Hyundai’s $5B battery plant opens with enough capacity to power 300,000 EVs a year

Hyundai and battery maker SK On have started commercial production at a new $5 billion battery plant in Bartow County, Georgia. The facility can make 35 GWh of battery cells a year, enough to supply around 300,000 electric vehicles. The first cells will go into Hyundai's three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9, built at Hyundai's nearby Metaplant America factory. Hyundai also builds the IONIQ 5 there, currently the third best-selling EV in the US behind Tesla's Model Y and Model 3.

This is part of a broader buildout of US battery supply for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles. SK On already supplies the Metaplant from a separate plant in Commerce, Georgia, and Hyundai opened another battery plant with LG Energy Solution near Savannah earlier this year. More domestic battery production tends to support price competition and steadier supply for the EVs built from it.

For homeowners, this doesn't change any rebate or incentive programs, but it's a sign of expanding EV manufacturing capacity in the US, which can affect vehicle pricing and availability. Hyundai has been running promotions on its EVs, including 0% financing and up to $10,000 off, and the 2026 IONIQ 5 starts around $35,000, making it one of the more affordable electric vehicles on the market. If you're weighing an EV purchase alongside other home energy upgrades, like a home charger or solar, this kind of supply expansion is worth watching, though it doesn't itself unlock any new incentives for your house.