Hyundai opened its new $5 billion EV battery plant in Georgia with enough capacity to power about 300,000 electric vehicles a year. The first of which will be used in the three-row IONIQ 9.
Hyundai opens $5B EV battery plant with SK On
The facility was first announced in late 2022 as part of Hyundai’s $12.6 billion Metaplant America (HMGMA), Georgia’s largest economic project in state history.
A few months later, Hyundai and SK On finalized terms and officially announced plans to construct the 50/50 joint-venture battery plant in April 2023.
The facility, located in Bartow County, GA, was initially expected to begin production in the second half of 2025 to supply batteries for Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicles, including Kia and Genesis.
While it’s a little later than expected, the joint venture, Hyundai-SK Battery Manufacturing America (HSBMA), announced on Monday that the facility had officially begun commercial production earlier this month.
The facility is designed to produce 35 GWh of EV battery cells annually, which it said is enough to support the production of around 300,000 electric vehicles.
The first battery cells produced at the plant will be used in Hyundai’s Metaplant for its three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9. Hyundai also builds the IONIQ 5 at the Metaplant, which has become the third most popular EV in the US this year, behind only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
SK On has been supplying batteries to the Hyundai Metaplant through its other dedicated plant in Commerce, GA, since April 2025.
The new facility is not far from the Metaplant and Hyundai Motors’ other US production sites as the company expands its local battery supply chain.
Hyundai and SK On’s battery plant “will continue to focus on operational excellence, quality and safety as it supports the growth of electric vehicle production and broader electrification across North America,” HSBMA CEO Hang Ki Moon said.
Meanwhile, Hyundai opened a separate battery plant with LG Energy Solution in April, located about 30 minutes outside of Savannah, GA, after a controversial ICE raid delayed construction.
Electrek’s Take
The new battery plant opening comes as Hyundai (excluding Kia and Genesis) is closing the gap on GM’s Chevrolet as the second-best-selling EV brand in the US.
According to Kelley Blue Book, Hyundai sold 26,936 all-electric models in the US in the first half of 2026, making it the third-most popular EV brand, following Tesla and Chevrolet.
Although Hyundai sold 5.4% fewer EVs than it did in the same period last year, it’s phasing out the standard IONIQ 6 (only the N will remain on sale), which dragged down the total (-86% YOY).
Through the first half of 2026, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 was America’s third-top-selling EV, trailing only the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. Sales of the three-row IONIQ 9 are up 380% this year as buyers look for more efficient options amid higher gas prices.
Chevrolet, on the other hand, sold 28,267 EVs, or just 1,331 more than Hyundai. However, Chevy’s EV sales plummeted 40% from nearly 47,000 in the first half of 2025.
When we visited the Metaplant in April, Hyundai told Electrek that its EVs were attracting new buyers to the brand, with higher conquest rates than its gas or hybrid vehicles.
The IONIQ 5 had a 69.8% conquest rate last year, while the three-row IONIQ 9 had a 64.3% conquest rate.
After investing billions to expand its local supply chain in the US, Hyundai is passing the savings on to buyers.
The 2026 IONIQ 5 starts at just $35,000, making it one of the most affordable EVs in the US. Last week, Hyundai launched an aggressive summer sales promo with 0% APR and up to $10,000 off electric vehicles.
Will Hyundai surpass Chevy by the end of 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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