Still, the law is pushing Hyundai to make batteries and electric vehicles in the U.S. more quickly, Munoz said, with the company speeding up construction in an attempt to start production in Georgia sometime in 2024.
The South Korean automaker and battery partner LG Energy Solution recently increased their investment in battery production at the complex. They also pledged to hire another 400 workers, increasing total employment to 8,500. Munoz said the investment will allow the company to make more batteries in Ellabell than originally planned, raising capacity enough to supply batteries for all 300,000 vehicles that Hyundai plans to assemble there.
Munoz said construction is progressing rapidly at the plant outside Savannah and wasn’t affected by last month’s Hurricane Idalia. Hyundai could qualify for $2.1 billion inMunoz emphasized the company’s commitment to fully electric vehicles, saying it will keep making gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles for now, but saying Hyundai sees customers using hybrids as a “stepping stone” to vehicles without a gasoline burning engine.
The company hopes Georgia Tech’s research expertise in hydrogen can help Hyundai advance the technology, part of the agreement it signed Tuesday. Hyundai already makes hydrogen-fueled heavy trucks in South Korea and Georgia state officials recently asked for proposals on creating hydrogen fueling stations along Interstate 16 between the Hyundai plant and Savannah’s port.