Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung visits Turkey factory ahead of Ioniq 3 launch

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung is keeping up an intensive on-the-ground management schedule, visiting key production bases in Latin America and Europe in quick succession to review local production and sales strategies.

Chung visited Hyundai Motor's factory in Izmit, a port city near Istanbul, on July 30 (local time) to inspect the production line for the Ioniq 3, the company's first small electric vehicle targeting the European compact EV market, Hyundai Motor Group said Sunday.

The Ioniq 3 is Hyundai Motor's first B-segment electric vehicle for Europe. Mass production at the Turkey factory is set to begin in mid-August, with sales rolling out sequentially across Europe in the second half of the year. Hyundai Motor aims to break into the top tier of B-segment EV competition with the model.

After closely examining the production process from body manufacturing through to the trim assembly line, Chung said quality must be the top priority from the very start of mass production. "We must raise market competitiveness by delivering a level of quality that exceeds customer expectations," he said, "and particularly on safety, we must ensure the vehicle is recognized as the best in Europe."

The Turkey factory has supported Hyundai Motor's global production network for nearly three decades by steadily expanding capacity and diversifying its model lineup. Annual output was raised to 100,000 units in 2007, and further investment in 2013 brought production capacity to 200,000 units per year.

Starting with the Accent, the plant has produced a range of Europe-focused models — including the Grace, Starex, Matrix, i10, and currently the i20 and Bayon — reaching cumulative output of about 3.4 million units. On the strength of its production capabilities and sustained local investment, Hyundai Motor has established itself as one of Turkey's leading automotive brands.

Hyundai Motor sold 67,120 vehicles in Turkey last year, up 6.7 percent from 62,913 units the year before. In the first half of this year, sales reached 31,630 units, a 2.3 percent increase from 30,929 units in the same period last year.

Chung told employees the company must build on three decades of achievement by adapting its ways of working to the demands of a new era. "We must pursue continuous innovation and strengthen competitiveness so that we become, in every sense, the best company in Turkey — across production, quality and sales," he said.

Chung also visited the Hyundai Mobis Battery System Assembly factory to conduct a focused inspection of the production process for the battery systems that will be installed in the Ioniq 3.

The Ioniq 3 carries particular significance as the first electric vehicle to be produced at the Turkey factory. Hyundai Motor plans to use the model to enter the B-segment market — where demand runs deep and broad — and accelerate its push into electrification.

The B-segment accounts for 15 percent of total demand in the European automotive market and is expected to sustain stable demand going forward.

Electric vehicles currently hold about 14 percent of the B-segment market, but that share is projected to climb to 33 percent by 2030 and 65 percent by 2035. In response, Volkswagen and other major European players are expanding their B-segment EV lineups.

Hyundai Motor plans to launch the Ioniq 3 in the European market in the second half of this year and targets annual sales of more than 40,000 units starting next year. The company intends to scale up supply in line with market growth and continue strengthening its position in Europe's electrification market.

Hyundai Motor Group has engaged with local communities throughout its presence in Turkey, carrying out a range of social contribution activities including a renovation project at Korea Park in the capital Ankara, scholarship programs, vocational technology education and disaster recovery support. The park renovation — initiated following a visit by Chairman Chung in 2023 — refurbished aging exterior and rest facilities and added a traditional Korean octagonal pavilion called "House of Friendship," transforming Korea Park into a community retreat in the heart of the city.

Since 2022, the group has selected 400 local university and high school students each year to receive scholarships, disbursing a cumulative total of 1.2 million euros ($1.38 million) to date. It has also provided vocational high schools with practical training facilities, vehicles and equipment.

Before his Turkey visit, Chung traveled to Hyundai Motor's factory in Piracicaba, São Paulo state, Brazil on Monday to personally review production and sales strategies and medium- to long-term growth plans.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to develop Brazil into a core hub for future mobility and energy business — not merely a production base — built around three pillars: SUVs, locally tailored eco-friendly vehicles and hydrogen. The Brazil factory produces the HB20, Creta and Ioniq 5, with annual output of about 200,000 units. The plant surpassed cumulative production of 2.5 million units this past March, 13 years after Hyundai Motor entered the Brazilian market.

At a meeting with Brazil factory employees, Chung acknowledged the challenges ahead. "There are many difficulties and tasks in the face of changes in Brazil's industrial environment and a new competitive landscape, but overcoming them is what makes the next stage of growth and leap forward possible," he said. "We will actively support you at the company-wide level so that we can achieve an even greater leap in Brazil."