Hyundai Mobis electric drive plant enters operation in Slovakia
Hyundai Mobis has opened its first European plant for electric drive systems in Slovakia. Up to 280,000 units can be produced annually at the Nováky site.
South Korean automotive supplier Hyundai Mobis has launched series production of electric drive systems at its plant in Nováky, Slovakia. According to the company, this is its first European facility for so-called PE systems (Power Electric Systems), which integrate an electric motor, inverter and reduction gear into a single drive unit.
The new plant includes production lines for stators, a core component of the electric motor, as well as for inverters and other components. Hyundai Mobis states that the maximum annual capacity is 280,000 PE systems. However, the supplier has not disclosed the actual production volume at launch or when full capacity will be achieved. According to its own statements, Hyundai Mobis has invested around 250 billion won (~€158 million euros) in production capacities in Nováky. The site covers around 106,000 square metres, with a total floor area of 8,500 square metres.
A change is noticeable compared to the original announcement. When Hyundai Mobis announced the investment agreement with the Slovak government in October 2024, an annual capacity of 300,000 PE systems was still planned. At the opening, the company now states up to 280,000 units. The investment sum for drive production remains unchanged at 250 billion won, as per the original plan. Hyundai Mobis has not explained why the planned capacity has since been reduced.
Hyundai Mobis expands its drive business
The opening coincides with a phase in which Hyundai Mobis is expanding its range of proprietary electric drive systems. In May, the supplier introduced a 160 kW system, complementing the existing 250 kW solution. Another e-drive with 120 kW for more compact vehicles is to follow. According to the company, this will allow it to cover various vehicle classes with more standardised and modular drive systems. The PE systems are not only intended for brands within the Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai Mobis aims to attract more third-party customers and is now developing its drives more as independent, standardised products rather than designing them exclusively on a contract basis for individual manufacturers. However, the current announcement does not specify which of the announced 120, 160 or 250 kW systems will be produced in Nováky.
Hyundai Mobis remains vague about specific customers. The plant is intended to supply both Hyundai Motor and Kia, as well as other automakers. Group CEO Lee Gyu Suk refers to “strategic models from global automakers” without naming manufacturers, models or agreed production volumes. Consequently, it is not yet possible to assess how much of the 280,000-unit capacity is already allocated to concrete orders.
Production in Slovakia is not new for Hyundai Mobis. The supplier already operates a site in Žilina, near the local Kia plant, where it manufactures brake systems and airbags, among other things. However, Nováky is the first European Hyundai Mobis plant for PE systems. Even before construction began, parts of the supply chain were prepared: Hyundai Mobis had ordered motor cores from Posco, some of which were intended for drive production in Slovakia.
With Nováky, Hyundai Mobis now has three locations for manufacturing electrification components in Europe, according to its own count. In Czechia, battery system assemblies are already being produced, while in Spain, the company is also building corresponding production capacities. Among other things, battery systems for the Volkswagen Group will be assembled there. With Nováky, Hyundai Mobis is now expanding its European e-mobility component production from battery systems to complete electric drive units.
Slovakia offers an established industry for this purpose. In addition to Kia, manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Stellantis operate vehicle plants there, while Volvo Cars is building a new plant in Košice. For Hyundai Mobis, local production can enable shorter supply chains to European vehicle plants. However, it is not yet known whether this will lead to additional orders from the manufacturers present there. What is clear is that the expansion aligns with Hyundai Mobis’ goal of becoming less dependent on business within the Hyundai Motor Group. By 2033, 40 per cent of revenue is to be generated with global customers. The European production provides additional capacity for this purpose.