Rivian Automotive has broken ground on its long-planned electric-vehicle factory in Georgia, a $5-billion project supported by one of the state’s largest incentive packages and a multibillion-dollar federal loan designed to anchor EV manufacturing in the Southeast.
The company and state leaders held a ceremony Sept. 16 at the Stanton Springs North site, about 45 miles east of Atlanta, marking the official start of site development. Construction is expected to mobilize in 2026, with vehicle production beginning in 2028, according to the automaker.
Being completed in two phases, the facility will span roughly 9 million sq ft and have a production capacity that seeks to top 400,000 vehicles annually. Rivian says its R2 and R3 crossover models will anchor production at the plant.
“We’re excited to build our next plant in Georgia and inspired by the state’s innovative spirit,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said at the groundbreaking. “Our Georgia facility will support our global expansion and provide the scale necessary to get millions of future drivers in our incredible all-electric vehicles, both in the United States and overseas.”
State Incentive Package
Georgia officials estimate the combined value of state and local incentives at about $1.5 billion. The Economic Development Agreement signed by Rivian and the state in May 2022 and reviewed by ENR outlines statutory tax credits, property tax abatements, workforce training, land and infrastructure improvements and discretionary “speed-to-market” spending.
Site plan and rendering highlight Rivian’s $5-billion Stanton Springs North EV plant in Georgia, showing the facility layout and planned natural areas with public access. Courtesy of Rivian
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“Approximately one-quarter of the total package comes in the form of state incentives,” said Georgia Dept. of Economic Development (GDED) Commissioner Pat Wilson when the agreement was signed. He added that “the final 20% of the estimated value” is delivered through site work such as wetlands mitigation, a 500-acre pad ready for development and road improvements.
The state legislature appropriated $112.6 million for land acquisition and site preparation, including a new interchange on Interstate 20, a rail spur and a Georgia Quick Start training center. In turn, Rivian must invest $5 billion and employ 7,500 workers at an average salary of $56,000 by the end of 2028 to qualify for the full incentives.
The agreement requires the company to maintain those levels through 2047. If Rivian’s performance drops below 80% of the commitments, clawbacks require pro-rata repayment of incentives.
The deal also includes a payments-in-lieu-of-taxes schedule, beginning with $1.5 million annually from 2023 through 2028 and rising to $12 million in year seven, with estimated revenues of more than $900 million over 25 years to benefit local schools and governments.
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Federal Loan Support
The U.S. Dept. of Energy Loan Programs Office announced in January it had closed on a loan of up to $6.57 billion to Rivian New Horizon LLC, the entity building the Georgia plant. DOE described the financing as support for “Project Horizon,” encompassing site development, construction and manufacturing facilities.
“By investing in American innovation, we are securing our supply chains, strengthening our workforce and ensuring the U.S. leads the clean transportation future,” DOE Loan Programs Office Director Jigar Shah said in the loan announcement.
Rivian’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings describe the loan as including capitalized interest and explicitly intended “for the construction of its next manufacturing facility in Stanton Springs North.”
Regional Impact and Construction
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe and Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson break ground Sept. 16 on Rivian’s $5-billion Stanton Springs North EV plant. Courtesy of Rivian
Early work at the site, which local media reports has since commenced, includes electrical and water utility hookups and road access. ENR has not yet independently verified those reports, nor has Rivian confirmed its pick for general contractor.
The car company temporarily paused the Georgia project in 2024 to conserve cash while launching its R2 line at its Normal, Ill., plant. It restarted the Georgia build after securing federal financing and reconfirming its long-term strategy.
The factory represents one of the largest single industrial investments in Georgia history and adds to a growing cluster of EV and battery plants in the Southeast. State leaders see the Rivian facility as a keystone for attracting suppliers and bolstering the region’s automotive sector.
State officials project the plant will reach the mandated 7,500-employee target by 2030, with another 2,000 construction jobs created during the build-out.
“This agreement ensures that the project follows locally required standards,” Wilson, the state’s economic development commissioner, said when the incentive package was announced, highlighting that clawback provisions protect taxpayers “in the extremely unlikely event of company goals not being met.”
