Electric vehicle maker Rivian to bring 7,500 jobs to Georgia

While it wasn’t exactly a surprise, Georgia announced Thursday that upstart electric vehicle maker Rivian is building a massive manufacturing plant nearly 50 miles east of Atlanta.

Why it matters: This is the largest economic development announcement in state history, according to Gov. Brian Kemp.

• Rivian's electric truck and SUV models have attracted a lot of press and investment from companies across the country, including Amazon, which has ordered 100,000 delivery vehicles from Rivian.

By the numbers:

• $5 billion investment. (For context, the KIA plant in West Point has invested about $2 billion.)
• Nearly 2,000 acres of a carbon-conscious campus between Walton and Morgan Counties.
• 7,500 new jobs.
• 400,000: how many electric trucks the site will be able to produce per year.
• About $100 billion: how much Wall Street thinks Rivian is worth. (That’s more than General Motors.)

Yes, but: The company and the state haven’t inked their deal yet, so the details of the incentive package remain up in the air.

• State Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson told reporters he expects that to happen in about a month. More details will then be posted on the state's website.

The big picture: Rivian joins what's becoming an ecosystem of companies related to the electric vehicle industry in Georgia, including SK Innovation's electric vehicle battery plants and EV charging station leader Heliox's headquarters.

What's ahead: Rivian says it expects to break ground this summer and begin production in 2024.

• It's holding town hall events next year for residents of the rural community.
• Helen Russell, the company's chief people officer, told the crowd of politicians and economic development companies at the State Capitol on Thursday that they've already posted available jobs online.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct that Rivian's carbon-conscious campus will be nearly 2,000 acres, (not 200,000).