On Thursday, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America hosted a celebration centred on employees at its Georgia factory to mark the production of its first commercially available electric vehicle, spokesperson Bianca Johnson announced in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday.
Less than two years after initiating construction on its expansive USD 7.6 billion manufacturing facility west of Savannah, Georgia, Hyundai has commenced the production of electric SUVs. The company celebrated this milestone with an “employee-focused event” at the Georgia factory last Thursday, where the first commercially available EV was unveiled, according to a statement from Bianca Johnson, spokesperson for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, made to The Associated Press on Monday.
Following rigorous testing of its production processes to align with Hyundai Motor Group’s stringent quality standards, Johnson noted that the Georgia facility has begun producing vehicles for customers ahead of its projected schedule. She added that a grand opening for the plant is slated for the first quarter of 2025.
Hyundai, along with its battery partner LG Energy Solution, plans to hire a total of 8,500 employees at the Bryan County site, located approximately 50 miles west of Savannah. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to manufacture up to 300,000 electric vehicles annually, along with the batteries that power them.
More than 1,000 workers are currently staffing the plant’s vehicle production sectors, which are complete, while the battery production areas are still under construction, Johnson explained.
The initial batch of vehicles from the Georgia site includes the 2025 Ioniq 5 electric SUVs. Johnson stated that these American-made EVs would be available at U.S. dealerships by year’s end. In the first half of 2024, the Ioniq 5 ranked as America’s second most popular electric vehicle, trailing only behind Tesla.
The groundbreaking for Hyundai’s Georgia facility occurred in late October 2022. It represents the largest economic development endeavour in the state’s history, backed by approximately USD 2.1 billion in tax breaks and other incentives from state and local governments.
Hyundai accelerated the establishment of its EV production in Georgia, driven by the federal electric vehicle incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes tax credits up to USD 7,500 for EVs manufactured in North America using domestic batteries. Although Hyundai executives initially criticized the legislation as unfair, Hyundai President and Global Chief Operating Officer Jose Munoz acknowledged that it influenced the company’s decision to expedite the plant’s opening.
