Hyundai Opens $5B Battery Plant in Georgia Push for EV Lead

Hyundai just flipped the switch on a $5 billion battery plant in Georgia, marking a major milestone in the company's race to become America's number two EV brand. The massive facility, built jointly with SK On, is already producing batteries for vehicles rolling off the line at Hyundai's nearby Metaplant.

The battery plant is part of Hyundai's $12.6 billion Metaplant America project, the largest economic investment in Georgia's history. Production kicked off in early 2025, just slightly behind the original schedule, and the facility will gradually ramp up to full capacity.

When fully operational, the plant will produce enough batteries each year to power hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles. A second battery facility with LG Energy Solution opened near Savannah in April, cementing Georgia as a new hub for EV manufacturing.

The timing couldn't be better for Hyundai's electric ambitions. Through the first half of 2026, the company sold 26,936 EVs in the United States, trailing Chevrolet by just 1,331 vehicles for the second-place spot behind Tesla.

Even better, Hyundai is gaining ground while Chevy is sliding backward. Chevrolet's EV sales plummeted 40% compared to the previous year, dropping from nearly 47,000 vehicles to just over 28,000.

The IONIQ 5 became America's third-bestselling EV in early 2026, beaten only by Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y. Sales of the three-row IONIQ 9 have surged 380% this year as families seek efficient alternatives amid rising gas prices.

Hyundai's conquest rates tell an even more impressive story. Nearly 70% of IONIQ 5 buyers switched from other brands, while 64% of IONIQ 9 buyers are new to Hyundai, showing these EVs are winning over skeptics and loyal customers of other automakers alike.

The Ripple Effect

Hyundai is passing its massive investment savings directly to American buyers. The 2026 IONIQ 5 now starts at just $35,000, making it one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market and putting zero-emission driving within reach for more families.

Last week, the company sweetened the deal further with summer promotions offering 0% financing and up to $10,000 off select electric models. These incentives, combined with local battery production, are making EVs accessible to buyers who might have thought electric vehicles were out of their budget.

The Georgia plants are creating thousands of jobs and building a domestic supply chain that reduces dependence on overseas battery production. As more batteries roll off Georgia assembly lines, more Americans can afford to make the switch to electric.

Hyundai's billion-dollar bet on American manufacturing is paying off in electric vehicles that people actually want to buy at prices they can afford.