By Heart of Illinois ABC
NORMAL-Rivian Automotive, making electric vehicles in Normal, has picked Georgia as the site of its second factory, according to a published report.
Bloomberg reported Friday that Rivian is planning to announce it has chosen Georgia to build EVs and batteries, citing people familiar with the site selection process who don’t want to be identified until there’s a public announcement.
The agreement has yet to be signed by the company and government officials, the report said.
A Rivian spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bloomberg’s report.
Texas and Arizona were said to be in the running for the factory. In mid-August, the Fort Worth, Texas City Council approved $440 million in tax breaks contingent on Rivian meeting various goals, including hiring at least 7,500 workers by the end of 2027.
Rivian rolled out electric R1T pickup trucks in September from its plant in Normal, and the company plans to produce electric R1S sport utility vehicles by the end of this year. Also, Amazon has contracted with the automaker to manufacture 100,000 electric delivery vans.
Rivian’s initial sale of company stock was considered the most successful IPO this year.
The share price for Rivian, trading under the symbol RIVN on the NASDAQ exchange, was at $114.66 at Friday’s close, and was little changed in after-hours trading.
Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected].
