The new facility, Rivian executives said, represents a multibillion-dollar bet on both the company’s future and the long-term viability of U.S.-based vehicle manufacturing. The plant is expected to generate 7,500 direct jobs by 2030, with construction alone creating an additional 2,000 positions. Analysts also project nearly 8,000 indirect jobs across suppliers, vendors and small businesses in Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties, producing an estimated $1 billion in annual labor income for the region once the plant is operating at full capacity.
Rivian plans to build the Georgia plant in two phases. The first phase of construction is slated to begin in 2026, with customer vehicle production expected by 2028. The site will initially focus on Rivian’s midsize R2 SUV and its companion R3 crossover. When the second phase is complete, the plant will be capable of producing up to 400,000 vehicles a year, a scale that executives say will allow the automaker to expand its global presence while ensuring more American-made EVs reach customers at home and abroad.
“We are cementing Rivian’s future at our Georgia plant, helping ensure America maintains its technology leadership and excellence in automobile manufacturing,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe told attendees. “Our Georgia facility will support our global expansion and provide the scale necessary to get millions of future drivers in our all-electric vehicles.”
State leaders positioned the project as both a local economic boost and a broader signal of Georgia’s growing role in the clean-energy economy. “Today is another milestone in bringing quality, good-paying jobs to Georgians in this part of the state,” said Gov. Kemp. “With today’s groundbreaking, Rivian is delivering on its commitment to the people of Georgia, and the thousands of hardworking Americans who will work at this facility will see generational benefits for their families.”
House Speaker Jon Burns echoed those remarks, calling the new plant “a milestone accomplishment” and highlighting the long-term ripple effects across Georgia. “Rivian’s newest plant in Stanton Springs will not only create thousands of jobs, but it will also lay the foundation for billions in long-term economic benefits,” Burns said. “This is the kind of project that strengthens families and communities for decades to come.”
Rivian has emphasized that the Georgia site will be designed with environmental stewardship and community integration in mind. The nearly 2,000-acre campus will use modern construction techniques and advanced environmental management systems. Plans also include recreational trails and a Rivian-branded experience path, underscoring the company’s image as an outdoor lifestyle brand as much as a vehicle maker.
The company has already started building partnerships with Georgia universities, technical colleges and workforce institutions to prepare a new generation of skilled workers for the EV industry. Officials with the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties described the project as the realization of a decades-old vision for high-tech, good-paying jobs in the region. “When we see a Rivian vehicle drive down a Georgia road, we see more than a truck—it’s our community and a source of pride for everyone here,” said Jerry Silvio, the authority’s chairman.
In addition to the groundbreaking, Rivian hosted a community event on September 14 to welcome nearly 1,000 residents and local businesses to the Stanton Springs site. Families were invited to explore the area, meet company representatives and learn more about what the project could mean for the region’s future.
For Rivian, which has faced production and financial hurdles as it seeks to scale up, the Georgia facility is a high-stakes move. Company officials argue it will provide the capacity and stability needed to compete with established automakers while staying true to its mission of accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation. If successful, the plant will stand as both a manufacturing powerhouse and a symbol of Georgia’s growing prominence in the global EV industry.