Hyundai’s venture into electric vehicles (EVs) has reached a major milestone with the opening of its upcoming Metaplant in Georgia later in the fall, where the company’s IONIQ 5 will be the first EV to roll off the assembly line.

Hyundai’s U.S. CEO Jose Muñoz was the first to make headlines regarding the IONIQ 5 model in the Georgia Metaplant stating, “It absolutely is the bestseller,” Muñoz said in an interview with Automotive News. “So I think it is a no-brainer that it needs to be that one.”

Currently, Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 is imported from South Korea into the U.S. market, and localizing production is aimed at qualifying for the federal EV tax credit of $7,500. With the federal EV tax credit being appealing to U.S. buyers, the potential to drive up sales is what Hyundai has at stake here.

Notably, Kia, which is owned by Hyundai Motor Group, is also localizing production with its EV9 model recently being the first EV model added to its West Point assembly plant in Georgia, making this strategy a popular one for foreign automakers.

Furthermore, while the initial production of the IONIQ 5 will utilize batteries from Europe, Hyundai is working on establishing local battery production through partnerships with suppliers such as SK On.

With the opening of the Metaplant expectantly bringing the expected production capacity up to 300,000 EVs annually, Hyundai’s expansion of its EV lineup and manufacturing in the U.S. will elevate the competitiveness and stimulate innovation in its EV market as well.

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