Hyundai Motor Group is advancing the launch of its dedicated electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility in the United States to October 2024, three months earlier than planned, in response to stricter subsidy regulations. The move aims to ensure Hyundai’s new EVs qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit by meeting the North American production and specific battery component criteria.
The $7.6 billion Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, located in Bryan County, Georgia, initially set for completion in January 2025, has seen its timeline fast-tracked for the second time. Construction began in October 2022, with over 2,000 workers currently on site each week.
Hyundai Motor America CEO Jose Munoz highlighted the importance of this strategic decision, driven by the Inflation Reduction Act’s emphasis on North American EV production. The company has been adjusting its strategy, such as increasing vehicle lease proportions, to navigate the subsidy requirements that now include stricter battery component sourcing rules, particularly affecting suppliers with ties to certain foreign countries, including China.
The Georgia facility will initially produce six models across Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia brands, with capacities ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 EVs annually, depending on market demand. The plant’s adjacent battery production venture with LG Energy Solution, estimated at $4.3 billion, aims for a late 2025 operational start with a 30 gigawatt-hour annual capacity. Meanwhile, Hyundai plans to source batteries from other US plants to fulfill immediate production needs.
Additionally, Hyundai has entered into another partnership with Korean battery manufacturer SK On to build a $5 billion battery plant in Bartow County, Georgia, set to support Hyundai and Kia’s existing US factories with a 35 GWh annual capacity starting in the second half of 2025.
Hyundai’s proactive approach to accelerating its EV production timeline stands in contrast to recent slowdowns by other automakers like General Motors and Ford in their EV and battery factory investments. Munoz remains optimistic about Hyundai’s position in the US EV market, urging dealers to prepare for continued growth in electric vehicle sales. In 2023, Hyundai Motor Group ranked second only to Tesla in the US EV market, with sales reaching 94,340 vehicles. 
