Hyundai to Spend $2.7B Expanding Georgia EV Complex Despite ICE Raid, Targeting 500,000 Units by 2028
ATLANTA/SAVANNAH - Hyundai Motor Group said it will invest $2.7 billion to expand production at its Ellabell, Georgia manufacturing campus, reaffirming its U.S. build-out just weeks after an immigration raid disrupted the site's battery project. The company aims to lift annual capacity by 200,000 vehicles to 500,000 by 2028, part of a broader localization push to assemble over 80% of U.S.-sold vehicles domestically by 2030.
The new money brings total investment at the EV "metaplant" to roughly $10.3 billion (excluding the separate $4.3 billion Hyundai-LG Energy Solution battery joint venture), with hiring commitments of 8,500 workers by 2031, according to state and company figures. Georgia officials have maintained support for the project, pitching the complex as a pillar of the state's industrial strategy and a magnet for suppliers.
After the raid, business as usual-on a bigger scale
On Sept. 4, federal agents detained hundreds of workers in a large-scale immigration enforcement action at the same megasite, delaying the battery plant startup and prompting diplomatic friction with Seoul. Hyundai executives later acknowledged the disruption, but stressed the overall program remains on track. Local reporting and state records describe the campus as Georgia's largest economic development project, with incentives exceeding $2 billion.
Hyundai confirmed the expansion days after the raid and during investor events outlining a bigger North Americafootprint through 2028. The Georgia facility is slated to broaden its lineup from two to ten EV and hybrid models as the assembly lines ramp, including a planned mid-size pickup for the U.S. market.
Capacity, jobs, and timeline
Company statements and local coverage indicate the capacity increase will be staged over several years, with suppliers adding their own headcount and capital in the Savannah region. While construction of the Hyundai-LG battery venture has been slowed by the enforcement action, officials say restart plans are being prepared pending clarity on worker status and visa guidelines.
State leaders are also moving to steady investor relations after the raid. Gov. Brian Kemp added a Korea stop and Hyundai meeting to his Asia itinerary, signaling continuity of the state's courtship of Korean industry and a desire to keep supply-chain commitments intact.
Why it matters for Korea-U.S. industry
For Korean automakers and parts companies, the Ellabell cluster tightens U.S. localization that meshes with federal incentives and consumer credits. A higher domestic content share can stabilize pricing and eligibility for customer subsidies, while an expanded model mix allows Hyundai to adjust to EV/hybrid demand swings. The company's multi-plant plan in Georgia, Korea, India and beyond suggests a coordinated ramp to lift global output by 1.2 million units this decade.
The ICE operation, however, shows operational risk around workforce compliance in complex, multi-contractor builds. Legal outcomes and any compliance remedies at the site will be closely watched by foreign investors considering U.S. manufacturing. Trade and business groups in both countries have warned that prolonged uncertainty could chill cross-border projects.
What to watch next
Labor & compliance: Whether construction resumes on the battery JV at the original pace, and how on-site contractors adjust hiring and verification.
Product cadence: Which EV and hybrid nameplates are assigned to Georgia as the plant scales from two models to ten.
State diplomacy: Outcomes from Georgia's outreach in Seoul, and any new supplier announcements tied to the metaplant ecosystem.
Bottom line: Despite a high-profile enforcement shock, Hyundai is doubling down on Georgia with a $2.7B capacity boost, betting that deeper localization and a broader model mix will outlast near-term turbulence around workforce compliance and construction timing.