As an automotive writer, we have seen our share of car manufacturing plants. But a recent visit to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia showed us that humans, alongside with robots and autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), can work together in a factory setting. This scenario came to fruition at the 7.5 million-square-foot plant made up of 11 buildings and set on a 2,900-acre mega site in Ellabell, just 20 miles outside Savannah.
Since opening in October 2024, Hyundai has planned to build 500,000 vehicles each year at its first dedicated mass-production EV plant, a $7.6 billion investment (we are told it is the largest economic development project in the state’s history). At present, HMGMA produces the five-seater IONIQ 5, the up-to-seven-seater IONIQ9 EVs and the Kia Sportage hybrid, with plans to produce up to 10 vehicles. The campus also includes HLBMA, a joint venture battery manufacturing plant with LG Energy Solution and five affiliates, Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Glovis, Hyundai Transys, Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Material, plus 22 suppliers.
On-site, there are several XCIENT heavy-duty hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks that transport vehicle parts. Here are some stats: there will be 8,500 jobs on-site by 2031; there are 1,623 employees at the Metaplant, called Meta Pros, earn an average of $58,000 salary; it has a 41-acre ecological park with trails/sport fields; and 2,000 solar panels covering the parking structures generate 5 percent of the plant’s electricity needs. Also noteworthy is that 85 percent of Meta Pros are from Georgia and of those, 65 percent from the Greater Savannah area.
Apart from reducing the carbon footprint, Hyundai has been supporting health, safety and sustainability in Georgia for several years. Among the charities the carmaker supports are Hope on Wheels, Children’s Hospital of Savannah and the Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia food bank.
As Euisun Chung, executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group, said, “HMGMA not only represents the Hyundai Motor Group’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and commitment to innovation but also our investment in relationships with our partners and communities right here in Georgia. With the rich history of craftsmanship and manufacturing in this community, together with the talented workforce at HMGMA we are building the future of mobility with America, in America.”
Our immersive, hands-on experience of the plant began at the 89,000-square-foot Hyundai Mobility Training Center of Georgia, which has been developed and operated in partnership with the state. We worked on a simulated production line like a Meta Pro. Then, we went off to the plant where robots or rather robotic arms do the grunt work: weld, stamp and install components; and AGVs deliver parts directly to workstations while also lifting and transporting completed EVs to parking lots. And we cannot overlook those yellow spot dogs that conduct autonomous inspections of completed cars at the end of the production line for delivery to customers via rail. Also, Hyundai recently acquired Boston Dynamics whose AI-powered humanoid robots play a key role.
We also drove the IONIQ9 on a two-mile test track, which serves as a quality assurance exam that vehicles built at the plant must pass. Then it was off to Lowcountry in the IONIQ9 before ending up with the rugged IONIQ 5 XRT, perfect for negotiating off-road trails and paths.
For more information on Hyundai, visit www.hyundaiusa.com.
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