Hyundai officially opens new production site in the US

The Hyundai Group is celebrating the official opening of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in the US state of Georgia. And the South Korean carmaker confirmed that it would extend the facility's production capacities from 300,000 to 500,000 vehicles per year – not only purely electric ones, but also hybrids.

Production at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) has been underway since October of last year, when the first units of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 rolled off the production line there. The opening coincides with US President Donald Trump making cars imported to the US subject to a 25 per cent tariff.

Hyundai now says that it will invest 21 billion dollars in US production between now and 2028 “to drive US manufacturing growth.” And it states that it will also produce hybrid vehicles there, even though the factory was initially reserved for electric cars from the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. Rumours of the planned expansion had already surfaced earlier this year.

But back to the new investment. The first 9 billion dollars will be invested to “establish an annual production capacity in the US of 1.2 million vehicles.” That includes the company’s other plants in Alabama and Georgia, namely the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama factory and Kia Autoland Georgia. 500,000 units will come from the HMGMA.

The Hyundai Motor Group will invest 6 billion dollars “to enhance the Group’s parts and logistics business, as well as establishing an Electric Arc Furnace-based integrated steel mill in the US.” Another six billion have been earmarked for the Group’s parts and logistics business.

According to the carmaker, the new investments will create 14,000 new direct full-time jobs in the US by 2028.

Hyundai announced the HMGMA in May 2022 – for up to 300,000 electric cars from the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. Due to the IRA funding, the start of construction work in Bryan County was later moved up from early 2023 to October 2022. As a result, the planned start of production was rescheduled from early 2025 to the fourth quarter of 2024. The Ioniq 5, which is manufactured in Georgia, is based on the E-GMP electric platform, which is also used by Kia and Genesis. It is thus likely that further models will follow.

“Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America not only represents the Group’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and commitment to innovation, but also our investment in relationships with our partners and communities right here in Georgia,” said Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group. “With the rich history of craftsmanship and manufacturing in this community, together with the talented workforce at HMGMA we are building the future of mobility with America, in America.”

hyundai.com