Rivian R2 kicks off real-world validation and even its camo wraps are cooler than everyone else’s

Rivian has shared an exciting update on the progress of the development of its R2 validation builds. The production-intent R2 vehicles will be put through long cycles of harsh real-world conditions and will do so in style. The American automaker showcased its unique R2 wraps today, and these camoed designs are true to the Rivian brand and some of the most creative I’ve ever seen.

For the past month or so, we’ve been reposting and commenting on a slew of social media posts from Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. Those posts all centered around one major topic of interest in the Rivian community and the EV industry as a whole—the R2, Rivian’s next flagship BEV design scheduled to hit the market next year.

Rivian has recently made enough progress on the R2’s development process to begin sharing it with the public. Scaringe’s recent posts included two looks at the Maximus Drive Unit that will power the R2s, the BEV’s body harness, and a fleet of validation models being assembled on a pilot line at Rivian’s Normal, Illinois, production facility.

Today’s social media post didn’t come from RJ but from @RivianOfficial on Instagram. The short video below features Rivian’s Senior Director of Exterior Design, Jonathan Szczupak, doing a walkthrough with the unique wraps on the R2 validation vehicles before they head out for real-world testing.

Rivian shows off its unique R2 wraps inspired by nature

Aside from the Instagram post, Rivian also shared more images of its R2 wraps (seen below) in a blog post that features an interesting Q&A with Szczupak. The Rivian exterior designer explained that inspiration for the design of the wraps came from the outdoors (where else?), in which the team wanted to wrap each production-intent R2 in nature and “have it feel alive, dynamic, and a little mysterious.”

Although the R2’s design has already been publicly revealed, Rivian is using these camo wraps because the exterior design still needs small updates as Szczupak’s team refines every detail ahead of scaled production. The Rivian designer also hinted that there may be some Easter eggs hidden in the wraps that “aren’t obvious at first glance.”

One obvious nod to the Rivian brand is the yellow silhouette of Gear Guard Gary – the American automaker’s friendly yeti mascot.

As of right now, these awesome R2 wraps are only for development vehicles, but Szczupak said people have been asking if they will be available on production vehicles, to which he said, “Never say never.” Much like the validation wheel design RJ posted earlier this month, there appears to be an appetite for some of the pre-production design elements.

We will have to see what makes it into the final design when production begins next year. For now, watch for those R2 validation builds out in the wild!