Hyundai invests $65m to build EV battery plant in Turkey

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor will invest €55 million ($65 million) in a new battery plant to push its electric vehicle (EV) production in Turkey.

The battery facility will support manufacturing of the Ioniq 3 EV, which is expected to enter mass production in August at the Izmit factory in northwest Turkey, Hyundai said in a statement.

Covering 30,000 square metres at Izmit, the battery facility is expected to generate more than 300 jobs in the initial phase. It will use 27 robots and automated systems to assemble EV power packs.

Hyundai Motor Turkey general manager Murat Berkel said the Izmit factory, the automaker’s first overseas plant, had produced 3.3 million vehicles since 1997.

“The new investment, which is very important for both our country and the Turkish automotive industry, will contribute to our brand’s growth in Turkey,” he said.

Berkel said in September 2025 that the Concept Three, Hyundai’s first compact EV under the Ioniq sub-brand, would be built at the Izmit factory.

The South Korean manufacturer has committed to investing $90 billion globally by 2030, funding 21 fully electric and 13 hybrid models.

Sales of EVs in Turkey jumped more than a quarter in the first four months of 2026, according to the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association.

Further reading:

• EV sales rise in Turkey as fuel gets costlier
• Gulf turns to Chinese EVs as fuel costs climb
• Chinese carmaker BYD suspends major project in Turkey