Last updated: May 2026Verified Rivian Owner

Buyer's Guide

The Rivian buyer's guide for 2026.

Everything you need to know — from pricing and trim selection to the incentives that survived the September 2025 federal credit sunset. Written by a verified Rivian R1S owner.

5 min read · Last updated May 2026

Configure with code RICK4348389

Paste into the "Referral Code" field at Rivian checkout, or ask your Rivian advisor to add it before signing.

The Quick Summary

Federal EV tax credit: Expired September 30, 2025 — no longer available for new 2026 purchases

Best remaining incentives: Colorado $750 state credit, Xcel charger rebate, federal charger credit (through June 2026), Rivian Rewards referral

Best total savings strategy:Stack what's left — typically $2,950-$3,750 in Colorado

Pricing entry point: R1S Dual Large $83,990 / R1T Dual Standard $70,990

Start here

Choose the guide that matches where you are in the buying journey.

Costco Auto Program

Does Costco discount Rivian? What's actually offered.

Read guide

Federal Tax Credit Status

What happened to the $7,500 credit and what's left.

Read guide

Colorado Incentives

State credit, Xcel rebates, and charger incentives.

Read guide

Lease vs. Buy

The decision now that the lease pathway credit is gone.

Read guide

Trade-In Strategy

Rivian vs. Carvana vs. CarMax — when each wins.

Read guide

R1S Buyer's Guide

Adventure SUV. Trims, pricing, and total cost.

Read guide

R1T Buyer's Guide

Electric pickup. Towing, capability, and savings.

Read guide

R2 Reservation Guide

Compact SUV. What we know and how to reserve.

Read guide

Referral Code

500 points + 3 months charging. Always available.

Read guide

What changed for 2026 buyers

The federal Clean Vehicle Credit — the $7,500 tax credit that made leasing a Rivian so attractive — expired September 30, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025. Both the consumer credit (Section 30D) and the commercial credit used by leasing companies (Section 45W, the “lease loophole”) ended on the same date.

Colorado's state EV tax credit also dropped significantly, from $3,500 in 2025 to $750 for 2026. The state legislature scaled back the program as federal incentives ended and EV adoption matured.

What's still available: Colorado's $750 state credit, Xcel Energy charger rebates ($500-$1,300), the federal residential clean energy credit for charger installation (30%, up to $1,000, through June 30, 2026), and the Rivian Rewards referral code (500 points + 3 months charging, worth ~$700). Together these stack to approximately $2,950-$3,750 for a Colorado buyer.

How to use this guide

If you're still researching, start with the model guides (R1S, R1T, or R2) to understand pricing, trims, and capability. Then read the incentives guides to understand what savings are actually available in 2026 — the landscape changed dramatically after the September 2025 federal credit sunset.

If you're ready to order, head straight to the referral code page. The code applies automatically, stacks with every other available incentive, and takes 30 seconds to use. Then configure your Rivian knowing you've already secured the one year-round incentive.

Ready to configure?

The referral code stacks with every available incentive.

Configure with code RICK4348389

Paste into the "Referral Code" field at Rivian checkout, or ask your Rivian advisor to add it before signing.

Frequently asked questions

No, for most buyers. The federal Clean Vehicle Credit expired September 30, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The only exception: buyers who signed a binding purchase contract and made a payment on or before that date may still claim the credit when they take delivery.

The Colorado state EV tax credit ($750), Xcel Energy charger rebates ($500-$1,300), the federal residential clean energy credit for home EV charger installation (30%, up to $1,000, through June 30, 2026), and the Rivian Rewards referral code (500 points + 3 months Adventure Network charging).

For a typical Rivian buyer in Colorado, the stack is approximately $2,950-$3,750: $750 Colorado state credit, $500-$1,300 Xcel charger rebate, up to $1,000 federal charger credit, and approximately $700 in Rivian referral code value.

The financial case for leasing weakened significantly when the lease pathway federal credit expired. Today the lease vs. buy decision returns to traditional factors — annual mileage, ownership horizon, monthly payment preference. There's no longer a $7,500 tax credit advantage to leasing.

Possible but unknown. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the credit effective September 30, 2025. Future legislation could restore it, but no concrete proposals are pending at this time. Plan your purchase based on current law.