Hyundai Brings Green Cars – And Jobs – To America

Like so many other automakers, Hyundai is producing more green cars than ever before. From full-on EVs to hybrids like the Hyundai Santa Fe, the automaker has quickly discovered what so many others have: consumers, especially a large portion of American consumers, want to buy electric cars.

So, given the surge in appetite for green cars in America, why not make them here? Hyundai has just announced it is going to do just that. “Hyundai Motor Company is taking its first steps toward bringing electric vehicle production to the United States […] here in Alabama,” said Ernie Kim, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.

In case you hadn’t guessed from Kim’s title, he’s referring to the brand’s production plant that makes its home in Montgomery, Alabama. A number of Hyundai models are produced there already, including the Elantra and Hyundai Santa Cruz. However, producing hybrids and electrics requires some extra steps as compared to the regular production of a more conventionally powered car.

Hyundai has said it is ready for this. A $300-million investment will be used to update the facility so that it’s able to produce both EVs and hybrids. The specifics of the investment are scarce, but Hyundai did say that it’ll have the added bonus of creating 200 jobs.

We imagine most of these to be skilled labor positions relating to the production of greener models like the Genesis Electrified GV70. This is also your daily reminder that Hyundai and Genesis produce vehicles on the same assembly lines.

Additionally, Governor Kay Ivey said the Alabama state government has partnered with Hyundai to “help prepare the state’s auto industry for the EV revolution.” For now, we’re curious to see how the shift in production affects pricing for US-spec Hyundai EVs and hybrids, if there will be any change at all. Whatever the case, creating more jobs on American soil gives Hyundai extra brownie points in our eyes.