Hyundai Motor is mass producing the Hyundai IONIQ 5, a new all-electric compact crossover with advanced technology, futuristic styling, and a versatile interior, in an Indonesian plant.
It is the first time the Hyundai IONIQ 5 has been produced abroad. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun showed his aggressive business determination, saying, “Indonesia is a core center of Hyundai Motor’s future mobility strategies.”
Hyundai Motor held a ceremony to dedicate a car plant in the Deltamas industrial complex outside Jakarta on March 16, attended by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Hyundai Group Chmn. Chung.
In a speech, Chung said Hyundai Motor will contribute toward Indonesia’s goal of building an electric vehicle ecosystem, positioning the fourth most populous country as a key player on the global market.
Following the opening of the plant, Hyundai Motor plans to aggressively expand its presence in the Southeast Asian market, in which Japanese automakers have enjoyed a dominant share of over 70 percent.
Built on a 770-thousand-square-meter site, the new plant will produce the all-electric IONIQ 5, with other models to follow. It has an annual production capacity of 150,000 units, though Hyundai said it intends to invest $1.55 billion to raise the capacity to 250,000 units.
The IONIQ 5 is the archipelago state’s first domestically-produced EV. It will be used — together with the electric version of the Genesis G80 — as official vehicles for the G20 Summit to be held in Bali, Indonesia, in November.
The Indonesian government has been eager to convert public vehicles into EVs, providing tariff and tax benefits to EV producers in the country.
To better cater to Indonesia’s EV localization strategy, Hyundai is working with LG Energy Solution to build a battery cell factory in the Southeast Asian country.
The plant has been in operation since January, but the dedication ceremony had been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting with Indonesia, Hyundai Motor plans to make an inroad into major ASEAN automaker markets to gradually increase its market shares.
The plant began to mass produce the IONIQ 5 recently, following the production of the sub-compact SUV “Creta” starting in January.
The mid-size SUV Santa Fe will be added to the line-ups soon, and the small multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) “Stargazer” will be massed produced in the second half.
The plant was built on a site covering 777,000 sq. meters. It will have a capacity of producing 150,000 units by the end of this year, and the capacity will rise to 230,000 units in the years to come.
The plant has been outfitted with all facilities capable of performing every process ranging from the development of cars tailored to suit ASEAN strategies to production.
Hyundai Motor’s total investments, including costs related to the development of products and the operation of the plant stood at about $1.55 billion.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 Named UK Car of the Year 2022
The all-new Hyundai IONIQ 5 has added to its growing list of “car of the year” honors by being named overall UK Car of the Year 2022.
John Challen, editor and Managing Director of the UK Car of the Year Awards, said the Hyundai IONIQ 5 had been a popular choice as 2022’s number one car.
He explained “The Hyundai IONIQ 5 feels like the future of motoring, only it’s here today. The design, performance and practicality make it a fantastic proposition for those looking for an EV – and also a very worthy winner of the title ‘UK Car of the Year 2022’.”
Ashley Andrew, managing director, Hyundai Motor UK, said “The IONIQ 5 has really captured the attention of UK consumers, offering a stylish, premium full EV experience that appeals to almost every type of new car buyer. Its innovative layout means its spacious enough for large families, its efficient zero emissions powertrain is perfect for company car buyers and its luxurious eco-friendly interior elevates Hyundai into a genuine premium product. It is a huge endorsement to receive the title of UK Car of the Year.”
The claiming of the top honor in the UK Car of the Year Awards came after the IONIQ 5 was also awarded the Best Family Car category where it was praised for making “going electric easy” and being “innovative, desirable, practical, and brilliantly designed to make full use of its electric-only platform.”
The Hyundai i20N was also recognized, beating a host of established sports cars to lift the Best Performance Car title.
The hot hatch can dispatch 0-62mph in only 6.2 seconds and comes fitted with an efficient 204PS 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine, and the judges were suitably impressed, hailing it as “quite the performer at an affordable price.”
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