Metropolis council members in Laguna Seashore, California met final evening ready to approve a request (PDF) from Rivian to park six automobiles on the grass in a metropolis park for a March seventh “R2 launch.” The corporate seems to be planning to formally announce its forthcoming electrical SUV, the R2, which is meant to be smaller and extra reasonably priced than its present lineup of EVs.
A area people publication referred to as Stu Information Laguna reported yesterday {that a} small merchandise on town council’s consent calendar confirmed that it was planning to approve the occasion in a single movement together with many different agenda gadgets. The six automobiles Rivian needs to park are “for informational purposes only,” Stu Information writes.
Though the submitting itself doesn’t point out particularly what the “worldwide launch event” is for, a diagram on the backside of the deliberate format for the vehicles reads “RIVIAN R2 LAUNCH v11.pln,” which is… fairly simple.
Rivian doesn’t appear to have made any official announcement round that date simply but, however the firm just lately took over a constructing referred to as South Coast Theater close to the spot the place the automobiles could be parked. Now named Rivian South Coast Theater, it serves as the corporate’s “first flagship retail location.” A spokesperson for the corporate declined to remark.
The corporate’s R2 platform will undergird its subsequent car, which is anticipated to enter manufacturing as quickly as 2026. Rivian has stated one of many first automobiles shall be a smaller SUV priced between $40,000 and $60,000. The present lineup of R1 automobiles every begin at round $80,000.
Rivian has additionally stated it goals to slash the carbon footprint of its next-gen automobiles by rising the quantity of recycled supplies and by utilizing extra renewable vitality in its manufacturing course of.
