Rivian R3 and R3X Will Be All-Electric Brand’s Subcompact Duo

• Rivian R3 and R3X revealed, with the subcompact, entry-level models intended to be positioned below the R2 in size and price, offered with a shorter wheelbase but sharing the R2's platform and battery options.

• The R3 will be the base model, offering fold-down seats and a separately opening rear glass window, and is expected as a 2027 model.

• The R3X will be the tri-motor performance model, with a wider stance and more upscale features, as well as increased ground clearance.

In addition to the Rivian R2, due in the first half of 2026, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe revealed not one but two other models this week, with the R3 and R3X taking the stage after the R2 bowed.

"R2 represents not just the vehicle but it also represents the platform," Scaringe said, hinting at the further use of the new platform for Rivian's future vehicles.

Out came the Rivian R3, sized just a bit smaller than the R2 and featuring a boxy hatchback bodystyle with short overhangs and a rectangular, wraparound taillight that might remind some of the classic Niva models.

The subcompact EV hatch will share the platform of the R2 as well as its battery options while offering more modest footprints, with Rivian setting its sights on the EV hatchback market of the future—the somewhat distant future, we might add, as these are expected to arrive as 2027 models.

Compared to the R2, the R3 features a shorter wheelbase and tighter dimensions, and is slated to be offered in single and dual-motor layouts, and a range of over 300 miles. As with the R2, the company did not reveal battery specs or horsepower figures for the model.

Just like in the R2, the front and rear seats are designed to fold flat to permit camping, and the slanted rear glass will be able to open independently of the hatch.

Both the R2 and the R3 will offer two battery sizes, with the larger pack promising over 300 miles of range. Both vehicles will also use the new 4685 cell promising greater energy density and output, while also allowing DC fast-charging from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes.

But Scaringe had yet another vehicle to show, revealing the R3X, intended to be the performance version of the R3.

This model will feature a tri-motor layout exclusively, and will also offer a wider stance and wider wheels and tires, in addition to a slightly higher ride height.

"The interior of the vehicle is just beautifully laid out," Scaringe said, making note of the use of cork and anodized metals.

Scaringe did not mention a price range for the R3 or the R3X, but both are expected to land south of the $45,000 starting price of the R2. The company did not offer a firm timeline for availability of the R3 and the R3X.

"R3 and R3X deliveries will start after R2, to ensure a smooth launch and rapid ramp of R2—this is a learning from Rivian's simultaneous launch of R1T, R1S, and EDV," the company noted.

This means we can probably expect both as 2027 model-year vehicles, with a starting price likely to be around $35,000 for the R3.

The sportier R3X with its tri-motor layout, as you might have guessed, will likely command a premium, and should overlap with the R2 a bit.

The R2 and R3 lineup should keep Rivian busy over the next few years as it navigates the quickly changing EV landscape, one that is already showing some signs of wear when it comes to certain models and bodystyles.

Can the Rivian R3 capture a significant chunk of this segment by 2027, or will the market for electric hatchbacks remain lukewarm even in the second half of the decade? Let us know what you think.