Did Tesla Crash Rivian's R2 Launch Party With A Livestream About Model 3? Here's Who Won The Most Eyeballs

Just hours after Rivian streamed its R2 SUV unveiling on Thursday, electric vehicle giant Tesla seemingly aimed to steal some attention with a livestream featuring two senior executives discussing the company’s refreshed Model 3.

Social Media Battle: 

Both streams garnered significant viewership on social media. Rivian’s R2 unveiling brought in over 350,000 views across its X and YouTube channels (101,500 on X and 250,000+ on YouTube). 

While Tesla’s 2.4 million views on X outpaced Rivian’s total, it’s important to consider that Tesla boasts a much larger established platform with 21.7 million followers on its main X account compared to Rivian’s 220,000. Tesla also benefits from additional affiliate accounts focused on specific regions and company segments (energy, Optimus, EV charging).

The Content Spotlight:

Rivian’s stream showcased the all-new R2 SUV, detailing design aspects for both the R2 and R3 vehicles, price points, and production timelines. Tesla’s livestream featured Senior Design Executive Franz von Holzhausen and Vehicle Engineering Vice President Lars Moravy discussing production and design updates for the recently launched refreshed Model 3 in the U.S. market.

Price Point Showdown:

Rivian’s newly unveiled R2 SUV and upcoming R3 crossover target a similar price bracket as Tesla’s more affordable offerings, the Model Y and Model 3. The R2 starts around $45,000, with the R3 dipping even lower, according to Rivian’s announcement. Tesla’s Model 3 starts at $38,990, with the Long Range version priced at $47,740.

Gauging Consumer Interest:

Based on Google Trends data for the United States over the past day, Tesla garnered a higher overall search volume average of 33 compared to Rivian’s 28. 

However, it’s noteworthy that specific searches for the Rivian R2 averaged 22, while the Tesla Model 3 only saw an average of 5 searches. This suggests Rivian’s new offering might be generating more focused early interest.

Tesla stainless steel Cybertruck faces competition from Rivian’s R1T in the electric truck segment. The R1T truck starts at $69,900, whereas the Cybertruck’s all-wheel drive version currently starts at $79,990.

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Read More: Rivian Almost Catches Up To Tesla's EV Lineup With New R2, R3 — But There's No Cybertruck Fighter Yet

Photo courtesy: Rivian