Electric vehicle maker Rivian says it has delayed construction of its $5 billion manufacturing campus in Stanton Springs, Ga. The electric-only producer now plans to begin manufacturing its upcoming R2 SUVs at its existing plant in Normal, Illinois, but says. still plans to build the Georgia facility.
The construction pause announcement came after Rivian shared its annual financial results last month, revealing a net loss of $5.4 billion for the year. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told investors the company is focused on cost efficiency and long-term growth.
Rivian had planned to begin construction on the 16 million square meter Georgia plant earlier this year, with production to begin in 2026. Grading and site preparation have been completed, under a project led by the state, but it was not immediately clear whether Rivian The plant’s contractor, Clayco, Inc., had mobilized. Anthony Johnson, president of Clayco’s industrial business unit, said in a statement to ENR that Clayco and Rivian “remained dedicated partners.”
“When the time is right to begin and move forward with construction of the plant, our team at Clayco will be ready to support and execute our plans smoothly,” said Johnson. The contractor did not share additional details.
According to the automaker, moving R2 manufacturing to Rivian’s Illinois plant will allow production to begin earlier in 2026 than originally planned and save more than $2.25 billion in capital expenditures, product development and supplier sourcing compared to the launch of R2 production in Georgia.
Rivian did not say how soon it would resume construction in Georgia as it prepares to launch R2 production in Illinois, but Scaringe wrote in an op-ed published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on March 8 that the company is “committed to build our future in Georgia.”
“This change in launch cadence puts us in a stronger position ahead of launching our Georgia plant,” he wrote, adding that the company is adjusting its plans to “stay ahead” of high rates interest and geopolitical uncertainty.
In his commentary, Scaringe wrote that the Georgia plant “remains an extremely important part of our strategy to scale production of R2 and R3.” Rivian said the Illinois plant has the capacity to produce 215,000 units a year, including the R2 and other vehicles. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has said the planned plant would have capacity for 400,000 vehicles a year.
The R2 and R3 are SUVs, while the Normal plant had previously built only Rivian’s first-generation R1T truck and the larger R1S SUV. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said it is in talks with Rivian for a new economic development package to build the R2 in the state.
To build and operate the plant in Georgia, the state offered Rivian an incentive package worth $1.5 billion in discretionary funding, tax credits and local incentives. Under the terms of the economic development agreement, Rivian has until the end of 2030 to invest at least $5 billion and create 7,500 full-time jobs.
A spokesman for the Georgia Department of Economic Development noted that the agreement has not been amended since Rivian announced the construction pause. In a statement, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce said Rivian still plans to begin operations within the period allowed by the agreement.
“The Georgia Chamber remains confident in both Rivian and the viability of the Stanton Springs North site,” the business group said in its statement.
In the meantime, Rivian “will take care of the site prior to construction with the goal of minimizing the inconvenience this delay may cause,” Scaringe wrote in the opinion piece.
