Hyundai Motor Company’s Ulsan plant, the heart of South Korea’s automotive industry, embarks on a new challenge aimed at becoming a 100-year enterprise in the age of electrification, taking on the ambitious vision it inherited a half-century ago.
On the 13th, Hyundai held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ulsan EV dedicated plant on the site of its new electric vehicle (EV) factory.
The Ulsan EV dedicated plant is set to become a hub for Hyundai’s mobility production in the era of electrification, featuring an innovative manufacturing platform and optimal working environment centered around human values.
Hyundai aims to build on the brand heritage and automotive business expertise and technical capability accumulated over 56 years, continuing to innovate for humanity in the electrification era based on human-centered values.
Among those present at the event were Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Hyundai Motor President Jang Jae-hoon, and Vice President Lee Dong-seok, as well as key figures like Kim Doo-gyeom, mayor of Ulsan Metropolitan City, Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy Jang Young-jin, and lawmakers Lee Chae-ik, Lee Sang-heon, and Park Sung-min.
Chairman Chung stated, “The Ulsan EV dedicated plant represents another beginning in our journey towards the electrification era over the next 50 years. I am honored to share dreams of becoming a 100-year company at this site.”
He continued, “Just as the dream of making the best cars led to the transformation of Ulsan into an automotive industrial city, Hyundai will support Ulsan in becoming an innovative mobility city leading in the electrification era, starting with the EV dedicated plant.”
Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom acknowledged, “It is an undeniable fact that Hyundai has played the biggest role in Ulsan’s development,” and emphasized the city’s commitment to collaboratively envisioning the future alongside the changing global automotive landscape.
Deputy Minister Jang Young-jin expressed confidence that Hyundai’s decisive investments would position the company as a leader in the electric vehicle era, promising government support through aggressive tax incentives and the lifting of burdensome regulations to improve the corporate investment environment.
■ Hyundai’s ‘Ulsan Plant’… A Mekka of Challenges Accumulating Dreams of Better Life and Mobility
Former Chairman Chung Ju-young expressed the firm belief that the automotive industry would become the cornerstone for national economic growth and industrial development, describing cars as “the running national flag.” He took the first step in realizing a dream of better life and mobility from Ulsan.
The message from the late Chairman Chung Ju-young, restored through artificial intelligence (AI) and revealed at the groundbreaking ceremony, reflects the humanistic values that regard people as the most important asset, while also representing the long-held dream of Hyundai employees to rise as a global automotive maker.
“We have the world’s best weapon, which is our ‘world’s most excellent craftsmen.’ Thanks to the excellent abilities and dedication of these individuals, I am confident that the day will come when Korea’s automotive industry and our cars will sweep the global market.”
– Chung Ju-young
Starting as an assembly plant in 1968, the Ulsan plant demonstrated an extraordinary evolution in the automotive history of the world in an incredibly short span of time, fueled by the ambition to showcase Korea’s automobiles to the global market.
The production of the ‘Pony’, Hyundai’s first proprietary model, in 1975 showcased the relentless determination and remarkable drive of Hyundai employees in developing Korea’s first independent vehicle model, despite the challenging domestic environment and skepticism.
The mass production of the Pony served not only as a milestone in vehicle development but also as a catalyst for technological independence, fostering domestic production of automotive parts and equipment that had previously depended on foreign imports.
Furthermore, the quality-first philosophy represented by Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo’s emphasis on ‘quality management’ has become the foundation that allowed Hyundai to emerge as a global brand, leaving significant imprints beyond the domestic market into the global automotive industry.
Today, after more than half a century, the Ulsan plant stands as the world’s largest single factory, serving as the center for Hyundai’s vehicle production and a cradle for the advancement of Korea’s automotive industry.
■ Human-Centered Electric Vehicle Dedicated Plant… Inheriting Humanistic Values in the Electrification Era
Hyundai plans to continue the legacy of the humanistic spirit instilled by the late Chairman Chung Ju-young, grounded in the efforts of countless employees, as it steps into the electrification era.
The Ulsan EV dedicated plant is Hyundai’s first new plant in Korea in 29 years, following the Asan plant established in 1996.
Leading in the electrification era, Hyundai decided to establish a dedicated electric vehicle plant to strengthen the foundation of related domestic industries while exceeding customer expectations with its products.
Hyundai’s human-centered values aim to provide humanity with a seamless mobility experience and to seek harmonious coexistence, directed not just towards customers but also towards the employees producing the products.
To achieve this, the new Ulsan EV dedicated plant will feature innovative production facilities and create an optimal working environment, alongside spaces that allow for coexistence with nature as it aims to become a human-centered factory that will lead the next 50 years.
President Jang Jae-hoon commented, “Over the past half-century, the Ulsan plant has evolved as technicians on the production line have learned, created, and innovated. Hyundai will continually work to realize a mobility innovation for people, inheriting the heritage of the Ulsan plant that has turned grand dreams into reality.”
■ The Largest Dedicated Electric Vehicle Plant in Korea… The Beginning of Next-Generation Mobility Development and Future
The Ulsan EV dedicated plant will be built on a site of 548,000 square meters (approximately 166,000 pyeong), with an annual production capacity of 200,000 electric vehicles.
Approximately 2 trillion won will be invested, with construction set to commence in the fourth quarter of this year, aiming for completion in 2025, and mass production slated to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
The first model to be produced at the new plant will be the ultra-large SUV electric vehicle from Hyundai’s luxury brand, ‘Genesis.’
The Ulsan EV dedicated plant will be located on the site of Hyundai’s former comprehensive driving test facility, a place where the company actively sought to enter overseas markets and develop vehicles capable of withstanding various terrains and harsh climates since the 1980s.
It is also the historic location where Hyundai’s global long-standing models, including the Sonata, Accent, and Avante, were tested for performance and quality.
Moreover, it is where the dream of making the world’s best cars sparked early research into advanced technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving.
In 1991, the first prototype electric vehicle, the ‘Sonata (Y2) EV,’ was developed, and the following year, Hyundai successfully tested the first driverless car on the challenging terrain of ‘Belgian Road’ within the test facility.
The comprehensive driving test venue not only birthed numerous Hyundai vehicles but also sowed the seeds for future vehicle research, leading to the success of electric cars like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 in the global market, laying the foundation for the establishment of today’s electric vehicle dedication plant.
■ Worker-Centric ‘EV New Plant’… A Manufacturing Innovation Platform Prioritizing Workers and Creating an Eco-Friendly Environment
Hyundai plans to apply the manufacturing innovation platform proven at the ‘Singapore Global Innovation Center (HMGICS)’ to the Ulsan EV dedicated plant, emphasizing worker safety, comfort, and efficient work as top priorities in the operation of this future-oriented facility.
The HMGICS manufacturing innovation platform includes ▲ AI-based intelligent control systems centered on demand ▲ environment-friendly low-carbon methods for achieving carbon neutrality and RE100 (100% usage of renewable energy) ▲ human-friendly equipment that supports safe and efficient work.
Hyundai aims to utilize this to establish smart logistics systems, including parts logistics automation at the EV dedicated plant, implement flexible production systems to respond to diverse vehicle models and changes in the global market, and push for assembly facility automation to enhance product productivity and quality.
With innovations in technology such as robotics, smart logistics systems, and AI, Hyundai intends to create a safer, more accurate, and efficient work environment centered around people in the ‘EV new plant’ even in the electrification era.
The Ulsan EV dedicated plant aims to break away from the image of a stark factory filled with heavy machinery and instead adopt a nature-friendly design that reduces worker fatigue and encourages interaction among them.
The factory will maximize natural light penetration to ensure that workers can feel the warmth of sunlight, and the group lounge intended for breaks and office space will be designed openly to facilitate natural gathering spaces.
Moreover, ‘Central Park,’ which brings the nature of Ulsan into the factory, will serve as a rest area and a hub connecting each building of the plant.
Additionally, the facade will incorporate solar power generation panels and upcycling concrete panels to minimize carbon emissions, contributing to creating a sustainable factory.
■ Old Future… A Groundbreaking Ceremony Reflecting the Past, Present, and Future of the Ulsan Plant
Hyundai hosted a groundbreaking ceremony based on the concept of ‘old future’ to look back at the history of the Ulsan plant, recognizing the dreams that employees have held and how they have materialized.
The ceremony began with a video featuring the voice of the late Chairman Chung Ju-young, reflecting on Hyundai’s humanistic spirit, and showcased the commitment to innovation centered on people, as well as the brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity.’
Following Chairman Chung’s address, a panel discussion featuring Hyundai’s Vice President Lee Dong-seok and former Vice President Kim Eok-jo highlighted the key features and vision of the Ulsan EV dedicated plant, which will be created as a ‘space for people.’
The ceremony culminated with a theme titled ‘Portal to another dream,’ which symbolically opened the door connecting the ‘past’ and ‘present’ of the Ulsan plant, conveying the message that it will lead to the ‘future’ electric vehicle era.
Notably, past Ulsan plant leaders such as former Vice Chairman Yoon Yeo-cheol, former Vice Chairman Kim Eok-jo, and former President Yoon Gap-han were present, adding significance to the occasion.
Additionally, legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who designed Hyundai’s first independent models including the Pony and Pony Coupe, as well as the Pony Excel, Presto, Stella, and generations 1-2 of the Sonata, graced the ceremony with his presence.
In celebration of the Ulsan EV dedicated plant, Hyundai has organized a heritage exhibition composed of three themes reflecting the past 50 years of the plant: ▲ Beginning of a Dream ▲ Realization of a Dream ▲ Our Dream, Old Future.
The first theme, ▲ Beginning of a Dream, showcases the restoration of the first produced ‘Cortina’ vehicle from the Ulsan plant, along with historical documents related to the establishment of the Ulsan plant and the construction of the Gyeongbu Expressway. It highlights the steps taken by the late Chairman Chung Ju-young in realizing his dreams from Ulsan.
The dream from Ulsan began to materialize alongside the city, showcasing the process that marked a significant inflection point in national industry development beyond the automotive sector.
The second theme, ▲ Realization of a Dream, visualizes the development process of the Ulsan Comprehensive Automotive Plant initiated by the aspiration to produce Hyundai’s first independent model, the birth of the national car ‘Pony,’ the construction of an export-exclusive harbor, and the completion of the driving test center, which collectively realized the dream of becoming the world’s largest single automotive factory.
Moreover, the exhibition will present Hyundai’s electric vehicle prototype ‘Sonata (Y2) EV,’ showcasing the seeds of efforts sown by employees to create world-leading cars from internal combustion to eco-friendly vehicles.
Finally, ▲ Our Dream, Old Future will be a space filled with human-centered stories of the employees who have walked alongside the journey of dreams visualized by the Ulsan plant.
Exhibits such as accumulated salary envelopes, proud employee badges, and worn notebooks filled with notes about quality and productivity improvement will vividly reflect the contributions and history of the Ulsan plant’s employees.
This exhibition is planned to be opened to the general public for free at the Hyundai Ulsan plant’s Heritage Hall starting in January next year.
A Hyundai representative commented, “The Ulsan plant was established as the world’s largest single factory with a grand dream of making the world’s best cars in South Korea, where automotive production capabilities did not exist half a century ago. Through this groundbreaking ceremony, we aim to survey the history crafted by the power of people in the Ulsan plant and convey our aspirations that this grand dream continues at the Ulsan EV dedicated plant. We will strive to lead the paradigm of future automotive production through the largest Ulsan EV dedicated plant in the country, enhancing product quality and the safety and efficiency of the factory to provide better mobility for people.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr