Hyundai has begun producing electric SUVs in Georgia less than two years after breaking ground on its sprawling, $7.6 billion manufacturing plant west of Savannah.
Hyundai’s factory in Georgia held an “employee-focused celebration” Thursday as its first EV for commercial sale rolled off the assembly line, Bianca Johnson, spokesperson for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, said in a statement provided Monday to The Associated Press.
“After validating its production processes to ensure its vehicles meet Hyundai Motor Group’s high quality standards, HMGMA has started initial production of customer vehicles ahead of schedule,” Johnson said.
She said a grand opening celebration at the Georgia plant is expected in the first quarter of 2025.
The South Korean automaker and battery partner LG Energy Solution plan to employ 8,500 total workers at the Bryan County site, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Savannah, once the plant is fully operational. Hyundai has said it will produce up to 300,000 EVs per year in Georgia, as well as the batteries that power them.