Hyundai retrofits South Korean plant to increase electric car production
According to the Korean Car Blog, this involves the Ioniq 7, which is to be built in Asan in addition to the Ioniq 6 and the Sonata and Grandeur combustion models. The plant has a total capacity of 300,000 cars per year. Production in Asan was already interrupted for six weeks in 2021 during preparations for the Ioniq 6 – but not all at once at that time, but split into two blocks
It is not known in which distribution the four model series will be built again from February 14. In addition, the Koreans are keeping the back door open that the conversion could take a little longer: “The scheduled date for production resumption is February 14th next year, but it is subject to change depending on internal circumstances.”
The Ioniq 7 is Hyundai’s large electric SUV based on the E-GMP platform. The production model has yet to be unveiled. Hyundai gave a preview of the Ioniq 7 in the fall of 2021 with the Seven concept. The similarly sized Kia EV9 with its 99.8 kWh battery could provide a preview of the available options. However, Hyundai and Kia have shown with the first two e-GMP models, the Ioniq 5 and EV6, that slightly different technical data can also be implemented (initially). The Ioniq 7 therefore does not have to be a 1:1 copy of the EV9 in terms of the drive system.
As reported, the Ioniq 7 could also be manufactured at the new electric car plant in the US state of Georgia in the future, construction of which started in fall 2022. In South Korea, Hyundai began construction of its electric car plant in Ulsan a few days ago.
Incidentally, the Korean Car Blog assumes that the six-week production break is likely to increase waiting times for the models built in Asan again. There have recently been long delivery times for hybrid vehicles in particular, with customers waiting between seven and ten months for a Sonata Hybrid this year – depending on the exact order received. However, an Ioniq 6 or the combustion variants of the Gardeur are available to South Korean customers within a few weeks.
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