Hyundai opens $5 billion battery plant as it pushes to become America’s #2 EV brand

Hyundai and battery maker SK On have opened a $5 billion battery plant in Bartow County, Georgia, part of Hyundai's larger $12.6 billion Metaplant America complex. The plant is starting production now and will gradually ramp up, supplying batteries first to Hyundai's nearby Metaplant, where the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 electric SUVs are built. When running at full capacity, the plant is expected to produce enough batteries for 35 GWh worth of vehicles a year. Hyundai has now opened two battery plants in Georgia this year, including one with LG Energy Solution near Savannah in April.

For homeowners, this isn't about home energy upgrades, but it signals Hyundai's push to build more of its EV supply chain in the US, which the company says is helping it offer lower prices. The 2026 IONIQ 5 starts at $35,000, and Hyundai recently launched a promotion with 0% financing and up to $10,000 off electric vehicles. If you're weighing an EV purchase alongside home upgrades like a heat pump or a home charger, this kind of pricing and incentive activity is worth watching, since automakers are competing harder on cost as domestic battery production ramps up.

Hyundai is also closing in on Chevrolet for the number-two spot among EV brands sold in the US, trailing only Tesla. In the first half of 2026, Hyundai sold 26,936 EVs versus Chevrolet's 28,267, a gap of just over 1,300 vehicles, while Chevy's sales fell sharply from last year.