Rivian to Resume Work on Georgia EV Plant in 2026

Electric vehicle maker Rivian is set to resume construction of its $5 billion production plant in Stanton Springs, Georgia, in 2026 after a pause in mid-2024 due to rising costs.

This comes after the company secured a $6.75 billion loan from the Department of Energy to fund the construction of a 9-million-square-foot facility in Social Circle, Georgia, near Atlanta.

The loan, part of former President Joe Biden’s renewable energy initiative, will be distributed in two phases, though changes in administration could impact the project’s progress.

That notwithstanding, Rivian has already started hiring for construction and management positions, with plans to expand recruitment as the project moves forward.

In the spring of 2024, Chief Executive R. J. Scaringe told investors that the EV-only producer had decided to pause the project to focus on cost efficiency and long-term growth.

Rivian’s upcoming models—the R2 and the R3—were originally slated to be produced in Georgia, with production set to begin in 2026. However, they will now be assembled at the existing plant in Illinois.

According to Scaringe, this will allow Rivian to bring the R2 to market quickly.

“It will also save $2.25 billion in capital spending,” he said in a press release.

However, he emphasized that the Rivian Georgia plant remains an extremely important part of the company’s strategy to scale production of the R2 and R3.

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He added, “The timing for resuming construction is expected to be later, to focus its teams on the capital-efficient launch of the R2 in Normal, Illinois.”

Rivian, headquartered in Irvine, California, with a production site in Illinois, hopes to expand to keep up in an increasingly competitive EV market.

The automaker had planned to begin construction of the 16-million-square-foot Georgia plant early last year, 65 km east of Atlanta, aiming for production to start in 2026.

Although grading and site preparation were completed under a state-led project, it was unclear whether Rivian’s contractor, Clayco, Inc., had mobilized.

Anthony Johnson, president of Clayco’s industrial business unit, said in a press statement that Clayco and Rivian “remain dedicated partners.”

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“When the time is right to break ground and advance construction of the plant, our team will be ready to support and execute our plans seamlessly,” he said.

At its Illinois facility, Rivian produces the R1T pickup truck, the R1S SUV, and electric delivery vans for commercial use. These vehicles are priced at $70,000 each.

The company hoped to produce R2 vehicles in Georgia, targeting a broader consumer base with lower price tags.

Phase one of Rivian’s Georgia plant was to produce 200,000 vehicles annually, with a subsequent phase producing an additional 200,000 vehicles per year.

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