Rivian Recap: 07/17/2026

Hey there,

Here's your weekly Rivian Recap for July 17th, 2026.

R2 gets its first major software release, new mobile app, testing some new accessories, Lucid has a wild day, I finally get a VIN assigned for my R2!

Let's dive in!

Software

The much anticipated initial feature-loaded update for R2 has started to roll out, which includes Pet Comfort Mode, Launch Mode, Garage Door, WiFi Hotspot and more as build 2026.24

Note: The software build number is (year).(week) that the software was focused around. That means this is a build from the week of June 8th.

You can dig into the release notes here, but this took a major leap towards bringing software feature parity for R2 with R1.

Of note after last weeks rant is this specific call out:

"When the driver door opens, the vehicle detects the key closest to the driver door, loads the driver profile for that key, and moves any saves driver seat, steering wheel, and side mirror settings into the saved positions."

I remember seeing similar notes for previous builds of R1, so I'll believe it when I see it. It's still encouraging though to see it called out so explicitly.

For anyone who is lucky enough to be driving an early R2 and has another member of their household setup with a Digital Key, do the profiles work as you'd expect to reliably choose the correct profile?

I realize that the R2 software was so early, that prior to this build it would not move the positions at all in an automated way.

Let's just hope this brings the refined user experience that every Rivian deserves to have from the start.

We saw Wassym showing off an R2 with all-season tires absolutely crush the stated 0-60, 100, and quarter mile times in his testing.

But now we have a clip from Tyrone showing 0-60 in the All-Terrains.

To still get 0-60 in 3.64s with the off-road focused tire tread is pretty good!

It's pretty amazing to have so much capability tucked away into the form factor of the performance R2. The dynamics of these motors giving more power above 40 mph is going to make it hilariously fun to drive as a daily.

To be frank, the softer off-the-line snap is welcome from a passenger comfort and tire wear without giving up the spirit of so much power.

Plus... no staggered wheels! This means less fussy tire replacements, and a standard tire rotation schedule for more even wear overall.

An update dropped for the Rivian mobile app with a few key improvements.

Chief among them are an interactive map equipped with smarter search and trip planning, along with better trip/route planning in general.

One thing that may not be quite as hoped though in the big release is the performance of Pet Comfort Mode not being up to snuff in R2.

Thanks to this thread on Rivian Forums, David Vaught gave us a clear cut comparison on the performance of Pet Mode for R2 vs R1.

Hardware

I thought for sure I would have a video you this week, but I kept running into a bunch of recording road blocks.

Thankfully, I was able to just squeeze it in at the 11th hour here before heading on a quick trip for a few days.

Here's the Rivian R1S Accessories I'd actually keep, and what I regret buying.

Even if the scope had to narrow a bit for the video (no epic drone shots quite yet for this video), I think you'll find it useful if you're driving an R1S.

I have to say though, in the process of doing this video I went far enough to even pick up a new bike rack that can finally handle super heavy e-bikes such as the ALSO. TM-B (which weighs 90 lbs), and clears the R1S tailgate.

Note: It looks like I'll be doing more with ALSO. and their TM-B later this year, is that something you'd be interested in me going deep with?

Hit reply and let me know what you want to know/see about the bikes.

Last week Rivian announced several new accessories for R1, including a new mesh sunshade product. As with many Rivian OEM accessories, it looks well made but fairly expensive at $150.

However, the bigger deal breaker for many will come down to one very important keyword about the design: MESH.

Thankfully, Jose is doing us all a favor and testing out the OEM solution, and I can say many people (myself included) glossed over the mesh description.

Past sponsorship aside, I have a hard time imaging that a mesh shade is going to offer the kind of IR and heat rejection you get with the reflective and solid shades from VION.

That means you're making a trade off by letting in some light and feeling less cramped, for what is likely to be far worse thermal performance.

I'd expect warmer cabins and louder HVAC, which is kind of the entire point for something like this to exist and worth the fuss in the first place.

It looks like a number of Esker Silver R2's have been delivered, and it looks like a really solid base/free color across the fleet.

Comparing it to an LA Silver vehicle, you can see it shades darker and it seems to have more "depth" to it overall.

I know there have been complaints about the restrained nature that most of the R2 colors fall into, but I think many people are going to be happy with this as the included color.

Which is handy, as I think we're about to see a ton of silver R2's on the road, especially given how expensive the upgrades are.

And lastly... I finally get a VIN assigned for R2!

My Catalina Cove with 20" Black Sand All-Terrains has been assigned and should be on its way to the PNW.

I'm excited to get my hands on it so I can deliver more content for you all, but it's definitely a bitter sweet moment as I've loved a lot about my Rivian Blue R1T.

I'm determined to own another R1T in the future, but given my current schedule and our vehicle needs, it doesn't make sense to have 3 of them.

Hopefully the next owner of the truck loves it as much as I have.

Community

I wanted to give a shout out to Chad from Rivian Roamer, who's out there living his best life for a big road trip in his loaded Tri-Motor R1T.

His return to the location where we had Camp Rivian last September really makes me want to find an excuse to get my Rivian people and just hang out.

Perhaps I should make it a point to hit Joshua Tree as well, if I can finally pull off that R2 road trip I've been putting together.

Good job living the Stay Curious life, Chad. ✌️

Second, Lucid Motors who makes the Air and Gravity, had some rumors floating around that they were seeking bankruptcy proceedings.

It causes their stock to drop over 40%, before recovering a good chunk back in the afternoon.

Newsletter image

This has led to some drama and reaction by the press and leadership at Lucid.

The reality is, Lucid has some absolutely incredible engineering but real cashflow and business fundamental issues.

I'm not going to pretend to be in a position to offer them advice, but it does seem as though their problematic software and high price points are leading to sluggish performance in today's environment.

I genuinely wish them well, and hope that they can find a way out. The EV world will be better off if they can continue to exist beyond the time horizon of their cashflow into next year.

Worth Checking Out - CCAN Action Fund Raffle

This week I partnered with CCAN Action Fund on their annual raffle, which gives you the chance to win some pretty awesome prizes.

With only 13 days left... the odds are still quite excellent!

1st Place (up to $115k):

- Rivian R1S, R1T
- Lucid Gravity, Air
- Porsche Taycan, Cayenne, Macan

2nd Place:

- Rivian R2
- VW ID.Buzz
- Any Hyundai Ioniq

3rd Place:

- 2027 Chevy Bolt

Check out the CCAN Action Fund raffle here.

My thanks to CCAN Action Fund for helping make this newsletter possible.

Latest Deals

We are solidly into July deals now while waiting for 2027 models to arrive, which I solidly expect to be in full production swing already.

Note the few "reduced price" vehicles in inventory.

If you're in the state of California, you may want to wait a bit until the new EV rebate kicks in that doesn't have the price cap in place for Lucid or Rivian due to their offices being in California. (Sorry, Tesla.)

Dual Performance and Tri-Motor models get $3k lease cash, or 1.99% APR for 60 months. Non-performance get 2.99% APR for 60 months.

Here's what's sticking out for deals this week:

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 ($3k Lease or 1.99% for 60 months) [Lease vs Buy Example]

2026 R1S Tri-Motor

2026 R1T Tri-Motor

All R1 referrals also get 3 months of free charging on the Rivian Adventure Network, as well as some shop credits (varies by trim).