Rivian lands federal loan to restart EV plant construction

  • Work on the Rivian EV manufacturing site on the border of Morgan and Walton counties was paused earlier this year while the company focused on its existing Illinois plant. MARK ENGEL/File photo
    Work on the Rivian EV manufacturing site on the border of Morgan and Walton counties was paused earlier this year while the company focused on its existing Illinois plant. MARK ENGEL/File photo

    U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., announced Tuesday that a nearly $6 billion federal loan will help electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian restart construction of a $5 billion vehicle and battery plant near Covington.

    When it was announced in late 2021, the project was expected to create 7,500 jobs. But it appeared in doubt last March when Rivian unveiled plans to build its new R2 crossover models at a fa…