Hyundai launches Ioniq 3 production in Turkey
Hyundai has started production of the all-electric Ioniq 3 at its plant in Izmit, Turkey. The manufacturer invested €250 million euros to retrofit the site. Initially, 30,000 units of the compact model are to be produced annually for the European market.
With the start of production, the Hyundai plant in İzmit has begun manufacturing battery-electric passenger cars for the first time. Following the domestic manufacturer Togg, Hyundai is the second car manufacturer to produce EVs in Turkey, and, according to its own statements, the first foreign manufacturer to do so. The market launch of the Ioniq 3 is scheduled for October. The series production launch follows extensive modernisation work. Hyundai has upgraded more than 50 per cent of the plant over the past two years, investing €250 million. More than 1,000 employees have taken on new roles as part of this transformation, with Hyundai Motor Türkiye employing around 2,400 people at the İzmit plant and its headquarters in Istanbul.
Hyundai has not provided specific details about the planned production volume in its latest announcement. However, Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır stated at the production launch that the initial annual output would be 30,000 Ioniq 3 units. As recently as June, figures of 27,000 vehicles for 2026 and over 40,000 units for the following year had been mentioned.
The Ioniq 3 was developed primarily for the European market and is based on the E-GMP platform in a 400-volt configuration. Hyundai describes the compact model as an ‘Aero Hatch’ due to its aerodynamic body. Two battery sizes are available, with 42.2 and 61 kWh, enabling a WLTP range of up to 344 and 496km, respectively. However, final homologation for the German version is still pending.
Hyundai’s İzmit site continues to expand
In parallel with vehicle production, a battery assembly facility is being established on the plant premises in collaboration with Hyundai Mobis. As reported in June, Hyundai is investing €55 million in the ~30,000-square-metre facility, where battery packs will be assembled using 27 robots. This battery assembly line is part of a larger investment package totalling €715 million for the site.
Hyundai has now outlined its plans for the facility in greater detail. From 2027, hybrid versions of the next generations of the Bayon and i20 will also be produced in İzmit. The facility, built in collaboration with Hyundai Mobis, will assemble battery systems for these models. Hyundai is thus continuing its flexible powertrain strategy at the site. The plant, which opened in 1997, is the Korean carmaker’s first and longest-standing overseas facility. Since production began, around 3.3 million vehicles have been manufactured there, with Hyundai having invested €1.185 billion in the site to date.
“The start of IONIQ 3 production marks an important milestone for our plant in İzmit and for Hyundai in Europe,” said Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. “Producing our first electric vehicle in Türkiye strengthens our manufacturing capabilities, increases our flexibility to respond to our customers’ evolving needs, and supports our ambition to expand accessible electrified mobility across Europe.”