Hyundai has started series production of the all-electric Ioniq 3 at its İzmit plant in Turkey following a €250 million upgrade of the facility. The compact electric car is being produced for the European market, with Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır saying initial annual production is planned at 30,000 units.
The start of production makes the İzmit facility Hyundai’s first plant in Turkey to manufacture battery-electric passenger vehicles. The Ioniq 3 is scheduled to enter the European market in October.
İzmit Plant Begins Electric Vehicle Production
Hyundai has modernised more than half of the İzmit plant over the past two years as part of the transition to electric vehicle production.
The company invested €250 million in the latest upgrade programme, while more than 1,000 employees have moved into new roles associated with the production changes.
Hyundai Motor Türkiye employs around 2,400 people across its İzmit plant and headquarters in Istanbul.
The company did not specify a production target in its latest announcement, but Kacır said the facility would initially produce 30,000 Ioniq 3 vehicles annually. Earlier projections had indicated production of 27,000 vehicles in 2026 and more than 40,000 the following year.
Ioniq 3 Uses 400-Volt E-GMP Architecture
The Ioniq 3 was developed primarily for the European market and is based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform with a 400-volt electrical architecture.
Hyundai describes the compact vehicle as an “Aero Hatch” because of its aerodynamic body design.
Two battery capacities are available: 42.2 kWh and 61 kWh. They provide WLTP ranges of up to 344 kilometres and 496 kilometres, respectively.
Final homologation for the German market has not yet been completed.
Battery Assembly Facility Under Construction
Hyundai is also expanding battery-related production capabilities at the İzmit site.
The company is developing a battery assembly facility in cooperation with Hyundai Mobis. The approximately 30,000-square-metre facility represents an investment of €55 million and will use 27 robots to assemble battery packs.
The battery facility forms part of a broader investment package of €715 million for the site.
From 2027, Hyundai also plans to manufacture hybrid versions of the next generations of the Bayon and i20 at İzmit. The battery systems for those vehicles will be assembled at the new facility in cooperation with Hyundai Mobis.
Hyundai Expands Flexible Powertrain Production
The addition of electric and hybrid vehicle production will allow Hyundai to manufacture different powertrain types at the same site.
The İzmit plant opened in 1997 and is Hyundai’s first and longest-running overseas production facility. Around 3.3 million vehicles have been produced there since operations began, while Hyundai said total investment at the site has reached €1.185 billion.
“The start of IONIQ 3 production marks an important milestone for our plant in İzmit and for Hyundai in Europe,” said Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe.
Martinet said local electric vehicle production would increase Hyundai’s manufacturing flexibility and support the company’s plans for electrified mobility in Europe.
The Ioniq 3 therefore represents a new stage for Hyundai’s İzmit operation, with the site now combining battery-electric vehicle production with planned hybrid vehicle manufacturing and local battery assembly.
