The Hyundai Motor Metaplant is an electric and hybrid vehicle factory located in Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia, about 20 miles west of Savannah. It built its first IONIQ 5 in October 2024 and celebrated its grand opening in March 2025. The IONIQ 9 and Kia Sportage hybrid have since joined the lineup, reports Automotive Manufacturing Solutions.
Hyundai Motor Metaplant Expansion Anchors Georgia’s Automotive Belt
Hyundai plans a $2.7 billion expansion to lift annual capacity from 300,000 to 500,000 vehicles, as reported by the Associated Press. A Hyundai and SK On cell factory in Bartow County supplying the plant began production in June 2026. That northwest Georgia supply chain deepened when the $1.2B Pirelli Rome tire plant expansion won board approval.
Project Overview
- Project Name: Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA)
- Location: 1500 Genesis Drive, Ellabell, Bryan County, Georgia, USA
- Project Value: About $7.6 billion for the Metaplant campus (reported); original 2022 commitment of $5.54 billion (Hyundai Motor Group)
- Client or Owner: Hyundai Motor Group
- Key Components: Vehicle assembly plant for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis models; adjacent battery cell joint venture with LG Energy Solution
- Capacity: 300,000 vehicles a year initially; expansion target of 500,000
- Construction Start: October 2022
- Production Start: October 2024, with grand opening in March 2025
- Jobs: More than 8,500 people expected on the megasite at full operation (HMGMA)
- Strategic Impact: Described by Hyundai Motor Group as the largest economic development project in Georgia’s history
Project Team
- Owner: Hyundai Motor Group
- Operator: Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America
- Battery Cell Partner, Bryan County: LG Energy Solution
- Battery Cell Partner, Bartow County: SK On
- State Government: Office of the Governor of Georgia
- State Economic Development: Georgia Department of Economic Development
- County Government: Bryan County
- Local Economic Development: Development Authority of Bryan County
- Site Partner: Savannah Harbor Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority
Reported 1st November 2022: The groundbreaking of a $5.5 billion Hyundai Motor Metaplant took place recently in Bryan County, Georgia. Governor Brian Kemp, and several local leaders, joined the developer, Hyundai Motors to mark the start of the construction phase. According to Anna Chafin, the County’s Development Authority CEO, the project will be developed at the Bryan County Mega-Site.
Chafin said the Mega-Site has been in works for eight years, but things moved quickly once Hyundai Motor got involved. She was impressed with the progress made so far and mentioned that most of the site has already been cleared. The automaker announced the Hyundai Motor Metaplant in May and it’s only taken a few months to break ground on it.
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Development plans for the Hyundai Motor Metaplant
The new Hyundai Motor Metaplant has been designed as a smart factory, which will manufacture about 300,000 vehicles annually. A variety of innovative Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia electric vehicles will be produced at the plant, including a battery manufacturing facility. Construction is scheduled to reach completion in 2025, while commercial production will begin by the first half of that year.
José Muñoz, Hyundai’s COO, said the company responded to the administration’s clarion call to hasten the adoption of new EVs. The South Korean automaker expects the project to create about 8,100 jobs in Bryan County. This will be the first fully dedicated facility for EV manufacturing in the state, which will also reduce carbon emissions.
Governor Kemp praised the Hyundai Motor Metaplant project due to the job creation opportunities for Georgian residents. Especially since the state has had the lowest unemployment rate among other states in recent times. He said the state has never witnessed this much job creation and investment in a single year.
Kemp mentioned that the state’s partnership with Hyundai represents a long-term commitment to improving lives and livelihoods. Therefore, the Governor said he is anticipating the impact of the Hyundai Motor Metaplant on both the community and the state.
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