Kia Begins Production of Sportage Hybrid at Hyundai Metaplant in Georgia

Kia America has officially started production of the Sportage Hybrid (HEV) at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA). The rollout marks three major milestones for the advanced manufacturing facility: the assembly of its first Kia model, its first hybrid electric vehicle, and the third vehicle to join the plant's production line.

The Sportage Hybrid joins the fully electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 at the Savannah facility, highlighting the group's flexible manufacturing system. HMGMA was designed to integrate diverse powertrains with minimal modifications and has the structural capacity to build up to 10 different vehicle models across the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands.

Expanding Georgia's Automotive Footprint

The Metaplant represents Kia’s second major industrial investment in Georgia, complementing its existing assembly plant in West Point. With the addition of HMGMA, Kia now commands a total annual production capacity of up to 550,000 vehicles in the United States.

"Metaplant in Savannah is our second major investment in Georgia and is a clear testament to our confidence in this state’s future as an automotive powerhouse," said Sean Yoon, President and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America. "We have great confidence that Metaplant will continue the strong momentum that Sportage Hybrid has achieved since updated last year to quickly became one of our highest volume models."

To prepare for production, HMGMA personnel underwent extensive training, including travel to Kia’s West Point facility and operations in South Korea to align with global manufacturing standards.

The Power of Flexible Manufacturing

HMGMA was engineered from day one with a highly flexible manufacturing system. This foresight allows the plant to integrate different powertrains seamlessly with minimal modifications. In fact, the advanced facility has the built-in capability to produce up to 10 different vehicles across Hyundai Motor Group’s three brands—Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis.

Production Allocation Across Georgia Facilities

The start of local hybrid assembly allows Kia to optimize its logistics and expand the volume of SUVs built directly within the U.S. market. Production duties across the state are split as follows:

• Kia West Point: Assembles the internal combustion (ICE) versions of the Sportage and Sorento, alongside the Telluride, EV6, and EV9.

• HMGMA (Savannah): Assembles the Sportage Hybrid (HEV), alongside the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9.

During the official launch ceremony, the first production Sportage Hybrid was delivered to the stage via an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), showcasing the factory's advanced automation systems. While the plant is designed to support multiple brands, company officials stated that future product allocation plans are not being released at this time.