Rivian is phasing out the R1S Dual Standard, its most affordable SUV, ahead of the R2

According to an email sent to Rivian subscribers yesterday, the American automaker is sunsetting the Standard trim of its flagship R1S SUV. The end is imminent for Rivian’s most affordable R1S model, but the automaker says its exit will pave the way for a new “refined lineup” of EVs… Plus the R2 is about to arrive,

The Rivian R1S Standard, albeit short-lived, represents a lot of Rivian’s growth (and success) over the past five years or so. While the initial rollout of Gen 1 Rivian EVs like the R1S and R1T found early success, Rivian was going through some growing pains in evolving a production process from scratch, in a revamped production facility nonetheless, as a opposed to the blank slate, purpose-built facility it is erecting in Georgia.

The R1S Dual Standard emerged as part of a second generation of Rivian EVs, showcasing the young automaker’s innovation through “Enduro” motors and the integration of LFP battery chemistry (enabling you to charge to 100% every night).

Now, two years later, Rivian announced it is phasing out the R1S Dual Standard, which is a bummer, but there is plenty to look forward to from Rivian this year… or even this week!

The email headline from Rivian said it all: “Dual Standard is ending.” As a R1S Standard owner myself, I was initially surprised and read on. “Surely this was a just demand lever to increase lease registrations,” I thought to myself.

Alas, representatives for Rivian confirmed that the Dual Standard’s days are, in fact, numbered. The email goes on:

We have changes coming to our vehicle line up later this year, take advantage of lease offers on Dual Standard while you can.

That lease deal includes a 2026 R1 Dual Standard starting at $749/mo for 36 months plus $3,000 off. That’s a pretty sweet deal, but the lease offer has to be approved by March 19, and the SUV must be delivered by March 31 in order to qualify.

Clearly, Rivian is clearing some inventory as fast as it can, perhaps to make room for the new R2? The R1S’s smaller, more affordable little brother? That model is set to make its official launch tomorrow at SXSW, where we are sure to learn more about how that vehicle’s trims break down and how much each will cost.

Be sure to circle back to Electrek tomorrow for more details on that, but I digress. Other versions of the R1S will continue, including the Large Pack Dual Motor, Tri-Motor, and the beastly Quad Motor.

RIP Rivian R1S Dual Standard.

As a R1S Dual Standard owner myself, I’m not surprised by this news, but maybe a little sad? I’m not sure what I’m feeling, but after driving this trim for over a year, it’s a wonderful EV with more than enough range most of the time.

The LFPs have more pros than cons, and overall, they offer, at their most basic level, more features and luxuries than many other similarly priced models. The same could be said about its performance. That said, I can see why Rivian would want to phase this one out, as R2 is about to make a big splash in the EV market. Furthermore, Rivian has promised that the model could start as low as 45,000-ish dollars, which is over $30,000 less than the Dual Standard.

We don’t know official Rivian R2 pricing yet, but even at its most expensive trim, it’s most certainly going to cost a notable amount less than the R1S Dual Standard. With R2 hitting the market soon, future Rivian customers will probably only gravitate toward the R1S for its third row and additional cargo space. Or perhaps for that quad motor to destroy some mud in.

While it sucks to see Rivian’s most affordable R1S go away, between the other R1S trims and the R1T, plus the R2, there are plenty of viable options for most would-be EV customers these days.

All eyes on the R2 launch!

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Scooter Doll is a writer, designer and tech enthusiast born in Chicago and based on the West Coast. When he’s not offering the latest tech how tos or insights, he’s probably watching Chicago sports. Please send any tips or suggestions, or dog photos to him at scooter@9to5mac.com