ELLABELL, GA — With Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp behind the wheel, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America and Kia America rolled out their new hybrid vehicle on Tuesday.
The Kia Sportage Turbo-Hybrid is the first Kia and first hybrid electric vehicle to be produced at the Ellabell Metaplant. It’s the third vehicle manufactured at the site, since it began production in 2022, joining HMGMA’s electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9. While the Sportage Hybrid has been in production in Korea, this is the first time it’s being manufactured in the U.S.
Kemp, Kia North America and America President and CEO Seungkyu (Sean) Yoon, and Kia Georgia President and CEO Stuart Countess, joined about 200 HMGMA employees, known as Meta Pros, to celebrate the vehicle reveal. The hybrid Kia Sportage made its debut, traveling to the stage on an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), a machine used throughout HMGMA’s production processes. Two yellow “robot dogs” wiggled in front of posed Kias, greeting guests as they walked to the event.
Kemp called it a historic moment.
“Our mutual success is the direct result of our proven partnership approach to creating long-lasting relationships between Kia America, HMG’s Metaplant, the local community, and hardworking Georgians,” Kemp said. “We look forward to this new vehicle joining the Georgia-grown lineup and helping support jobs for our communities for years to come.”
The new vehicle’s production marks the first step in HMGMA’s pivot to producing hybrid vehicles. Chris Susock, the chief manufacturing officer for Hyundai Motor North America, said the sprawling plant’s original intention was to manufacture all-electric vehicles. However, there’s been a sharp decline in electric vehicle demand in the U.S., especially following the expiration of federal tax credits, outlined in U.S. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill.”
Susock said midway through construction of the HMGMA plant, officials decided to shift focus on making the plant able to adapt to hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) production to balance market shifts.
“It’s about the flexibility in the automation and technology of these plants moving forward,” he said. “It gives us the ability … to be able to switch on a dime, to change the mix pattern based on power trains in order to adapt to the market very quickly.”
Last month, HMGMA shipped about 6,000 units outside the facility. Susock said this is about 50% of the plant’s capacity. He said the plant is ramped up to reach full capacity – about 580,000 units – by 2028.
“Now, the product planning has to look at the forecast – what do they want us to build.” Susock said. “Give us what you want us to build, and we’ll build. We’ve got the capability. We’ve got the technology. We can do it quickly.”
These builds could include more Kias, different HEVs, or other models, he said.
Yoon said HMGMA’s Kia Hybrid Turbo-Sportage production is timely because Kia is seeing a higher demand for hybrids, especially SUVs, including the Sportage, Carnival, and Telluride.
Tony Heo, President and CEO of HMGMA, said employees at HMGMA, known as Meta Pros, received extensive training to be able to produce the new vehicle. Many team members traveled to Kia facilities in West Point, Georgia, and South Korea to learn best practices for Sportage Hybrid production.
Both HMGMA and Kia’s plant in West Point, GA, on the state’s western side, emphasize the creation of high-quality jobs and economic opportunities for their local communities and across the state.
Both HMGMA and Kia officials and Gov. Kemp emphasized the significance of their partnership.
“Metaplant in Savannah is … a clear testament to our confidence in this state’s future as an automotive powerhouse,” Yoon said. We have great confidence that Metaplant will continue the strong momentum that Sportage Hybrid has achieved since updated last year to quickly become one of our highest volume models.”