Hyundai Türkiye CEO Alex Kim made critical statements about the mass production of the electric IONIQ 3 model in the Izmit factory and the future vision of the brand. In his interview with Vahap Munyar, Kim stated that 50 percent of Izmit facilities have been converted for electric vehicle production and emphasized Turkey’s strategic value in the global production network. Stating that they target the production of 28 thousand 760 units of IONIQ 3 for this year, Hyundai administration announced that 28 thousand 005 of this number will be exported. In the Turkish domestic market, sales are planned to start in September. $290 million of the total investment plan of $830 million has already been transferred to the IONIQ 3 project.

Izmit Factory Completes Electric Vehicle Transformation

Hyundai aims to make its Izmit facilities not only a production base but also an electric vehicle center appealing to the European market. While the company optimizes its production capacity with the IONIQ 3 model, it also strengthens its local supply chain. Hyundai Turkey Sales, Marketing and After-Sales General Manager Murat Berkel stated that there are a total of 7 models in the brand’s electric vehicle portfolio and that they aim to sell 10 thousand electric vehicles across Turkey by the end of the year.

The Izmit factory is at the center of Hyundai’s European electric vehicle strategy.

Local Investments for Battery Production Will Continue

Important steps are also being taken in battery technology, which is the heart of electric vehicles. Murat Berkel announced that, except for the battery cell phase, other battery production processes will be carried out directly in Izmit facilities. This strategic decision aims to support Türkiye’s high value-added production capacity in the automotive industry. Ongoing investments in battery installation are valued as cost advantages and elements that will increase logistics efficiency.

R&D Center Invitations are Responded to

The expectation of establishing an R&D center in Turkey, which is constantly brought to the agenda by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, was evaluated by Alex Kim. While Kim acknowledged that some incentives depend on the R&D center principle, he stated that it should be analyzed in detail whether the current market scale is sufficient for an investment of this scale. The company continues to closely follow the government’s incentive systems in order to make its operations in Türkiye sustainable.

R&D center investments in Türkiye will be shaped according to the growth potential of the market.

This massive transformation carried out by Hyundai can take Turkey’s position in the electric vehicles league to the next level. IONIQ 3, which will be exported to the world with domestic production, is seen as the harbinger of a new era in the automotive industry.

What do you think about this major electric vehicle breakthrough launched by Hyundai in Izmit? How do you evaluate the competitiveness of the domestically produced IONIQ 3 model in the Turkish market? You can share your opinions and questions with us in the comments section.