Rivian to Resume Work on $5bn Georgia EV Plant

Electric vehicle maker Rivian will resume construction of its $5 billion Georgia plant in 2026 following a pause in mid-2024 driven by rising costs.

The company plans to mark the restart with two events: a community gathering on September 14 and a formal kickoff ceremony on September 16 to celebrate its partnership with Georgia and the planned resumption of construction.

The kickoff will be attended by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other stakeholders.

The resumption of construction follows Rivian’s January approval for a $6.6 billion Department of Energy loan to fund the 9-million-square-foot facility in Social Circle, near Atlanta. 

The automaker cannot access the funds—which are available through September 2028—until work at the Georgia site resumes.

Rivian had announced in March 2024 that it would pause construction and instead build its upcoming R2 SUV at its existing Illinois plant to accelerate production and sales. 

Chief executive R. J. Scaringe said at the time that pausing construction would save Rivian $2.25 billion in capital costs and allow the company to bring the R2 to market more quickly.

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Although the R2 and R3 will be made first in Illinois, Rivian says the Georgia plant remains a cornerstone of its plans. The factory is set to start production in 2028 and is expected to produce about 200,000 vehicles annually.

Meanwhile, Rivian is expanding its presence in Georgia beyond the factory. The company plans to open a new East Coast headquarters in Atlanta later this year with 100 employees.

At its Illinois plant, Rivian now builds the R1T pickup, the R1S SUV, and electric delivery vans. The Georgia facility will give the company room to scale production of its lower-cost R2 models and sharpen its edge in the fast-moving EV market.

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Clayco, Inc., Rivian’s construction partner, has said it remains ready to move forward. 

“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,” said Anthony Johnson, president of Clayco’s industrial business unit.

Phase one of Rivian’s Georgia project is designed for 200,000 vehicles annually, with a second phase eventually doubling capacity.

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