Rivian's Plans to Manufacture 300,000 EV SUVs in Georgia
EV manufacturer Rivian announced it is increasing the initial production capacity of its future manufacturing facility in Stanton Springs North, Georgia to 300,000 vehicles per year.
The company has invested US$5bn in its new facility where it will manufacture the R2 SUV.
It also operates a plant in Normal, Illinois where it works on commercial vans and the Rivian R1.
The company says that progress on the facility will accelerate this summer as the facility’s primary buildings begin to take shape.
Rivian’s Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has also told Reuters that the company is working on other variants of the R2 which are yet to be announced.
The EV production increase
The increase to 300,000 vehicles in Stanton Springs represents a significant increase in capacity over the initially planned 200,000 units.
Rivian says it has made the move to facilitate a lower cost per unit while also providing significant room for future expansion of capacity in later phases.
In a press release, Rivian says it remains on track for vehicle production to begin in late 2028.
RJ says: “We’re very excited to partner with the US Department of Energy to grow our manufacturing footprint in Georgia.
“R2 dramatically expands our market opportunity. The thousands of dedicated people who will soon work in our Georgia plant will be instrumental to Rivian’s growth as we scale American manufacturing and work to ensure that the US retains its leadership in innovation and technology.”
Rivian’s new R2 variants
The news that Rivian is increasing production capacity at its plant comes as RJ told Reuters that the company is working on an undisclosed variant of its R2.
"There are other variants of R2, which we haven't shown," he said when asked about a pickup variant of R2. "What we're building in Georgia allows for different variations," he told Reuters.
Rivian’s R2, a mid-size electric SUV, is set to begin deliveries in Spring of 2026.
The company says that the R2 lineup will offer up to 656 horsepower, 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, while offering an estimated range of up to 345 miles.
The vehicle is also set to offer acceleration from 50 to 70 mph in as quick as 1.55 seconds on the highway.
The US Department of Energy
Rivian has worked with the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing to update a loan it received central to its Georgia manufacturing plant.
As construction commences in 2026, Rivian now expects to first draw on the loan by early 2027. The total loan is aligned with the updated facility design and roadmap at up to US$4.5bn.
Rivian’s loan is down from the initially projected figure of US$6.6bn. RJ told Reuters: "whereas before the loan was across two phases, it's now the US$4.5bn loan across a single phase.
"I look at it as it reflects the level of confidence we have on our midsize platform."
Partnership with Uber
The Rivian R2, which is set to be manufactured at the Georgia plant, is central to Rivian’s partnership with Uber.
The company is expected to build up to 50,000 robotaxis at its Georgia plant beginning in late 2028.
Initial deployments of Rivian's Robotaxis are planned for San Francisco and Miami in 2028, scaling to 25 cities through 2031.
Uber plans to invest US$1.25bn in Rivian through 2031, subject to the achievement of milestones.
