Gov. JB Pritzker talks to reporters during a Thursday, May 2 announcement of a major investment and promise of more jobs coming to Normal’s Rivian vehicle plant. (Photo courtesy of the state of Illinois)

Rivian has announced plans to expand electric vehicle production at its Normal plant as part of a $1.5 billion investment. 

The electric vehicle company announced on Thursday, May 2 that it would boost production to 215,000 vehicles a year with a focus on producing an R2 model SUV, creating an estimated 550 full-time jobs within the next five years. 

Company officials and Gov. JB Pritzker gathered in Normal to announced a new Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) incentive package that would include a 30-year, $827 million incentive package from the state with the majority of funding derived from REV tax credits with a focus on workforce development. 

“We are taking a tremendous step forward – for our electric vehicle ecosystem, for our economy, and for our state,” Pritzker said. “This partnership brings significant investment in the Illinois workforce – including another manufacturing training academy, a dual credit apprenticeship program for high school students, and further support through the Employer Training Investment Program.  

“Not only are we creating the jobs of the future, we are providing Illinoisans the skills they need to fill them.” 

Rivian employs 8,000 people at the Normal facility, originally built as a Mitsubishi auto manufacturing plant. That’s second in the region according to 2022 figures from the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council’s Economic Profile.  

State Farm leads the way with more than 13,000 employees. Illinois State University is third with 3,452, followed by Country Financial at 3,241.  

Rivian’s announcements mark a shift in strategy for the company, which originally planned to build the smaller, family-friendly SUV at a plant in Georgia.  

The company cited competitive incentives and state support for the project as well as Illinois’ strong workforce, superior infrastructure and access to suppliers. 

“Rivian had many options for its R2 production and its decision to expand in Illinois speaks volumes to the state’s workforce and the strong EV ecosystem Illinois is creating,” said Kristin Richards, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity director. “Rivian’s expansion cements our partnership and will bolster the state’s already strong supply chain and help attract and retain other industry heavy hitters while creating good-paying clean energy jobs for Illinoisans.” 

The company said R2 deliveries are expected to begin in 2026 and is taking reservations. List price is $45,000. 

“The support from the state will allow us to quickly bring our midsize SUV, R2, to market and provide even greater consumer choice for EVs,” RJ Scaringe, Rivian founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Governor Pritzker has always been a strong advocate for providing economic opportunities for Illinois residents and business owners alike. We look forward to continuing our close partnership and building upon the success we have enjoyed.” 

The company says it has already invested more than $2 billion in Normal and has manufactured more than 100,000 electric vehicles since opening in 2021. 

According to Pritzker’s office, most of the incentive package will be driven from REV tax credits with a focus on workforce development. The agreement calls for retention of at least 6,000 jobs over the next 30 years. 

The state will also fund a second manufacturing training academy in Normal, located at the new facility to create a dual-credit apprenticeship pilot program for high schools.  

Additional support includes a grant through the Employer Training Investment Program as well as leveraging the state’s existing workforce networks and programs to train and prepare regional employees for new jobs.