Hyundai will add production of hybrid models at its Georgia Metaplant scheduled to open later this year, CFO Lee Seung Jo said during a recent earnings call.
“We are investing in facilities to produce hybrid cars at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America,” Lee told the Korea Economic Daily and other media on the call, adding that Hyundai “to develop a system to apply hybrid (trims) to all models.”
2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
Exactly how that planned expansion of hybrid trims will specifically apply to the U.S. is unclear, but Hyundai aims to increase global hybrid sales by 28% this year, to 480,000 units, notes the Korea Economic Daily.
That’s quite a turnaround, as Hyundai has specifically skipped several recent hybrids in the U.S.—including the Kona Hybrid—to allow more attention for its EVs. But reports several weeks ago, citing anonymous sources inside the company, said it might be planning to add more hybrids.
2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
Meanwhile, Genesis is reportedly backpedaling on an all-EV plan; but this week’s financial update didn’t include additional information specific to that luxury brand. Hyundai had planned to make Genesis all-EV by 2030, but a recent report said the brand would augment its lineup with hybrids.
Kia, the third Hyundai brand, earlier this month said that it’s sticking with its present EV goals but also aiming to embrace more hybrids. A top U.S. Kia executive also recently told Green Car Reports that it’s banking on plug-in hybrids with longer electric-only ranges. It’s unclear whether that philosophy will carry over to these new Hyundai hybrids.
