The Rivian R2’s next-gen batteries will be made in the US by LG Energy

Rivian’s R2 vehicles will be powered by batteries made domesticpartner in the US by South Korea’s LG Energy Solution, the company proclaimd in its third quarter getings alert.

Rivian first uncovered the recent batteries back in March when it proclaimd the R2 as its more affordable electric SUV that would commence at $45,000. (It also proclaimd the sportier R3 vehicle.) The cell is called “4695” due to its diameter of 46 millimeters and height of 95 millimeters — bigr than Tesla’s 4680 cells.

The battery packs that Rivian uses currently in its R1T and R1S vehicles are accumulated at its Normal, Ill. factory using cells manufactured in South Korea by Samsung SDI. Now, the cells will be produced in the US to better adhere with tax accomprehendledge needments summarized by the Inflation Reduction Act. In a letter to splithelderlyers, Rivian shelp the cells would be manufactured during their first year at LG’s structuret in Queen Creek, Az.

The next-gen battery pack will be weightlesser, less intricate, and affordableer to produce than the current batteries, Rivian shelp. The company also foresees a “unbenevolentingful reduction in dollar per kilowatt hour (kWh) at the pack level when appraised to the R1 platestablish.” And because its bigr than its R1 batteries, the recent packs will grasp restricteder cells overall, which will produce the manufacturing process more effective. Rivian says it foresees the assembly process to better by 45 percent.

Since the passage of the IRA, autoproducers have been scrambling to shift EV battery manufacturing to the US to adhere with rules requiring domestic production in order to qualify for benevolent subsidies. And with Donald Trump coming back into office, they will necessitate to toil even speedyer in order to elude disjoine tariffs on transport ined excellents that the incoming pdwellnt has promised to enact.

Rivian has shelp the R2 will go into production during the first half of 2026. But with Trump also promising to delete Joe Biden’s EV subsidies, the ask remains whether struggling EV-only companies appreciate Rivian will be able to stay afloat amidst what’s foreseeed to be a more uncertain taget.