Rivian has revised how rear passengers can mechanically open the R2’s doors when the vehicle loses power, moving the manual release to a more intuitive location inside the handle area. The tweak addresses growing scrutiny of electronic door systems across the industry and aims to cut the time it takes occupants or first responders to find a mechanical override in an emergency.
Early hands-on videos show the R2 retaining electronic interior buttons for normal operation while adding a relocated mechanical pull for the rear doors that mirrors the front door backup. It is a small but meaningful change rooted in human-factors thinking: in a crisis, consistency and visibility are what count.
What Changed On The R2’s Rear-Door Manual Releases
On the current R1 models, accessing the rear manual latch requires removing a trim panel to reach a concealed release cord. With the R2, Rivian has moved that cord to the forward section of the interior grab handle—the same general spot as the front door manual override—so passengers instinctively reach to one place across all doors.
The cord remains tucked behind a small pop-out plastic cover, so it is still not fully exposed. In a popular teardown-style first look, Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything highlighted the location and cover, illustrating the motion passengers will need to make if the R2 is without power. While he did not extract the cord on camera, the placement provides the clearest cue yet for where to pull.
Rivian has not published final owner instructions ahead of production, but the company typically labels emergency features before deliveries. Expect an icon, color cue, or both near the handle area to help guide passengers and responders.
Why Manual Releases Matter In EVs During Emergencies
Electronic latches can fail when a collision severs power, damages wiring, or triggers safing strategies. U.S. safety rules anticipate this: FMVSS 206 requires that doors have a mechanical means of releasing the latch independent of electric power. The question has never been whether a backup exists—it is how fast people can find and use it.
The urgency is not theoretical. Bloomberg News reported at least 15 deaths in crashes where evidence suggested occupants or rescuers struggled to open vehicle doors. Fire service training from national organizations emphasizes clear, consistent overrides because seconds matter when smoke, water ingress, or intrusion complicate egress.
Human-factors research has long shown that standardizing control locations reduces search time under stress. By aligning the R2’s rear-door manual release with the front-door layout, Rivian is using a simple interface rule to improve odds of a quick escape.
The R2 Approach Versus Industry Practice
Rivian’s layout keeps the everyday convenience of electronic buttons and adds a more predictable backup. That contrasts with earlier designs—across multiple brands—where rear-door mechanical releases were hidden behind panels or floor-level pull tabs. Some automakers have publicly said they will rethink door-handle designs following high-profile incidents and critiques from safety advocates.
Electronic latch reliability has also drawn regulatory attention. According to NHTSA filings, Ford issued a recall to address power delivery to the electronically actuated latches on certain Mustang Mach-E units, underscoring how software and hardware faults can cascade into egress problems. The lesson: redundancy must be both robust and obvious.
Usability Details And Tradeoffs For The R2’s Doors
Placing the R2’s rear manual release within the handle area reduces cognitive load—passengers reach forward, pop the cover, and pull. The remaining tradeoff is the cover itself. A protective cap deters accidental activation, preserves aesthetics, and limits tampering by children, but it adds a step compared with an exposed lever. Rivian appears to be balancing child safety and design cleanliness with the need for quick access.
Expect clear iconography and tactile cues to mitigate the extra step. Manufacturers often use contrasting colors or textured tabs on emergency pulls to speed discovery in low light or through smoke. If Rivian follows that playbook, the R2’s override should be easier to spot than the R1’s concealed cord behind a removable panel.
What Owners And First Responders Should Expect
Before deliveries begin, Rivian will publish owner’s manual guidance and in-cabin labels describing the override, as required by regulation. Dealers and delivery specialists typically brief buyers on emergency procedures, and many departments incorporate new EV models into extrication training once vehicles reach local fleets.
The bottom line: relocating the R2’s rear manual release to the handle area is a pragmatic fix that aligns with safety best practices. It will not end debates about electronic latches or eliminate the need for training, but it meaningfully reduces the time it takes to find a lifesaving control when every second counts.
