Whether we need it or not, Australia looks set to have another car brand in the market in the not-too-distant future.
Rivian, the American electric vehicle maker, has long discussed plans for international expansion, including Australia, but recent comments suggest a move is closer than it has previously been.
Speaking to UK publication Autocar at the recent Munich Motor Show, Rivian boss RJ Scaringe reportedly confirmed that the brand intends on offering right-hand drive versions of its upcoming R2 model for the UK market. However, no details or timeframe was indicated, which is in line with previous Rivian comments to Torquecafe, but the commitment to the UK means further right-hand drive markets will almost certainly include Australia.
A Rivian spokesperson told Torquecafe earlier this year that the plan has always been for international expansion, but until now there had been no firm news around right-hand drive markets.
The R2 is the crucial new addition to the Rivian line-up. Not only is it the brand’s direct rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7 and Kia EV5, but it will also be the first vehicle to benefit from Rivian’s partnership with Volkswagen.
The R2 and even smaller R3 Rivians as well as the upcoming Volkswagen ID.1 and a host of other models from the German brand will all share the same underpinnings and technology in order to cut costs and create economies-of-scale to drive down retail prices for both brands.
While Rivian shares many similarities with Tesla as an American EV start-up, the two companies are very different in their approach to the market. Rivian has taken a slow build-up, selling a fraction of the cars Tesla has in recent years. That’s why the high-volume R2 is seen as such a crucial model in the brand’s plans to sell one million cars per year.
Key to hitting that target will be international expansion to markets including Europe and eventually the UK and Australia.
Would you like to see Rivian in Australia?
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