7:31 am, February 23, 2026
You might be thinking the last thing the UK needs right now is another electric car brand – but one US-based giant hopes you’re wrong.
Meet Rivian – an all American EV maker that could be coming to the UK very soon. But how is this truck and SUV maker any different? And could it actually corner a part of the market that’s increasingly becoming crowded by the Chinese?
Well, Car Dealer has been in America to try Rivian’s products out. We’ve driven the R1T truck more than 1,000 miles on an epic journey from Las Vegas to LA and back again, we’ve experienced first hand its autonomous tech on the road and have visited its rather quirky experience centres.
And, after all that, we’d agree something feels a bit different with this brand. This actually feels far more grown up.
Currently Rivian makes two huge models. We drove the R1T – a gigantic pick-up with a 300-mile plus real world range – and checked out its sister car, the R1S SUV that’s based on the same platform.
Both look and feel incredibly premium. The build quality is on a par, or far exceeds, some German rivals with their plush seats, wooden interiors and highly intuitive multimedia screens.
It’s been a long time since I’ve driven a new car and didn’t have at least one thing to moan about, but the R1T was different. This was an electric car I actually enjoyed driving and that’s mostly because everything about the whole experience just worked.
It helps that it’s a US car, so has no annoying beeps or bongs, and it was a pleasure to be able to use the autonomous functions on the road.
On the motorways you can simply turn it on and take your hands off the wheel. The car will accelerate and brake for you, and even change lanes if you click the indicator. You need to be fully attentive throughout and paying close attention to the road, but even then it is remarkably relaxing. I just wish this tech would make it across the pond.
Rivian is more of a Tesla challenger, but instead of going after a mass market, it has focussed its energy on building premium cars with premium prices. The R1T starts at more than $70,000 (£52,000) and rises to more than $115,000 (£85,000) for the tri-motor version. It’s likely they’d be far more expensive in the UK, but they are a bit too big for us. Both make a Range Rover look tiddly.
In the States, Rivians are sold in much the same way as Tesla with a direct to consumer model via its website. Instead of dealerships, it has invested in ‘experience centres’ where customers can immerse themselves in the brand.
We visited one on Laguna Beach, LA, where Rivian has taken over a cinema (below). Within a stone’s throw from the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Rivian has two cars on display, a merchandise shop, cafe and work area for visitors.
On the huge movie screen it hosts regular film nights and special events where members of the public are invited along to join the brand. When we popped in the Winter Olympics were showing and families were enjoying the curling.
Customers can spec their cars at the site, take a test drive or chat to the sales staff. I spoke to one of the team who told me the relaxed environment really helps them sell the story of the brand and its cars.
Whether this model will be deployed when the car maker heads to other markets remains to be seen.
Experts believe Rivian will come to Europe either later this year, or early next, with two cheaper, smaller models that will be more suited to UK roads. The R2 and R3 are compact SUVs which are likely to cost sub-£40,000.
That still sounds like a lot, especially when stacked up against Chinese rivals shifting electric SUVs for bargain prices. However, Rivian will be hoping its premium feel will sweep up buyers. Think of it more as a Volvo or Audi rival, than a BYD challenger.
In the States, Rivian has invested in its own charging network. They are nowhere near as common as Tesla’s Supercharger network, but work in much the same way offering quick top ups in key locations. The Las Vegas to LA route has one strategically placed and it topped up the R1T in quick fashion.
What’s more, when we needed to use other chargers in the States, the Rivian ‘talked’ to the charger after plugging it in which meant it billed a pre-determined account and immediately started. There was no faffing around with apps or credit cards and it shows just how stress-free EV ownership can be when these things just work.
Rivian has actually been around for some time. The company was founded in 2009 by CEO RJ Scaringe and scaled rapidly. It was helped by an investment from Amazon that ordered 100,000 electric trucks as part of the deal.
But it’s not had the smoothest of rides. In 2021 it floated on the stock market and was valued at more than $150m, but it started to lose serious money. It burnt cash at a scary rate, its share price crashed and investors were worried it might not survive.
It scraped through, though, but even now investors are still uncertain about its prospects. A launch in Europe – and other markets across the world – is crucial to its long term survival and after our experience in the States I’m confident Brits will love it too.
If Rivian can bring some of that California cool across with it, maintain its impressive build quality and entice buyers with some unique brand cache, it might just find enough buyers who want to stand out from the Chinese-manufacturer masses.
Watch our video about Rivian below and stay tuned for more from our American adventure on our YouTube channel and this website.
