Rivian’s new model, the R2, goes fast — zero to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Turns out, so does Rivian’s construction team. The electric automaker is starting 2026 with 2.6 million square feet of new space in Normal, where the R2 will be made. Construction took only 11 months — a staggering pace that required creative problem-solving, thousands of workers, and a $1.5 billion investment. The project — the size equivalent of building 14 Walmarts — even came in under budget.

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