Months after Rivian halted construction of its east Georgia factory, a lifeline from the federal government could help it restart the highly anticipated project. Why it matters: Rivian's planned 2,000-acre compound roughly 50 miles east of Atlanta,

President Joe Biden's administration announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Energy will make a $6.6 billion loan to Rivian Automotive to build a factory in Georgia that had stalled as the startup electric vehicle maker struggled to become profitable.

The plant is expected to produce the company’s R2 and R3 EV models, create 7,500 jobs, and expand Rivian’s footprint in the competitive EV market.