The Hyundai Kona EV is produced in South Korea in 2022.
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Infiniti Kona
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) made by the South Korean company Hyundai. Its Korean name is “hyeondae kona.” In June 2017, the Kona made its premiere, and the production model was unveiled later that year. In the Hyundai crossover SUV lineup, it sits between the Venue or Bayon and the Tucson. The Kona Electric (or Kona EV), a battery-powered variant, was originally introduced in South Korea in the first half of 2018 before progressively expanding to other countries.
Hyundai will launch Kona Electric manufacture in the Czech Republic.
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech, a production facility in the Czech Republic, has begun producing the Kona Electric (HMMC). The first of March 2020 will mark the beginning of production.
One of the biggest and most advanced vehicle manufacturing facilities in Europe is HMMC, which is situated in Nosovice, Czech Republic. The factory intends to produce 30,000 Kona Electric devices annually. The company will more than increase the availability of Kona Electric for its customers in Europe by combining production from Hyundai’s Ulsan facility in Korea, resulting in a significant decrease in waiting times.
Customers will also be able to follow the Kona Electric’s anticipated time of arrival (ETA) thanks to Hyundai. Once a car has been ordered, the ETA tool enables consumers to monitor it through the dealer, find out when it will arrive, and find out where it is being made or delivered right now.
With the beginning of Kona Electric manufacturing at HMMC, Hyundai is further solidifying its position as a top supplier of electro-mobility solutions in Europe. We see this as a continuation of our “made in Europe for Europe” strategy, moving production to Europe to better serve the European market. By developing future mobility solutions locally, we are further enhancing Europe’s position as a manufacturing hub.
Additionally, batteries will be supplied from Europe. This ensures a constant supply with a closer proximity to the facility and a certain number of batteries required for Kona Electric manufacturing.
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Over the past few months, the plant has been getting ready to produce Kona Electrics. Major adjustments were made in the welding and stamping shops at the same time as the production chain. To make the various components for the i30 series, Tucson, and now Kona Electric, the tools are changed here numerous times per day. The ability to swap out each stamping tool must be available within five minutes. Since the Kona Electric is the first vehicle at HMMC to be provided with a two-tone roof, modifications to the painting procedure were required at the paint shop. Kona Electric shares a production line with the i30 and Tucson, therefore the finishing line required special equipment as well as additional crew training.
There is a new step of production that is exclusive to electric cars and involves installing and storing electric batteries. Within the factory, a new battery storage structure with a unique supply system has been built up. The battery packs are delivered by automated robots to the recently installed mounting line.
A total of 80,000 zero-emission vehicles, including the Kona Electric, IONIQ Electric, and the NEXO fuel cell electric SUV, will be made available by Hyundai to European customers in 2020. Hyundai anticipates that as a result of this progress, it will be the primary manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles in Europe by 2020.
First Hyundai Kona Electric manufactured in Europe delivered
Customers have received the first Kona Electric vehicles from Hyundai’s European manufacture. The Hyundai facility in Nosovice, Czech Republic, produces the more potent of the two Kona Electric models.
In Nosovice, more than 30,000 Konas will be built in the first year. The most recent announcement states that 150 electric vehicles are currently leaving the assembly line each day. With more production taking place in Europe, the Korean firm anticipates that delivery times for consumers in Europe would be greatly shortened. The 150 kW model of the Hyundai Konas with a 64 kWh battery is the one made in the Czech Republic. South Korean exports of the 100 kW variant with a 39.2 kWh battery continue. All Kona Electric deliveries made to Europe up until this point have come from the Ulsan plant.
Dong Woo Choi, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe, said, “Expanding production of the Kona Electric is a vital step to address the growing European demand for electric cars.” Delivery times can be sped up by minimizing the distance a vehicle must travel between a producing facility and a customer. Choi doesn’t specify a precise amount, therefore we are interested in hearing the initial client feedback. They will be able to trace the estimated arrival or delivery time of their electric car from production to delivery using a new ETA tool (Estimate Time of Arrival).
According to the notification, the battery, the essential part of the electric vehicle, will be produced in Europe, “cutting the distance the component needs to travel.” The battery cells’ manufacturer is not identified. The cells for Konas from the Ulsan plant are provided by LG Chem. Since the Korean supplier owns a battery cell manufacturing in South Poland, Konas from Nosovice is likely to use the same supplier.
The Nosovice plant needed to be modified in a few different places for Kona Electric. Of course, there must first be a storage facility for the batteries that are delivered; an automatically guided transport vehicle transports the batteries from the new storage facility to the production line. The production line had to be expanded by 15 meters to accommodate an additional station for the battery installation.
For the Kona’s manufacturing, changes were also made at the welding and stamping shop. The Kona Electric is not only the first electric vehicle from Nosovice, but it is also the first Hyundai model built there with an optional two-tone paintwork finish, allowing customers to order the roof in a different color if they so choose. This required the paint shop to develop a new painting technique.
In order to increase its EV production for Europe, Hyundai begins Kona Electric production at a Czech facility.
At its production facility in Nosovice, Czech Republic, Hyundai revealed that it will start producing the Kona Electric crossover this month. The factory intends to produce 30,000 Kona Electric devices annually. With that increase, Hyundai will be able to triple the amount of zero-emission cars it sells in Europe, cutting down on wait periods.
In the past year or so, Hyundai-Kia and other automakers have experienced problems with battery supply. Batteries for the Kona Electric, according to Hyundai, will originate in Europe, ensuring a steady supply chain and a shorter travel time to the plant.
Automotive News claimed in January that LG Chem and SK Innovation factories in Poland and Hungary, respectively, could supply Hyundai.
In Ulsan, South Korea, Hyundai also manufactures the Kona Electric using LG Chem cells. Additionally, it uses CATL cells to assemble the electric crossover in China.
With about 80,000 units on the market in 2020, Hyundai claimed in its official announcement that Kona Electric’s enhanced production will make the company the largest supplier of zero-emission vehicles in Europe. Sales of the Ioniq Electric and the Nexo fuel-cell SUV are being counted by the firm.
The quantity of EVs that rivals like Tesla, Renault, and Volkswagen intend to ship to Europe this year may be underestimated by the Korean carmaker.
Customers would be able to follow the anticipated arrival time of a Kona Electric order, according to Hyundai. Customers can trace the location of the vehicle’s production and shipping as well as its arrival date using the ETA tool.
CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe, Dong Woo Choi:
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech has begun producing the Kona Electric, solidifying its position as Europe’s top supplier of electric mobility solutions. We see this as a continuation of our “made in Europe for Europe” strategy, moving production to Europe to better serve the European market. By developing future transportation solutions locally, we are also enhancing Europe’s manufacturing competitiveness.
Hyundai has been setting up the Nosovice plant, located around 235 miles east of Prague, to produce the Kona Electric for the past several months. New stamping and welding equipment are among the modifications.
According to the news release:
Kona Electric shares a production line with the i30 and Tucson, therefore the finishing line required special equipment as well as additional crew training.
There is a new stage of production specifically for electric cars that involves the installation and storage of electric batteries. Within the factory, a new battery storage structure with a unique supply system has been built up. The battery packs are delivered by automated robots to the recently installed mounting line.
The paint shop was altered since, according to the manufacturer, the Kona Electric is the first vehicle supplied with a two-tone roof at Hyundai’s Czech manufacturing facility.
Hyundai announced an increase in the production of electric vehicles and other cutting-edge technology to start off 2020. To develop 23 EVs by 2025, the group—which includes the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands—will invest more than $87 billion.
Producing and Selling
The Hyundai Kona Electric is produced by HMC at factory number 1 of the Ulsan plant. According to the Aju Economy report, the corporation may begin making it at factory No. 3 of the Ulsan plant as well. We are in the process of moving the line, according to a Hyundai union representative, “since the track and wheelbase of the Ioniq 5 and the Kona Electric are different.”
Kona Electric production capacity of the Ulsan plant’s third building will eventually reach 80,000 units annually. When Hyundai switches to the second generation of the tiny electric SUV, production of the first-generation model may end. By doing this, factory number one might have more capability to produce the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Hyundai has been producing the Kona Electric at Nosovice, Czech Republic, from March 2020. The Nosovice facility supplies the vehicle to the European market, and the second generation may maintain this distinct regional manufacture. On January 18, 2022, Hyundai declared that it has seen an increase in EV sales for a second consecutive year. It sold 72,509 battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, accounting for 14.1 percent of all sales in Europe in 2021—a 26 percent increase over the previous year.
Hyundai sold 1,429 Kona EVs in South Korea’s home market and 20,814 more abroad in 2021. In terms of overseas plant sales for 2021, the factories for Hyundai Motor India (HMI) and Beijing Hyundai Motor Company shipped just 121 and 603 units, respectively, whereas the Czech factory for Hyundai Motor Manufacturing moved 22,643 units. This information leads us to the conclusion that 45,610 Hyundai Kona Electric vehicles will reach dealers in 2021.
Hyundai produces its electric vehicles where?
We can all be very happy that the first Genesis electric vehicle is being produced here in Montgomery, said Robert Burns of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
Hyundai’s hybrid Santa Fe model was supposed to go into production in October, but production is now anticipated to begin this month, moving the model’s production from Korea to North America.
We’ve basically been able to expedite—say let’s retooling—and get it ready for the market, and we’re happy with that, according to Burns.
The facility will start making the opulent Electrified Genesis GV70 in December. It will go on sale in 2023.
Burns has been with the business for 15 years and has seen the development of technology.
That’s what’s interesting, he added, “when you get the opportunity to experience the progression of the brand, like myself and other members of our team who have been here since 2004, 2005 timeframe.”
Although Hyundai thinks electric vehicles are the way of the future, the factory has no intentions to stop producing gas-powered automobiles.
Because there isn’t enough electrical infrastructure to support fully electric automobiles on the market, Burns said, “the market still needs those kinds of cars.”
By 2035 to 2040, consumers may see a mix of gas and electric vehicles on Alabama’s highways, according to Burns.
Currently, the Hyundai plant in Montgomery makes 1,400 automobiles each day. How many electric models are produced each day will be determined by the market.