Rivian R2 EPA numbers out: 217 kW DC charge, up to 335mi range, heat pump

The EPA certification for Rivian’s upcoming R2 was found and posted on Rivian Forums this morning, and it includes some interesting insights about the vehicle – including one note that has fans worried about cold weather range, but we reached out to Rivian to get the facts.

The main, headline spec that everyone seems to be interested in is the range, which stands at 335 miles for the launch performance edition with default 21″ wheels and all-season tires. That’s in line with (and slightly more than) Rivian’s 330 mile estimate that it mentioned on launch day.

Notably, we also know the difference in range from the 20″ all-terrain tires, which reduce efficiency (as is the case on any vehicle). Per the certification, the R2 will have a range of 314 miles with all-terrain tires equipped, which isn’t all that bad of a loss all things considered.

EV fans might be surprised by this – usually, larger wheels have lower range, often because the larger wheels will have stickier tires and flashier wheels. In this case, the difference is due to the tire surface, rather than the size of the wheel.

Future R2 vehicles will be available with 20″ wheels and all-season tires, and we would expect those to have slightly better efficiency, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Other specs, like the Standard Long Range with 345 mile estimate, and Standard with 275+ mile estimate, were not tested. These vehicles aren’t available until next year, so their certification will come later.

Are these numbers optimistic?

However, there is some reason to believe that this range number could be a little on the optimistic side.

Pack capacity is listed as 86.8kWh, which is slightly lower than the 87.9kWh previously touted by Rivian. Driving efficiency is listed at a phenomenal 21.6kWh/100mi (155MPGe) in the city and 25.7kWh/100mi (131MPGe) on the highway, giving a combined score of 144MPGe.

This… actually strains credulity a little, as it would put the blocky R2 as the second-most-efficient vehicle available on US roads, just behind the sleek, low and overengineered Lucid Air Pure at 146MPGe. It’s also more efficient than the Model Y at 138MPGe.

It’s also almost twice as efficient as the Rivian R1. Given that the R1 platform is not particularly efficient and the R2 looks just like a smaller version of it, it seems unlikely for the vehicle to skyrocket so highly up to the top of efficiency ratings.

The car is around 1,300lbs lighter than its larger sibling (5,250lbs as-tested, compared to the ~6,600lb curb weight of the R1S), which buys you a good chunk of efficiency, but it still seems unlikely to be more efficient than this spaceship.

A likely culprit here is that the EPA gives manufacturers some wiggle room on testing, allowing them to use more or less lenient procedures. The EV startups tend to use the more-lenient procedures, resulting in higher range numbers which don’t necessarily translate to the real world. All the more reason not to consider range numbers as gospel, and remember the age-old phrase, “Your Mileage May Vary.”

Charging is quick too

But personally, I find charging much more interesting than range. High ranges are rarely needed as long as you have suitable access to charging, so what’s better is the knowledge that you can stop for a quick meal or bathroom break and come back to your car with plenty of charge to fuel the next leg of your journey.

Here, the R2 has solid performance too. The car seems capable of a peak DC rate of 217kW, which is similar to the peak rate seen on Rivian’s other vehicles. It isn’t the fastest available today (especially if you count China), but is better than what I would say is the baseline expectation of ~150kW.

Like all EVs, peak DC rates only apply at low battery state of charge, and then charge rates slow down as the battery fills up more. What you want is a “broad charge curve” where high charge rates are maintained for a longer period of time. Comparing peak and average charge rate, the R2 looks like it won’t be as good as the best performer out there.

Rivian previously told us that the car would be able to charge from 10-80% in 29 minutes, which would mean an average charge rate of ~107kW, a little slower than the R1’s average charge rate of ~125kW, which could be due to having a smaller battery.

As for ease of charging, The R2 comes with a NACS connector, and Rivian operates the Rivian Adventure Network DC charging network and bought A Better Route Planner, a charge-planning app, so expect to have an easy time finding places to plug in.

Concern over lack of heat pump unfounded, says Rivian

There is one concerning line in the certification, though, as many enthusiasts noticed: the tested version of the vehicle didn’t have a heat pump, per this line:

● Real world range is expected to improve over R2 Launch vehicles (which is equipped with conventional AC system) when cabin reheat or heating is required (roughly below 20°C).

This matters because EVs are more efficient than gas vehicles, so they produce less waste heat. So in cold environments, EVs must create heat to run the car’s heating systems, which takes extra energy.

A heat pump is a more efficient method of cabin heating, as instead of creating heat through traditional resistive heating, it finds heat where it can and moves it around. This can be 3-4x more efficient, thus saving range. (It can also work for air conditioning, but heating is the main benefit in an EV).

However, we reached out to Rivian to ask if this was the case, and Rivian assured us that “Launch Edition R2s will have a heat pump.” So, direct from the horse’s mouth.

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