The Hyundai Motor Group is already eyeing its second North American EV assembly while its first is still under construction in Bryan County, Georgia. According to Hyundai Auto Canada’s CEO, Don Romano, “Canada’s going to be part of that conversation.”
Hyundai initially revealed plans for its first dedicated EV facility in North America last May. The South Korean automaker agreed to invest $5.5 billion to build a new EV assembly and battery plant in the state of Georgia.
Although initial plans included beginning construction in early 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in August, prompted the automaker to break ground on October 25, 2022.
The 3,000-acre project is the largest in the state’s history, forecasted to produce around 300,000 electric vehicles annually.
Hyundai announced last month it would build a $4.3 battery plant adjacent to the manufacturing facility in collaboration with LG Energy Solutions. Battery production is expected to start at the end of 2025 at the earliest, with a 30 GWh annual capacity when fully operational.
The South Korean automaker also partnering with SK On for a $5 billion EV battery cell factory with a 35 GWh capacity. This battery plant is expected to begin manufacturing cells in the second half of 2025.
Although Hyundai’s primary focus is in Georgia currently, the plant alone likely won’t be enough to meet North American demand in the future, says Romano.
