Rivian to Open Second U.S. Electric Vehicle Factory

Rivian has unveiled plans for a new electric vehicle production facility in Atlanta, Georgia, the company’s second EV manufacturing plant. Rivian opened its first in Normal, Illinois earlier this year. 

The producer of electric pickup trucks and SUVs is investing $5 billion in the facility, with production expected to begin in 2024. Once complete the facility will be capable of producing 400,000 vehicles each year and will employ 750,000. With the building site spanning almost 2,000 acres, Rivian hopes to scale the production processes from its existing factory, as well as its community engagement and workforce training projects.

“We’re happy to partner with Georgia on our new manufacturing site, which will build our next generation of products that are important for scaling our business,” said Rivian’s chief people officer Helen Russell. “Our work together is driven by a compelling purpose and rooted in building a highly collaborative environment that creates a true sense of belonging.” Rivian is currently taking pre-orders for its debut pickup truck — the R1T — as well as its electric SUV model R1S. The company also has a contract to build an electric courier van for Amazon’s commercial operations.

Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund led a $2.5 billion investment for Rivian in July 2021 to help scale the new products. Rivian has plans to rapidly ramp up capacity at its Illinois plant with 623,000 square feet of additional storage and production space. By 2023, Rivian’s existing 150,000 vehicle per year plant in Illinois is set to be expanded to produce 50,000 extra units, according to the New York Times.

Multiple states submitted bids to host the second factory when Rivian first announced the proposal just ahead of the July investment round.

The company chose Atlanta due to logistics considerations, environmental impact, renewable energy production availability and its suitability for Rivian’s company culture.

The news is a further boost for EV manufacturing following Toyota’s announcement earlier this month that it plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant in North Carolina, the company’s first such facility in North America. 

– Feature image supplied to IoT World Today by Rivian.