Electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian has gained approval to start construction on a new manufacturing plant outside of Atlanta, Georgia, as announced by state officials last week.
Rivian was granted final approval for the project by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDECD) and the Joint Development Authority (JDA) of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties as the agencies announced on Thursday (via WSB-TV). The approval gives Rivian long-term rights to construct an automotive plant in the Stanton Springs industrial area east of Atlanta after the plans were first set in motion in 2021.
“It’s a great day in Georgia as we close and issue the bonds for the Rivian project,” the JDA and GDECD said in the announcement. “Renting the site to Rivian is the next step in delivering this generational opportunity, and Georgians in Jasper, Morgan, Newton, and Walton counties.”
The factory is also expected to manufacture Rivian’s R2 next-generation platform for future vehicles.
The site is located near the I-20 corridor to Atlanta’s east, near the historic Walton County community Social Circle and touching on Morgan County. It will also be Rivian’s second manufacturing plant, following its first factory in Normal, Illinois, which produces the R1T pickup and the R1S SUV.
Credit: State of Georgia
Credit: State of Georgia
Rivian gained approval for its Economic Development Agreement (EDA) on the factory earlier this year, though the new approval allows the automaker to officially begin construction. Shortly after Rivian’s initial commitment from Georgia for the Stanton Springs North site in 2021, the state also approved a $43 million EV battery recycling plant nearby.
According to the state’s initial announcement, the Rivian location includes “just under 2,000 acres” at a site previously called the East Atlanta Megasite. The facility is expected to bring as many as 7,500 jobs to the area, and Rivian will invest $5 billion into building the facility, per the report.
Rivian is targeting 2026 for initial production, and the company eventually expects to reach an annual volume production of around 400,000 vehicles.
In addition to building the manufacturing facility, Rivian is expected to accelerate charging station deployment in the area in nearby shopping centers, state parks and near its Ponce City Market showroom. The company’s production facility has also forced Georgia lawmakers to mull over direct sales laws in the state, which currently ban the sales of automobiles that aren’t done through a dealership (Tesla is exempt, though it’s limited to five statewide sales sites, as of last year).
Rivian is also introducing an apprenticeship program in which the company will select local students for a 24-month training, which the company will use to support the Stanton Springs North facility. The Georgia HOPE Grants will provide tuition for the program and Rivian plans to fund additional expenses for the apprenticeship, including textbooks and other learning materials.
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U.S. AG Pam Bondi: Tesla Molotov attack suspect facing up to 20 years in prison
The U.S. Attorney General confirmed that a Tesla attacker, who threw Molotov cocktails at a store, is now facing up to 20 years in prison.
It appears that an anti-Tesla activist who is suspected of throwing Molotov cocktails at one of the electric vehicle maker’s stores is now looking at a potentially long prison sentence.
This is, at least, as per United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, who recently shared her insights in a FOX News segment.
Tesla Attacks and Trump Warning
Tesla locations and vehicles have been subjected to numerous attacks as of late, from stores being shot up to vehicles being vandalized and set on fire in suspected arson incidents. In one case, a Tesla store in Salem, Oregon, was attacked with Molotov cocktails.
President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to people attacking Teslas, stating that he considers such actions as domestic terrorism. While addressing the issue, Trump warned that anyone caught deliberately harming Tesla will be going through “hell.”
Attorney General’s Update
During a recent FOX News segment, US Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated that anyone targeting others over political beliefs would be caught and punished accordingly. She highlighted that investigations are underway to find out who is behind the violent actions, and she also confirmed that a Tesla attacker, who threw Molotov cocktails at a store, is now facing up to 20 years in prison.
“If you targeted someone, if you went after someone because of their political affiliation, we will be investigating you. We will be looking at you, because that’s the weaponization, and it has to stop. For instance, look what they’re continuing to do to Elon Musk. They are targeting Tesla dealerships, the stations where you charge a Tesla. They’re vandalizing cars. I have already directed an investigation be opened to see how this is being funded. Who is behind this?
“We have people we’re locking up on that. We have someone in jail right now from one of the dealerships. They threw a Molotov cocktail through a dealership. They’re looking at up to 20 years in prison. So, if you’re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, or do anything, you better watch out, because we’re coming after you. And if you’re funding this, we’re coming after you. We’re going to find out who you are,” Bondi stated.
SpaceX is readying to launch the Crew-10 mission this evening, which will bring home U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck on the International Space Station for nine months.
SpaceX is working alongside NASA to bring the two astronauts home, and all systems and weather conditions are looking ideal to launch the mission this evening from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
All systems are looking good and weather is exceptional for tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of @NASA‘s Crew-10 to the @Space_Station → https://t.co/VPdhVwQFNJ pic.twitter.com/wZ9LvZAnYn
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2025
Boeing was originally tasked with the rescue mission.
The company sent a Starliner aircraft to the ISS in late September in an effort to bring Williams and Wilmore home. However, malfunctioning thrusters and other issues on the Starliner aircraft prevented NASA from giving the green light to the astronauts to board and come home.
SpaceX was then tasked with bringing the two home, and it appears they will be on their way shortly.
The launch was intended to occur on Wednesday, but a last-minute problem with the rocket’s ground systems forced SpaceX and NASA to delay until at least Friday. Things are looking more ideal for a launch this evening.
The launch is targeted for 7:03 p.m. ET, but another backup opportunity is available tomorrow, March 15, at 6:41 p.m.
SpaceX writes about the Dragon spacecraft that will be used for the mission:
“The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew NASA’s Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions to and from the space station. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched the SES 03b mPOWER-e mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.”
The mission will not only aim to bring the two astronauts who have been stranded for nine months home, but it will also conduct new research to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.
If Crew-10 launches at the planned time this evening, it will dock to the ISS at 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
Tesla has officially wrapped up the ability to order the legacy Model Y in the United States, now only showing the new “Juniper” version and its Launch Series trim in the Online Design Studio.
Tesla launched the new Model Y in the United States in early February, and deliveries of the vehicle have officially started. While other trims of the new-look Model Y are available in other countries, Tesla has not started offering those in the United States quite yet.
However, the legacy Model Y and its several configurations are now no longer available for purchase in the U.S., at least for a custom order. Those who are looking for a deal on the best-selling car in the world for the past two years can still snag whatever is left in inventory.
🚨 BREAKING: Tesla is now only offering the new Model Y in the United States in its online configurator.
The legacy Model Y is still available through inventory, but is no longer being produced for custom orders. pic.twitter.com/4rdA7LKZl1
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) March 14, 2025
The sunsetting of the legacy Model Y is the closing of a chapter that truly launched Tesla into the stratosphere.
Although the Model 3 found plenty of mainstream success for Tesla in its first few years, the Model Y was the vehicle that really made the company successful. It disrupted the operations of other companies, and, in conjunction with the Model Y, made OEMs take EVs seriously.
The Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in the world in 2023 and 2024. With the improvements to ride comfort, suspension, and cabin noise, along with the various changes to the exterior, Tesla has a chance to continue its run with the Model Y in 2025 — as long as it can ramp production in a timely manner and keep demand up.
The latter does not seem like it will be a huge problem as it is still a high-demand vehicle.
Tesla unveiled the Model Y on March 15, 2019, so its first design was eliminated nearly five years before its initial appearance.
U.S. AG Pam Bondi: Tesla Molotov attack suspect facing up to 20 years in prison
SpaceX readies to rescue astronauts from International Space Station
Tesla discontinues legacy Model Y in the U.S. for custom order
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