Rivian held a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 16 for its coming manufacturing site outside Social Circle, GA. Expected to create 7,500 jobs by 2030 and 2,000 construction jobs, the plant will build Rivian’s next generation vehicles, including the midsize R2 SUV and R3 crossover.
Company executives were joined by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns, and other state and local officials.
“We are cementing Rivian's future at our Georgia plant, helping ensure America maintains its technology leadership and excellence in automobile manufacturing,” said Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. “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.”
The first phase of construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the start of customer vehicle production in Georgia anticipated in 2028. Once the second phase of construction is complete, the facility is expected to have an annual production capacity of up to 400,000 vehicles.
“Today is another milestone in bringing quality, good-paying jobs to Georgians in this part of the state,” said Brian Kemp. “With today’s groundbreaking, this innovative company is further 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.”
Rivian first received approval to start construction on the plant in late 2023, but announced in March 2024 it was pausing that project and instead expanding its existing facility in Illinois to begin production of its R2 and R3 vehicles.
In addition to the 7,500 direct jobs expected to be created, an additional nearly 8,000 indirect jobs will result from the Rivian project, according to an analysis conducted by IMPLAN. Collectively, these 15,000+ jobs are expected to generate more than $1 billion in labor income annually—supporting suppliers, vendors and small businesses in nearby Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties and the surrounding region according to the study.
As construction of the Georgia plant begins, Rivian is developing partnerships with universities, technical colleges, and local, regional and state institutions as it scales.
On Sept. 14, Rivian held a community event featuring local businesses, entertainment and family activities to welcome nearly 1,000 future neighbors and friends to the new site of the Stanton Springs Plant.
