Future of Rivian R2, R3 Unclear if Trump Revokes $6.6 Billion Georgia Plant Loan

Rivian’s newest and most affordable vehicles may be in trouble amid uncertainty over whether the Trump administration will honor a $6.6 billion loan from the Biden administration.

“There’s no secret that the Trump administration is taking a look at all those things,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp tells Georgia’s WSB-TV Channel 2. “So I don’t really know where that stands right now.”

The funds would go toward building Rivian’s Georgia factory, where the company plans to scale production on its upcoming R2 and R3 electric cars. These are Rivian’s first new vehicles since the initial R1 pickup truck and SUV. They’re smaller and more affordable, with the R2 starting at $45,000 with a 300-mile range.

Rivian R2 (Credit: Rivian)

Rivian plans to create the first R2s at its Illinois factory in 2026, but the Georgia facility is key for moving into mass production starting in 2028. The R3 and R3X performance variant will come later, with a smaller frame and price tag, though Rivian has not divulged specifics.

“This loan will help us accelerate the launch of our Georgia plant for R2 and R3, providing thousands of jobs in the state,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in January when the Biden administration awarded the loan. “People are incredibly excited to get behind the wheel of our new models, and this additional capacity for our mass market products is key to US leadership in the electric vehicle industry.”

Rivian R3 (Credit: Rivian)

PCMag reached out to Rivian for comment about the future of the R2 and R3 as it relates to the plant, and will update this story if we hear back.

This is one many setbacks for the Georgia plant since Rivian announced it in 2021. Local residents protested it at first, even though it would create 7,500 jobs in the area. Rivian pushed through and began construction in 2023, but paused it in 2024 due to high costs, The New York Times reports. It began construction again following news of the $6.6 billion loan from the Department of Energy, Construction Dive reports.

Rivian told WSB-TV that it is still full steam ahead on the plant and expects the funds to remain available under Trump. However, Trump is moving to revoke Biden-era transportation initiatives. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy moved swiftly to freeze federal funds for a nationwide EV charging network and revoke a new congestion pricing law in New York City, NJ.com reports.

Aside from its own vehicles, Rivian’s tech will crop up in the upcoming Scout EVs through its partnership with Volkswagen.

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About Emily Forlini

Senior Reporter

I’m the expert at PCMag for all things electric vehicles and AI. I’ve written hundreds of articles on these topics, including product reviews, daily news, CEO interviews, and deeply reported features. I also cover other topics within the tech industry, keeping a pulse on what technologies are coming down the pipe that could shape how we live and work.

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