Rivian has confirmed construction will begin on a second EV manufacturing plant in the United States, into which US$5 billion will be invested for both site and manufacturing development.
Construction of the facility, which will be located on a near 2,000-acre parcel of land between Morgan and Walton Counties in the state of Georgia, is due to begin next summer. Once operable, the new plant is set to eventually employ more than 7,500 workers with a production capacity of up to 400,000. Manufacturing at the plant is slated for 2024.
“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,” explains Rivian’s Chief People Officer Helen Russell in an official statement. “Our work together is driven by a compelling purpose and rooted in building a highly collaborative environment that creates a true sense of belonging. We’re excited for Georgians to bring their creativity and ideas to Rivian.
Rivian R1T
“We’re confident that, alongside Illinois, Georgia is the place for Rivian to continue to scale and thrive.”
Alongside its second facility, Rivian is also looking to upscale production capacity at its existing plant in Normal, Illinois, from 150,000 to 200,000 courtesy of a 623,000-square-foot expansion. This would bring the total footprint up to approximately four million square feet. Plans to hire between 800 and 1,000 additional workers for the Illinois facility for the second-quarter of 2022 are already in process.
Figures for both developments were further outlined in Rivian’s Q3 Shareholder Letter, in which the California-based EV specialist also confirmed that more than the first round of customer deliveries have been completed of its R1T pick-up truck and R1S SUV.
While Rivian candidly admits its total sales – 652 R1s produced, of which 386 have been delivered – will fall short of its original 2021 goals, focus has now shifted to production of the new EDV 700 electric delivery van following receipt of official certification. Early next year, the EDV 500 – a narrower and shorter counterpart to the 700 – will undergo the same process as Rivian looks to complete a 100,000-unit order of the commercial vehicle for Amazon.
“We expect to be a few hundred vehicles short of our 2021 production target of 1,200, however, we are encouraged by the progress and learnings our team continues to incorporate into our operations.” – Rivian’s official statement from the Shareholder Letter. – “We are continuously improving as we refine our manufacturing operations and remain focused on ensuring the highest possible level of product safety and quality as well as the health and safety of our employees.
“Our production ramp of the R1T, R1S, EDV 700, and EDV 500 will continue into next year, and we remain confident in our long-term manufacturing trajectory.”
