The State of Illinois confirmed Thursday that French auto supplier OPmobility will be the first company to set up shop in Rivian‘s new supplier park in Normal — where the electric-vehicle maker is preparing to build its next-generation R2 model.
The announcement comes just days after Rivian broke ground on its $5 billion factory in Georgia, slated to open in 2028, and underscores how the EV maker is trying to strengthen its supply chain ahead of the R2’s 2026 launch.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said OPmobility will assemble bumpers for Rivian’s upcoming R2 SUV, creating 81 jobs at its first Illinois facility with support from the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles program.
“OPmobility’s decision to establish its first Illinois facility in Normal is another win for our state, our workers, and the Central Illinois economy,” Pritzker said.
In May, Rivian had disclosed it was receiving $16 million in state incentives to help fund a new supplier park adjacent to its manufacturing plant.
Founded in France, OPmobility specializes in exterior and lighting systems, energy storage and hydrogen solutions, and operates 150 industrial sites and 40 R&D centers globally.
Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe welcomed the addition, saying the new park “will provide improved material supply logistics as we increase production in 2026 to build R2, in addition to R1 and our commercial vans.”
Illinois has been investing heavily to keep Rivian’s manufacturing hub competitive.
In 2024, the state announced $1.5 billion in incentives to expand production of the R2 in Normal, followed by another $120 million package earlier this year to support the 1.2 million-square-foot supplier park.
The program includes $634 million in tax credits tied to job creation.
OPmobility follows Adient, the Michigan-based seat maker, which in July said it would open a nearby plant to assemble seating systems for Rivian, adding 75 jobs.
Rivian’s VP of manufacturing operations Carlo Materazzo said locating suppliers close to its factory “reduces costs and improves manufacturing efficiency.”
The Irvine, California-based automaker is scaling up capacity in Illinois as it prepares to sell the R2 SUV for about $45,000. Orders are expected to open in early 2026.
“We appreciate the State of Illinois’s partnership and support in helping attract key suppliers to the Normal area,” said Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. “Our Normal supplier park will provide improved material supply logistics as we increase production in 2026 to build R2, in addition to R1 and our commercial vans.”
The Irvine-based automaker’s manufacturing plant in Illinois is being expanded to accommodate the production of the upcoming R2. Prices for the SUV will begin at $45,000.
Earlier this year, Rivian said it would establish a new East Coast headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of its broader investment in the state, where the electric vehicle maker is also building its second manufacturing plant.
The new office will open in late 2025 and expand further in 2026 alongside construction progress at Rivian’s planned factory in Social Circle, east of Atlanta.
