Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is planning to build a second factory. The company may make battery cells as well as EVs at the plant, should it come to fruition. Rivian might make an announcement within the next couple of months and Reuters reports construction could start next year.
Rivian spokesperson Amy Mast confirmed to the organization that the company is “exploring locations for a second US manufacturing facility.” Mast noted it’s early in the process and didn’t share additional details.
The company’s first factory is in Normal, Illinois. Rivian employs around 7,000 people and a second plant would likely create hundreds of new jobs, which seems to be the reason why several states have reportedly made bids.
An additional factory would enable Rivian to increase capacity and have a 50 gigawatt-hour battery cell production line, according to the report. The location may also feature a product and technology center, and construction is likely to take place in phases. Meanwhile, Rivian reportedly has a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions at the plant as swiftly as possible.
Last week, Rivian delayed initial shipments of the R1T pickup by a couple of months to September and the R1S SUV to the fall. It blamed the effects of COVID-19 as a major factor. The pandemic also resulted in a shift in the timeline for the second factory, according to Reuters.