The battery joint venture between SK On and the Hyundai Motor Group has started series production in the USA. The plant in the state of Georgia is expected to supply battery cells for up to 300,000 electric vehicles per year and is already supplying Hyundai’s new EV plant in Savannah.
HSBMA produces battery cells for Hyundai’s US electric vehicles. The battery cell plant operated by Hyundai Motor Group and SK On in Georgia has been producing cells since June.
The facility, run by the joint venture Hyundai-SK Battery Manufacturing America (HSBMA), supplies batteries to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Savannah. The partners established the joint venture in 2023 and, according to previous statements, invested around five billion US dollars in the Bartow County facility.
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They currently employ around 3,500 people and expect to reach an annual production capacity of 35 GWh at full scale. This output is sufficient to supply batteries for approximately 300,000 electric vehicles per 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. Hyundai Mobis assembles the battery cells produced in Georgia into battery packs before installing them in locally manufactured electric vehicles from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
By localising battery production, the partners aim to reduce transport distances and strengthen supply chain resilience for vehicle manufacturing sites across North America. The state of Georgia supported the project with tax incentives and other subsidies worth a total of 641 million US dollars.
The decision to establish a battery production facility in Georgia is part of a broader strategy to expand Hyundai Motor Group’s presence in North America. This move is likely driven by the need to reduce reliance on international supply chains and to better serve the growing demand for electric vehicles in the region.
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Georgia is emerging as a key location for the South Korean battery industry.
SK On already operates a battery cell and component manufacturing site in the state through SK Battery America. In addition, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution are building another battery plant near Hyundai’s vehicle factory in Savannah.
The start of battery cell production at the HSBMA facility marks an important milestone for Hyundai Motor Group’s efforts to expand its local battery supply chain in North America. With the plant expected to reach full production capacity in the coming years, it will play a critical role in supporting the growth of Hyundai’s electric vehicle sales in the region.