Photo: Hyundai
The rumors about Hyundai’s new EV plant in Georgia suggested that Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea would be the pretext for the announcement. That was not the case: only the Republican governor and Hyundai’s main executives were at the ceremony to disclose the $5.54 billion investment that will make the Ioniq 5, 6, 7, and batteries in Bryan County.
The county having almost the same name as Brian P. Kemp is just a coincidence. On the other hand, the profiles presented in the teaser image of the ceremony clearly show the Ioniq 6 and the Ioniq 7. The Ioniq 5 seems to be there as well, but it seems to be a longer vehicle. It could be its second generation.
We’d bet on that because the factory will only start to operate in 2025. By then, the Ioniq 5 will already be a four-year-old project, pretty close to the six-year limit that most vehicles are allowed to have. The current one could be still imported from South Korea until its new iteration emerges around 2027.
For the American market, it is not unlikely that Hyundai will focus on the Ioniq 7, a much larger SUV. The local affordable option would be the Ioniq 6, which will compete with the Tesla Model 3 and similarly-sized sedans. Considering how far we are from the production start, we may also see different vehicles among the 300,000 units the factory will be able to make when it is at full throttle.
The new factory is the second one Georgia announced in a matter of months. Rivian also said it would build a car plant in the state on December 16, 2021. So far, the EV company has faced fierce opposition from residents in the area it chose: they claim the factory will pollute groundwater reserves and have other environmental impacts there.
Hyundai may see the same concerns emerge, but that is not as likely. After all, the group already has a factory in Georgia, more precisely, the Kia plant in West Point. If things go as planned, construction should begin in early 2023. When it achieves its maximum capacity, the Hyundai plants are expected to employ 8,100 people, which is intriguing.
Rivian said it would make 400,000 EVs with 7,500 people. The Korean factory will make 100,000 fewer cars with 600 more people. Perhaps it has something to do with the battery plants that both of these companies will have in Georgia. They will have to tell us more about that when the time comes.
We’d bet on that because the factory will only start to operate in 2025. By then, the Ioniq 5 will already be a four-year-old project, pretty close to the six-year limit that most vehicles are allowed to have. The current one could be still imported from South Korea until its new iteration emerges around 2027.
For the American market, it is not unlikely that Hyundai will focus on the Ioniq 7, a much larger SUV. The local affordable option would be the Ioniq 6, which will compete with the Tesla Model 3 and similarly-sized sedans. Considering how far we are from the production start, we may also see different vehicles among the 300,000 units the factory will be able to make when it is at full throttle.
The new factory is the second one Georgia announced in a matter of months. Rivian also said it would build a car plant in the state on December 16, 2021. So far, the EV company has faced fierce opposition from residents in the area it chose: they claim the factory will pollute groundwater reserves and have other environmental impacts there.
Hyundai may see the same concerns emerge, but that is not as likely. After all, the group already has a factory in Georgia, more precisely, the Kia plant in West Point. If things go as planned, construction should begin in early 2023. When it achieves its maximum capacity, the Hyundai plants are expected to employ 8,100 people, which is intriguing.
Rivian said it would make 400,000 EVs with 7,500 people. The Korean factory will make 100,000 fewer cars with 600 more people. Perhaps it has something to do with the battery plants that both of these companies will have in Georgia. They will have to tell us more about that when the time comes.
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