Rivian Says All-Terrain Tires Cost the R2 23 Miles of Range
Rivian's own guide to the R2 Launch Package's two wheel setups rates the all-terrain BFGoodrich package at 307 miles against 330 for the Pirelli all-seasons. The EPA's database agrees, and the gap is wider than on any R1S.
Rivian has put a hard number on what the R2's all-terrain tire option costs in range: 23 miles. In a wheel-and-tire guide posted Thursday on the company's Stories page, Rivian says the R2 Launch Package is EPA-rated at 330 miles on its 21-inch all-season setup and 307 miles on the 20-inch all-terrain package, a gap of about 7 percent.
Until now, the 330-mile figure had been the only one Rivian quoted for the R2. The guide is the first time the company has spelled out what the knobbier tire does to it.
The Launch Package offers two combinations. The default pairs a 21-inch Liquid Tungsten wheel with a 32-inch Pirelli Scorpion MS all-season tire. The alternative is a 20-inch Black Sand wheel wrapped in a 32-inch BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A. Rivian says the outer diameters are roughly the same, and the suspension, powertrain, and exterior geometry are identical whichever one you pick.
What changes is sidewall: about 2.75 inches on the 21s versus roughly 3 inches on the 20s. Rivian's case for the shorter sidewall is crisper steering and a more planted feel on pavement; its case for the extra half-inch is a smoother ride over rough surfaces and the ability to air down on sand and rock. The company notes those impressions are subjective, and they should be read as Rivian's position rather than a test result.
One difference isn't subjective. The BFGoodrich carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, which means it meets a higher traction standard in snow and cold. The Pirelli doesn't. For buyers in northern states, that may count for as much as the trail credentials.
The EPA has the same numbers
Rivian's figures match the regulator's. Fueleconomy.gov lists the 2027 R2 Performance AWD at 330 miles and 105 MPGe combined on 21-inch wheels, and 307 miles and 99 MPGe on the 20-inch all-terrains.
By Rivian's own standards, that is a steep tire penalty. On the 2027 R1S Performance, the EPA rates the 20-inch road-tire setup at 348 miles and the 20-inch all-terrain setup at 329, a loss of 19 miles or about 5.5 percent. The R1S Premium Long Range gives up just 10 miles, from 380 to 370. The R2 comparison isn't quite like-for-like, since it also drops a wheel size, but the 7 percent gap is wider than any of the R1S pairings.
Rivals with a factory off-road tire fare no better. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 XRT is rated at 259 miles against 290 for the standard 19-inch AWD car, a 31-mile hit, though the XRT also adds a suspension lift, so tires aren't the only variable.
What Rivian hasn't said
The guide covers the Launch Package only. Rivian hasn't said whether the Premium and Standard versions due later will show the same split, and the piece doesn't list what either wheel package costs in the configurator. Delivery timing isn't mentioned either.
Rivian's own advice is to choose based on the last few months of driving rather than the spec sheet: pavement only, take the 21s; more than a few dirt roads, take the 20s. For buyers who opened an R2 order this week, it is the first time that choice has come with a range figure attached.
