Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its most ambitious growth strategy on Thursday at the company’s first CEO Investor Day held outside of Korea.
The event served as a platform to communicate the company’s mid-to long-term strategy to investors and stakeholders, emphasizing its commitment to revolutionary product expansion, manufacturing excellence and technological innovation.
Speaking in New York, CEO José Muñoz outlined Hyundai Motor’s transformation into a global mobility leader through strategic product expansion, breakthrough electrification technologies and software-defined capabilities that will redefine the automotive experience.
“In an industry facing unprecedented transformation, Hyundai is uniquely positioned to win through our unmatched combination of compelling products, manufacturing flexibility, technology leadership, outstanding dealer partners and global scale,” said José Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. “We are delivering comprehensive electrified portfolios across all segments, localizing production in key markets, and leveraging breakthrough technologies from Software-Defined Vehicles to next-generation batteries. Our ability to adapt quickly, combined with the power of Hyundai Motor Group’s 50+ affiliates and our unwavering commitment to customers, will enable us to continue unlocking tremendous value for our stakeholders. It’s a great time to be with Hyundai.”
Hyundai Motor reaffirmed its commitment to achieving 5.55 million global vehicle sales by 2030. Building on this momentum, electrified vehicles are expected to account for 60 percent of total sales, reaching 3.3 million units, with significant growth anticipated in North America, Europe and Korea.
Product Portfolio Expansion
The company will expand its hybrid lineup to more than 18 models by 2030, including the introduction of Genesis hybrid models starting from 2026. The All-New Hyundai Palisade Hybrid will also showcase next-generation TMED-II technology, offering enhanced performance and fuel efficiency.
Hyundai Motor will launch its first mid-size pickup truck before 2030 in North America, targeting one of the largest segments in the industry. Since launching the Santa Cruz in 2021, the company has gained valuable experience and brand presence, positioning it strongly to broaden its reach in the heart of the U.S. market.
Hyundai Motor’s EV strategy features regionally tailored products designed for specific markets.
The IONIQ 3 will highlight Hyundai Motor’s aim to target European mass-market customers with next-generation infotainment systems. India will receive the country’s first EV designed specifically for local drivers, while the market will also benefit from a localized supply chain. China gets the locally produced Elexio SUV and C-segment electric sedan, marking a major milestone in Hyundai Motor’s Chinese market commitment.
These additions will complement the existing EV lineup – including IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6 and IONIQ 9 – providing a full spectrum of options for consumers across diverse markets.
Launching in 2027, Extended Range EVs (EREVs) will utilize high-performance batteries and motors to deliver EV-like driving experiences with more than 600 miles (960km) of range through optimized battery-engine integration.
Unlike conventional EREVs, Hyundai’s approach utilizes in-house high-performance batteries, achieving full EV power performance with less than half the battery capacity, improving accessibility while maintaining exceptional range and performance, and eliminating range anxiety.
The high-performance N lineup will expand to more than seven models by 2030, targeting over 100,000 global sales. The All-New IONIQ 6 N will introduce a new paradigm for high-performance EVs, featuring three temperature optimization modes and signature N sensory engagement technologies.
In the commercial vehicle segment, Hyundai Motor will expand its portfolio in the North American market. This includes existing XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks and Hyundai Translead trailers, along with plans to enter the electrified large van market. These offerings will leverage the company’s existing commercial vehicle production hubs to support sustainable logistics solutions.
Global Manufacturing Innovation with Software-Defined Factory
As part of Hyundai Motor Group’s investment plan announced in August, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) is set to reach a total production capacity of 500,000 units by 2028, focusing on hybrid and electric vehicles. This expansion will create 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in Georgia and involve a USD 2.7 billion investment over three years.
Hyundai Motor aims to produce more than 80 percent of vehicles sold in the United States domestically by 2030, with supply chain content increasing from 60 percent to 80 percent.
Globally, the company plans to accelerate its production capacity by adding 1.2 million units by 2030. This includes 500,000 additional units from HMGMA, 250,000 units from the Pune multi-model export hub in India, and 200,000 units from the dedicated EV plant in Ulsan.
In addition, CKD sites in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, North Africa and other countries are expected to contribute another 250,000 units. Notably, the Saudi Arabia plant, scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026, will feature next-generation robotics and localized manufacturing under the “Saudi Made” initiative, with a production capacity of 50,000 units.
Manufacturing excellence extends beyond volume increases through comprehensive Software-Defined Factory implementation. Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) continues cascading breakthrough technologies to global plants, achieving measurable improvements in production flexibility.
HMGMA is expected to produce a mix of 10 hybrid and EV models, while the new Ulsan EV plant will manufacture up to 12 EV models through advanced robot-based automation systems enabling predictive maintenance, digital simulation and self-diagnostics.
Boston Dynamics integration advances core robotics technologies, enhancing operational excellence through intelligent automation and human-robot collaboration. This extends beyond manufacturing to logistics, smart infrastructure and future mobility applications.
Advanced Technology Acceleration
Battery innovation remains a core focus for Hyundai Motor. The company continues to enhance battery durability, cost efficiency and safety through a customer-centric design philosophy. These advancements underscore the company’s leadership in battery technology and its commitment to delivering reliable and safe electrified vehicles.
Hyundai Motor’s battery strategy delivers industry-leading improvements by 2027: 30 percent cost reduction, 15 percent higher energy density and 15 percent shorter charging times, dramatically strengthening EV competitiveness. The company has analyzed durability data from over 50,000 IONIQ 5 vehicles, including units driven more than 250,000 miles (400,000km), showing most vehicles retain more than 90 percent battery performance.
Advanced safety technologies include industry-leading Battery Management Systems (BMS) performing real-time predictive diagnostics during driving, charging and rest periods. From 2026, cloud-based BMS will collect data from diverse vehicle environments, applying proprietary advanced modeling for faster, more precise diagnostics. Multiple exclusive safety layers include separation barriers, ultra-safety relays, refractory shields and safety vents preventing thermal runaway and safeguarding against fires.
Hyundai Motor also leads the industry in fuel cell technology, with 73,000 cumulative fuel cell electric vehicle sales. The company is developing next-generation fuel cell systems for commercial-exclusive applications, offering high efficiency, durability and power output to meet the demands of future mobility.
Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transition to Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) through a comprehensive technology stack centered on Computing & Input/Output domain-based E&E architecture (CODA), a simplified hardware architecture that separates software from hardware to maximize development efficiency and scalability. This structure is supported by the High-Performance Vehicle Computer (HPVC) and zone controllers, which reduce wiring complexity and eliminate the need for additional hardware controllers.
At the core of the company’s SDV strategy is Pleos, an in-vehicle distributed operating system that enables rapid software updates, personalized feature enhancements and a safer, more flexible driving experience. With hardware and software separated, Pleos provides a highly flexible plug-and-play environment that supports diverse hardware solutions and accelerates the implementation of security and feature updates.
Hyundai Motor will begin rolling out Pleos Connect, its next-generation infotainment system, starting in the second quarter next year. Key features include multi-window functionality, user profile-based personalization and an in-vehicle marketplace for third-party apps, creating new service-based revenue opportunities.
AI technologies also play a critical role in Hyundai Motor’s SDV vision. Atria AI enables autonomous driving without detailed maps, Gleo AI offers intuitive voice-based interaction and Capora AI enhances fleet management through large-scale data analysis.
Genesis Luxury Transformation
Genesis, Hyundai Motor’s luxury brand, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with remarkable achievements. The brand has reached one million cumulative sales in less than eight years and maintains double-digit profit margins across more than 20 global markets, solidifying its position as a top-tier premium automotive brand.
Genesis aims to reach 350,000 annual sales by 2030, expanding its presence in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Korea, China and emerging markets. The brand’s product vision includes luxury SUVs such as the X Gran Equator and Neolun concepts, emotional halo models like the X Gran Coupe Concept, and Magma Halo and ultra-bespoke vehicles elevating its luxury positioning.
Genesis Magma Racing will debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026 and IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2027, channeling racing technology breakthroughs into the complete Genesis portfolio.
The brand aims to expand its presence in up to 20 European markets while strengthening core market presence through U.S.-based production and EREV launches. The next-generation platform supports multi-energy configurations and SDV intelligence via CODA architecture, while preserving the brand’s DNA of solid and agile driving characteristics.
Strategic Partnership Ecosystem
Hyundai Motor is accelerating market penetration and technology development by transformative alliances.
The collaboration with Waymo includes IONIQ 5 prototypes which have completed inspection and been delivered for public road testing in the U.S. this year. These vehicles feature Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology, marking a significant milestone in Hyundai Motor’s autonomous mobility strategy.
A strategic alliance with General Motors includes five co-developed vehicles launching as early as 2028. Hyundai Motor expects annual sales of these models to exceed 800,000 units once production is fully scaled.
The lineup includes electric commercial vans for the North American market, as well as compact vehicles, compact SUVs and compact and midsize trucks for Central and South America, leveraging GM’s expertise and Hyundai Motor’s manufacturing capabilities.
Hyundai Motor’s partnership with Amazon Autos is enhancing brand awareness, boosting sales conversion and leveraging Amazon’s high customer satisfaction to reach new audiences.
The collaboration also improves dealer profitability through new financing options, accessory offerings and enhanced offline sales visibility. This initiative supports the company’s goal of modernizing the customer journey and expanding its presence in the online automotive marketplace.
