Korean auto giant pledges largest-ever expansion plan in US
Hyundai Motor Group has pledged $21 billion in new investments in the United States over the next three years — its largest-ever commitment there — as the carmaker seeks to navigate the Trump administration’s intensified tariff policies.
“A key part of this commitment is our $6 billion investment to strengthen the US supply chain, from steel and parts to automobiles,” Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun said after being introduced to the podium by US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
“We are especially excited about Hyundai Steel's multibillion investment in a new facility in Louisiana, which will create 1,300 American jobs and serve as the foundation for a more self-reliant and secure automotive supply chain in the US.”
Trump touted the announcement, highlighting that it will be “Hyundai’s first-ever steel mill in the United States … supplying steel for its auto parts and auto plants to Alabama and Georgia, which will soon produce more than 1 million American-made cars every single year.”
Hyundai Motor and its sister affiliate Kia have been running a plant in Alabama and Georgia, respectively. The Korean automaker is set to officially open the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, a $7.6 auto plant in Georgia, on Wednesday.
Chung also unveiled that Hyundai Motor Group will purchase $3 billion worth of US liquefied natural gas to support America’s energy industry and enhance the conglomerate’s energy security.
“This investment is a clear demonstration that tariffs very strongly work,” said Trump.
“Hyundai will be producing steel in America and making its cars in America. As a result, they will not have to pay any tariffs.”
It was unclear if Trump was talking about tariff exemptions or just the benefits of US-based production, but some experts expressed hopes that this was a signal that Hyundai Motor might avoid US auto tariffs, at least to some extent.
“It’s hard to predict 100 percent tariff exemption for Korean-made cars at this point. However, given Hyundai's large-scale investment promise, there could be effects such as tariff deferrals or reductions,” said Kim Pil-su, a car engineering professor at Daelim University. “Hyundai seems to have successfully taken the first step in easing the burden of tariffs.”
Lee Ho-geun, a car engineering professor at Daeduk University, offered a more positive outlook, saying, “Trump seems to suggest that Korean-made vehicles will also be exempt from tariffs. In Trump’s first term, he proposed a 25 percent tariff, which was withdrawn after Hyundai committed to building a US plant.”
Despite the uncertainties regarding tariffs, the Korean auto giant’s presence in the US is highlighted as the first large-scale investment after Trump’s inauguration earlier this year.
“If Trump attends the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Georgia plant set for Wednesday (local time) and cuts the ribbon alongside Chung, Hyundai Motor’s investment plan will carry even more symbolic weight,” Kim added.
Upon the announcement, Chung invited Trump to visit one of Hyundai Motor Group’s manufacturing facilities in the US and see the Korean company’s commitment to the US and its workers during his remarks but Trump did not respond to the invitation immediately.
According to Hyundai Motor, of the announced $21 billion investment, $8.6 billion will go toward the expansion of HMGMA to increase its annual production capacity to 500,000 units from the current 300,000 units, and toward modernizing equipment at the automakers’ existing plants in the US.
As for Hyundai Steel’s new site in Louisiana, $6.1 billion has been allocated to build a steel plant using the electric arc furnace production with a 2.7 million-metric-ton annual output capacity.
The other $6.3 billion will be spent on expanding US partnerships in autonomous driving, robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced air mobility technologies, and accelerating the commercialization of Hyundai Motor Group’s relevant US units such as Boston Dynamics, Supernal and Motional.
According to Hyundai Motor Group, it has invested over $20 billion since entering the US in 1986 and now supports more than 570,000 jobs there.
Earlier this year, the auto giant announced that it would invest 24.3 trillion won ($16.6 billion) in Korea this year, its largest-ever domestic injection, to bolster its future competitiveness.
“Hyundai Motor Group’s large-scale investments in Korea and the US is a willingness to strengthen our future competitiveness through active challenges and continuous innovation instead of shying away from uncertain business environments while creating new possibilities for humanity,” said a Hyundai Motor Group official.
“We will create future opportunities through bold investments, internalization of core technologies and strategic partnerships with top-tier companies in Korea and abroad.”
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