The company is aiming to be a leader in the U.S. auto market’s transition to EVs
May 20, 2022
SEOUL, South Korea and BRYAN COUNTY, Ga.—Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) has entered an agreement with the State of Georgia to build its first dedicated, full-electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facilities in the United States. The planned facilities represent an investment of approximately $5.54 billion and the entire project is expected to create more than 8,000 jobs, the company said in a release.
The EV manufacturing facility is scheduled to break ground in early 2023 and is expected to begin commercial production in the first half of 2025 with an annual capacity of 300,000 units. The battery manufacturing facility will be established through a strategic partnership, details of which will be disclosed at a later date, HMG said.
The official signing ceremony, held in Bryan County, was attended by Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp and other Georgia officials, as well as Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO Jaehoon Chang, and Hyundai Motor President and Chief Operating Officer José Muñoz. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung joined the signing ceremony virtually.
Hyundai Motor Group said it plans to produce a wide range of full-electric vehicles for U.S. customers at the EV plant, and will share details of production models at later dates. The Group will also work to establish a stable supply chain and build a healthy EV ecosystem in the United States through its battery manufacturing facility.
“As one of the world’s most successful and advanced mobility leaders, we are incredibly proud to share our plan to open our first dedicated, full EV and battery manufacturing facilities in the U.S.,” said Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, in the release. “The U.S. has always held an important place in the Group’s global strategy, and we are excited to partner with the State of Georgia to achieve our shared goal of electrified mobility and sustainability in the U.S.”
The investment marks a step toward Hyundai Motor Group’s goal of being a leader in the U.S. auto market’s transition to electric vehicles. With its additional EV and battery production capabilities, the Group is aiming to become “one of the top three EV providers in the U.S. by 2026,” according to the release.
“We decided to build our first dedicated EV plant in the U.S. because America embraces change and drives innovation,” said Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor, in the release. “This new EV plant is the future of our business, and it will help us meet the growing demands of our U.S. customers, who want leading edge design, safe, zero-emissions vehicles, now and in the future.”
According to the release, the new plant will implement many of HMG’s advanced intelligent manufacturing technologies.
The plant will feature a highly connected, automated, and flexible manufacturing system that organically connects all elements of the EV ecosystem to realize customer value. Processes such as order collection, procurement, logistics, and production will be optimized using artificial intelligence (AI) and data. The innovative manufacturing system will also help create a human-centered work environment with robots that assist human workers, HMG said.
In line with HMG’s commitment to sustainability, the plant will mainly rely on renewable energy sources for power and will use emission-reduction technologies to meet RE100 requirements.
The EV and battery manufacturing plant will be built on a dedicated 2,923-acre site in Bryan County, Georgia, with immediate access to interstate highways I-95 and I-16. The location is said to offer easy access to 250 major metro areas. It is less than 50 kilometers from the Port of Savannah, reported to be the largest and fastest-growing container terminal in the United States, with two Class I rail facilities on-site provided by Georgia Central Railway. West Point, Georgia is already home to HMG’s Kia manufacturing hub in the United States.
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