Members of a state Senate subcommittee explored ways Monday to potentially punish electric vehicle maker Rivian days after the company put on hold their plans for a $5 billion Georgia factory.

Republican lawmakers grilled top state leaders about the surprise decision, with some urging a halt to infrastructure projects underway until Rivian starts construction. One even said more oversight might be needed by lawmakers for huge economic development deals.

Rivian has said the factory near Social Circle remains a big piece of its future, though the company has not said when it will start construction. To conserve cash, Rivian will launch its R2 crossover in Normal, Illinois, in 2026, the year the Georgia plant had been expected to open.

State Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, called Rivian’s decision “completely irresponsible” and said it shook his faith that the project will ever take place.

“If they come back to Georgia and start making good on their promises, I’ll be the one surprised,” Robertson said.

The California-based company said pausing its second factory — and the 7,500 promised Georgia workers it would employ — will save it more than $2.2 billion, a significant amount of cash during a critical time. Rivian has yet to turn a profit and has seen its cash reserves decline from nearly $20 billion in 2021 to less than $8 billion at the end of last year.

“Our Georgia plant remains an extremely important part of our strategy to scale production of R2 and R3,” a Rivian spokesperson told the AJC in a Monday statement, referencing two of the three new vehicle models it introduced last week. “We remain deeply committed to the state and the community, and we anticipate resuming construction following the initial ramp of R2 production at our Normal facility.”

Rivian is also reportedly negotiating an incentive deal with Illinois related to R2 manufacturing, but terms have not been disclosed.

When Gov. Brian Kemp announced the Rivian deal in late 2021, it was Georgia’s largest-ever jobs deal. It has since been surpassed by the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant near Savannah.

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