In 2023, Hyundai Motor and Kia reached a new milestone in global production, with their combined output at international facilities surpassing 3.68 million vehicles, according to information released on Monday. This achievement represents the highest production volume since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, indicating a significant recovery and growth in the automotive sector.
Reports based on the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association’s data highlight that these South Korean automotive leaders produced a total of 3,678,831 vehicles across 13 overseas plants last year. Specifically, Kia’s production efforts resulted in 1,435,762 vehicles across its factories in the United States, China, Slovakia, Mexico, and India. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor’s contribution came from eight countries, including the United States, India, China, Turkey, Czech Republic, Brazil, Indonesia, and Singapore, totaling 2,243,069 vehicles. This marks a 2.9 percent increase in production from 2022, showcasing a significant rebound since the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.
India emerged as the leading producer within this network, manufacturing 1.08 million vehicles, followed by notable outputs from the United States, China, and Slovakia, which produced 727,000, 394,249, and 352,240 vehicles, respectively. However, the production landscape also highlighted a continuing decline in China, where production has steadily decreased from 1.83 million units in 2016.
An interesting development was observed in Russia, where Hyundai Motor has ceased production entirely last year, despite having manufactured over 200,000 units annually from 2012 to 2022. The halt in production followed the outbreak of the Ukrainian War, with production plummeting to about 40,000 units in 2022.
Additionally, Hyundai Motor initiated production in Singapore for the first time, manufacturing 595 vehicles at the newly established Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore. This diverse global manufacturing footprint underscores the resilience and adaptability of Hyundai Motor and Kia in the face of global challenges and market dynamics.
