Rivian confirms new $5 billion U.S. plant as EV reservations jump 28% to 71,000

Rivian Automotive confirmed plans Thursday to build a new vehicle assembly plant in Georgia, as the company begins production of a second electric vehicle at its current facility in Illinois.

Both are notable milestones for Rivian, which also reported its first quarterly results as a public company after market close. The company said reservations for its electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV increased to 71,000, up 28% compared with the most recent tally of 55,400 vehicles in November.

The company’s quarterly results fell in line with estimates the company previously released as part of its recent…