The battery joint venture between SK On and Hyundai Motor Group has started mass production at its battery cell plant in Georgia, strengthening the companies’ electric vehicle supply chain in the United States.
The facility, operated by Hyundai-SK Battery Manufacturing America (HSBMA), began producing battery cells in June and is already supplying Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Savannah, where the automaker manufactures electric vehicles.
Georgia plant targets batteries for 300,000 EVs annually
SK On and Hyundai Motor Group established the joint venture in 2023, investing approximately $5 billion in the Bartow County battery plant.
The facility currently employs around 3,500 people and is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 35GWh once fully operational. According to the companies, that output is sufficient to supply battery cells for approximately 300,000 electric vehicles each year.
The plant is currently ramping up production.
“We are in the early stages of battery production, and we will continue increasing our output,” a company spokesperson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Local supply chain expansion
Battery cells produced at the Georgia facility are assembled into battery packs by Hyundai Mobis before being installed in Hyundai, Kia and Genesis electric vehicles manufactured in the United States.
The companies said localising battery production is intended to reduce transportation requirements while improving supply chain resilience for North American vehicle production.
The State of Georgia supported the project with tax incentives and other subsidies totaling approximately $641 million.
The start of production further expands Hyundai Motor Group’s battery manufacturing footprint in North America, where Georgia is becoming a major hub for South Korean battery makers. SK On already operates battery cell and component manufacturing facilities in the state through SK Battery America, while Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution are also constructing another battery plant near Hyundai’s vehicle manufacturing complex in Savannah.
Source: koreaherald.com, news.sbs
