Rivian Automotive, Inc. RIVN has got conditional approval for a loan of up to $6.6 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop its electric vehicle (EV) production plant in Georgia. The announcement followed the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who is anticipated to reverse many EV-friendly policies established by the Biden administration.

The Georgia facility, set to manufacture Rivian’s smaller and more affordable R2 SUVs and R3 crossovers, is expected to begin operations in 2028. However, Rivian has faced production challenges, including parts shortages and cost-cutting measures, which led to a temporary pause in the plant’s construction earlier this year. To conserve funds and expedite the R2’s production, Rivian plans to start building the R2 at its Normal, IL, plant in 2026, where it currently produces its R1S SUVs and R1T pickup trucks.

Per RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian, the loan would allow Rivian to expand its U.S. manufacturing capacity for its competitively priced R2 and R3 models, prioritizing capability and affordability. The company must meet technical, legal, environmental and financial requirements to secure the loan. Per sources, as part of the loan’s conditions, Rivian will not oppose unionization efforts at the Georgia facility, though unionization is not guaranteed. The company aims to finalize the loan agreement before the Trump administration assumes office.

This funding comes from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program, which has supported companies like Tesla, Ford and General Motors. RIVN had previously estimated the Georgia plant’s cost at $5 billion. The loan comprises $6 billion in principal and $600 million in capitalized interest.

The announcement follows Rivian’s recent $5.8 billion investment from Volkswagen as part of a joint technology venture. Despite the funding, Rivian faces significant challenges, including scaling production, heightened competition, high capital costs and the potential loss of EV tax credits under Trump’s administration. In 2022, RIVN secured $1.5 billion in state and local incentives for the Georgia facility and an additional $827 million for expanding its Illinois plant.

Rivian’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

RIVN currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the auto space are Dorman Products, Inc. DORM, Tesla, Inc. TSLA and BYD Company Limited BYDDY, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DORM’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 3.66% and 51.98%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved by 75 cents and 88 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TSLA’s 2024 sales suggests year-over-year growth of 2.97%. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved 2 cents each in the past 30 days.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BYDDY’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 25.07% and 31.51%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved by 35 cents and 39 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days.

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