Rivian

State incentives would be needed to secure a $1 billion Samsung electric vehicle battery plant in Bloomington-Normal. And top state officials are saying little about any potential negotiations with Samsung SDI, the subsidiary of the Korean giant that deals with battery technology.

A research economist says the jobs electric automaker Rivian has created at its plant in Normal should boost wages in the community and create an economic "ripple effect."

Rivian has begun commercial production of its R1T electric pickup trucks at its production plant in Normal.

Rivian, the electric automaker that will build its vehicles in Normal, has filed to become a publicly traded company.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Thursday that Normal is a finalist for a new Samsung battery manufacturing plant that could add thousands of jobs adjacent to Rivian’s facility and cement Central Illinois as a Midwestern electric vehicle hub.

Twin City economic development officials field inquiries from potential businesses all the time. But Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council head Patrick Hoban says he's really excited about one particular prospect right now.

Rivian is reportedly in talks to build a factory in England, Holland, or Germany. The U.K. media outlet Sky News first reported on a potential plant near Bristol in southern England and that the British government could contribute more than $1.4 billion to the project.

Rivian on Friday announced a new $2.5 billion investment round from Amazon, Ford and other partners.

Rivian plans to build a second U.S. assembly plant, although the electric automaker said Thursday that project is an “addition … not a replacement” to its Normal manufacturing facility.

Rivian’s electric vehicles were prominently featured Tuesday in the live-stream video of Blue Origin’s first human flight to space.