Kia Begins Production of Sportage Hybrid at HMGMA in the U.S.

The First Kia Model and Hybrid EV at HMGMA

Kia America and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) announced on June 2 (local time) that they held a ceremony at the HMGMA facility in Ellabell, Georgia, to celebrate the start of production of the Sportage Hybrid and that mass production has officially commenced.

The Kia Sportage Hybrid is the first Kia model produced at HMGMA, its first hybrid vehicle, and the third vehicle produced at HMGMA after the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9.

(From left) HMGMA Head Tae Yang Heo, President Seung Gyu Yoon, Head of Kia North America Region and US Sales Corporation, Brian P. Kemp, Governor of Georgia, and Junho Lee, Consul General in Atlanta, are taking a commemorative photo. Hyundai Motor Group

The commemorative event was attended by Brian P. Kemp, Governor of Georgia; Seung Gyu Yoon, President and Head of Kia North America Region and US Sales Corporation; Tae Yang Heo, Executive Vice President and Head of HMGMA; Junho Lee, Consul General in Atlanta; as well as HMGMA executives and employees.

The first Kia Sportage Hybrid produced at HMGMA made its appearance on stage, delivered by a Parking Robot.

With the addition of the Kia Sportage Hybrid to the production lineup, HMGMA has further strengthened its role as a manufacturing hub for both electric and hybrid vehicles.

In addition, Kia plans to expand its SUV production and sales volume for the US market and accelerate the electrification of its entire lineup.

Kia will combine the production capabilities of its existing Kia Georgia plant in West Point and HMGMA to secure an annual production capacity of up to 550,000 vehicles by 2030.

Brian P. Kemp, Governor of Georgia, stated, "Since production began in 2025, HMGMA has built an outstanding team composed of Georgia talent and is now producing another innovative vehicle for customers nationwide." He emphasized, "This shared success stems from the proven partnership among Kia America, HMGMA, the local community, and the citizens of Georgia."

Seung Gyu Yoon, President and Head of Kia North America Region and US Sales Corporation, said, "Metaplant marks Kia's second large-scale investment in Georgia, demonstrating our high regard for the state's continued growth potential as an automotive industry center." He continued, "The Sportage Hybrid, which unveiled an upgraded model last year, is one of Kia's best-selling models, and we expect production at Metaplant to further strengthen Kia's growth in the United States."

Tae Yang Heo, Executive Vice President and Head of HMGMA, added, "Thanks to the dedication of our employees and our flexible production system, we were able to successfully prepare for the production of HMGMA's first hybrid and first Kia model." He further noted, "This achievement marks an important milestone for Georgia as it accelerates the realization of future mobility based on world-class manufacturing capabilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.