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Rivian Will Get $1.464 Billion in Incentives From Georgia to Build Its Second Plant

Rivian said it chose to build its next plant in Georgia because of the talent pool it offers. Multiple companies turned that down for other states in the past. One of the advantages of sticking with the plant near Atlanta just emerged: $1.464 billion in tax incentives. Local residents opposing the construction did not seem to make a difference.
Rivian will get $1.464 billion in tax incentives from Georgia and four counties for its new factory 27 photos
Photo: Rivian
Morgan and Walton county residents make it clearRural areas in the small towns of Madison, Rutledge, Social Circle, and many others close to Rivian's future plant in GeorgiaNo2Rivian logoRural areas in the small towns of Madison, Rutledge, Social Circle, and many others close to Rivian's future plant in GeorgiaRural areas in the small towns of Madison, Rutledge, Social Circle, and many others close to Rivian's future plant in GeorgiaRural areas in the small towns of Madison, Rutledge, Social Circle, and many others close to Rivian's future plant in GeorgiaA Rivian battery pack awaits inspection before heading to the chassis lineA fully assembled Rivian drive unit, containing two motors and an inverter, which powers the wheelsR1T tophat and skateboard are married at the start of the trim buildRivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL employs multi-level automated conveyance systems to transfer vehicles and components between stationsRivian's efficient dry capture paint process uses less than a gallon of paint per vehicleR1T door panels ready for installation on the trim lineAs of November, 2021, Rivian employs 3,400 team members at its Normal manufacturing campus with plans to double the local headcountRivian R1S SUVs near completion on the trim lineRivian R1S SUVs near completion on the trim lineRivian's 3.3-million-square-foot facility, previously owned by Mitsubishi, has been extensively renovated and expandedA Rivian paint team member looks on as an R1T makes its way through the state-of-the-art paint shopNew Rivian paint team members training in a spot repair boothInspecting a Rivian R1T door panel prior to final assembly on the trim lineRivian's first manufacturing campus in Normal, IllinoisRivian's press shop in Normal, IL has six main press lines stamping out thousands of different vehicle partsRivian R1S SUVs being transferred between stations on the trim line in general assemblyRivian R1S SUVs being transferred between stations on the trim line in general assemblyAn R1T in Rivian Blue at the main entrance to the plant in Normal, IllinoisPlanning for the Rivian Georgia plantNo2Rivian shares with autoevolution all its concerns with its Georgia plant
According to Bloomberg, statutory credits from Georgia will give Rivian $476 million if the company manages to employ 7,500 people in the factory until 2028. Any failure to achieve that will trigger clawbacks, making Rivian pay the taxes it dodged. The state will also give Rivian $288 million as discretionary spending used in job training programs and site preparation.

The other $700 million will come from tax deductions from the four counties where the massive plant will be located: Jasper, Morgan, Newton, and Walton Counties. They will happen for 25 years.

In exchange, Georgia’s economic development commission said the counties would earn $330 million instead of the $ 2million that they would get without the plant. Bloomberg did not mention how much time it would take for the counties to earn that much. We suppose that will happen in the same 25 years.

As we wrote on March 19, residents from these four counties are opposing Rivian’s plans. JoEllen Artz, the president of the No2Rivian organization, told autoevolution about all their concerns with the factory. Groundwater pollution, wildlife protection, and zoning rule issues are the primary ones. Artz stressed it is not a NIMBY (not in my backyard) matter, as some people tried to frame the whole thing.

Tesla faced the same matter in Germany with Giga Grünheide. As Bloomberg pointed out, the Georgia government tried to avoid issues with Rivian’s factory by taking over the approval process to alter local zoning that would allow agricultural zones to receive heavy industries. Artz accused the governor of taking their voice away.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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