Rivian has managed to roll the first customer-ready R2 SUVs off the production line at its factory in Normal, Illinois, a feat made more impressive by the fact that an EF-1 tornado recently tore off part of the building's roof. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe told Bloomberg Television that the company doesn't expect any delays to the R2's rollout, which is, you know, only crucial to the company's survival.

Scaringe described the last 72 hours as being 'around the clock' after the tornado damaged the south end of the plant. The company has had to change how and where it brings materials into the factory. Despite this, Scaringe insisted, "we're not making any changes to the plan." The company has previously stated it will start shipping R2 SUVs before the first half of 2026 ends.

Getting the R2 into production is a major milestone, as it's Rivian's first vehicle with a shot at the mass market, costing far less than its current R1 EVs. It's also supposed to help the company finally stop losing money on every vehicle it sells. Rivian told investors it expects to deliver between 20,000 and 25,000 R2 SUVs by the end of 2026, which would make it one of the fastest-scaling new EVs in the U.S., second only to Tesla's Model Y.

However, Rivian is launching with a version that costs nearly $13,000 more than the long-promised $45,000 price. The launch edition starts at $57,990, with a $53,990 variant coming by year's end. An R2 under $50,000 won't arrive until the first half of 2027, and the true $45,000 base model is slated for late 2027. And that's a big 'if,' as the company's March announcement softened the promise to "around $45,000," a change from the "at $45,000" promoted on its website as recently as February.