BMS issues that Rivian has had getting the full range figures.
Here's what's sticking out for deals this week:
Get 1.99% financing for 60 months on these builds:
Dual Large w/Performance [Lease vs Buy Example]:
2026 R1S Dual-Large w/Performance (Premium Audio)
2026 R1T Dual-Large w/Performance (Premium Audio, Utility V2 Tonneau)
Dual Max w/Performance [Lease vs Buy Example]:
2026 R1S Dual-Max w/Performance (Premium Audio)
2026 R1T Dual-Max w/Performance (Premium Audio, Utility, V2 Tonneau)
Tri-Max [Lease vs Buy Example]:
*If you need to chat with a sales advisor and want a direct introduction, I'm happy to make that happen, just reply and I'll get you in touch.*
All referrals also get 3 months of free charging on the Rivian Adventure Network.
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
P.P.S. Here are some tools and resources you may find useful: