Hyundai, Kia, & Genesis Plant That Can Produce 500,000 Electric & Hybrid Vehicles Opens In Georgia

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The largest economic development project in the history of Georgia is now open. Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is a battery and vehicle assembly factory that Hyundai Motor Group invested $12.6 billion to build. The company says that it will produce up to 500,000 Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis electric and hybrid vehicles a year — as well as a lot of batteries. (Though, initially, production capacity is 300,000 vehicles a year.)

The grand opening for the factory was held yesterday, after 2½ years of construction.

Recall that the Inflation Reduction Act provided bigger incentives for electric vehicles, batteries, and battery components that were produced in the United States. This factory would go a long way in making sure Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis consumers were benefiting from the biggest support. However, with Donald Trump and Republicans now in power, who knows what will happen with Inflation Reduction Act policies? In any case, there’s now a massive battery and electric vehicle factory in the state of Georgia that is creating jobs and will produce millions of vehicles.

Speaking of jobs, overall, since the company first came to the US, Hyundai Motor Group has put $20.5 billion into the country and says that this has created more than 570,000 American jobs, directly and indirectly. That’s a huge investment, but when you consider that Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America accounted for $12.6 billion of that investment, that just shows how massive this factory is.

Again, this was the biggest economic development project in the history of Georgia.

“Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, made possible by our commitment to working with job creators to build fruitful partnerships for decades,” Governor Kemp said at the factory’s grand opening. “Collaborations between HMGMA and Georgia’s universities and technical colleges, including Georgia Quick Start’s on-site training facility, are preparing Georgians for high-quality jobs of today and tomorrow, while our award-winning infrastructure, such as our ports connects companies to markets around the nation and globe.”

Historically, of course, Republicans have aligned themselves very firmly with fossil fuel companies. However, one has to wonder how much projects like these may get the party to splinter as politicians like Kemp see benefits from the cleantech revolution and perhaps question their unwavering, unthinking allegiance to fossil fuels, pollution, and declining economic engines.

“HMG entered into a landmark agreement with the State of Georgia in May 2022 to establish a cutting-edge electric and hybrid vehicle production and battery manufacturing facility in Ellabell, Georgia, located 20 miles outside of historic Savannah. By June 2022, HMGMA was officially formed, and within four months, the company broke ground on the project, setting an unprecedented pace for development,” Hyundai writes. (Thanks, Biden.)

“On October 3, 2024, less than two years after breaking ground, the first vehicle — a Hyundai IONIQ 5 — rolled off the assembly line, marking a new era for the Group’s U.S. operations. Hyundai’s IONIQ 9 three-row electric SUV is also now in production at HMGMA and will be joined in 2026 by the first Kia model to be built at the facility.”

Here are some more big economic development numbers from Hyundai:

“The Group’s investment in Georgia related to HMGMA and joint battery ventures with LG Energy Solution and SK On is $12.6 billion. This represents the largest single investment in the state’s history and includes a total of 8,500 jobs at HMGMA by 2031. The Group’s total investments in Georgia are expected to create nearly 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, and $4.6 billion in individual earnings every year, according to the Center for Automotive Research.

“As of July 2024, more than $2.5 billion in capital investment and approximately 6,900 jobs have been announced by HMGMA suppliers in 12 counties across the state. This more than doubles the additional $1 billion investment by suppliers that was originally anticipated.”

According to the company, much more investment is coming in the rest of the decade as well.

But the story today is all about the grand opening of this massive facility. “It’s a historic moment that our state-of-the-art smart plant is officially open,” said Oscar Kwon, CEO of HMGMA. “It is as important for us to create a comfortable and welcoming work environment for our Metaplant employees, also known as Meta Pros, as it is for us to create an energy-efficient and technologically advanced plant. It is essential for our Meta Pros to be happy, comfortable and safe in their work environment for long-lasting careers at HMGMA.”

In front of the factory is a 5.2-megawatt solar parking lot — 1,878 parking spaces have solar panels above them. That’s a lot of solar power, but, again, showing just how big this factory is, that 5.2 MW solar power facility is expected to provide just 5% of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America’s electricity needs.

The site will also include various outdoor amenities in order to help employees with their quality of life and overall health. “A 41-acre ecological park that includes trails, running tracks, sports fields, and picnic areas will feature prominently in front of the Metaplant – all for Meta Pros to enjoy before or after work,” the company adds.

More info on HMGMA can be found here. More photos can be found here.

All photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.