Hyundai Begins Ioniq 3 EV Production in Türkiye

🚗 Hyundai Begins Ioniq 3 Electric Vehicle Production in Türkiye

Hyundai Motor Türkiye has begun manufacturing the all-electric Ioniq 3 at its İzmit facility, making it the first electric passenger vehicle built in Türkiye by a foreign original equipment manufacturer.

💶 The development follows a €250 million investment to prepare the İzmit plant for electric vehicle production. More than 50% of the facility has been modernised over the past two years.

Türkiye's Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır said Hyundai Motor Türkiye will initially produce 30,000 Ioniq 3 vehicles annually in Türkiye as part of the investment.

👷 The transformation of the plant has also included the retraining of more than 1,000 employees, who have taken on different roles as the facility shifts toward electric vehicle production.

🏭 Hyundai's İzmit plant expands electric vehicle production

The İzmit facility was established in 1997 and is Hyundai's oldest and longest-running overseas production plant. Over nearly three decades, the company has invested a combined €1.18 billion in the site.

Hyundai Motor Türkiye currently employs approximately 2,400 people across the İzmit plant and its İstanbul head office.

🔋 Working with Hyundai Mobis, another company within Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai has also established a Battery System Assembly plant at İzmit. The facility will handle battery assembly for hybrid vehicle models.

🚘 New Hyundai models planned for Türkiye

Hyundai's expansion plans extend beyond the Ioniq 3. The next-generation Bayon and i20 are also planned for production at the İzmit facility, with hybrid versions of both models expected to enter production in 2027.

⚡ The Ioniq 3 is built in an “Aero Hatch” body style and is expected to reach dealerships in September 2026, subject to market conditions. The model will be available with two battery and motor combinations.

🌍 Ioniq 3 developed for the European market

Hyundai first unveiled the Ioniq 3 hatchback in April 2026. The model was developed by Hyundai Motor Europe with the European market as its main focus.

The Ioniq 3 completes Hyundai's Ioniq battery-electric vehicle range as the company seeks to compete with the growing number of electric vehicle models available in Europe.

The vehicle is based on Hyundai Motor Group's Electric-Global Modular Platform and is manufactured at Hyundai Motor Türkiye's İzmit plant.

“We are proud to produce the first-generation Ioniq 3 in Türkiye. As part of our transformation process, approximately 50% of our plant has been modernised, with more than 1,000 employees taking on different roles throughout this transformation.”

Hyundai Motor Türkiye CEO Alex Kim said the company plans to continue investing in different areas to further strengthen its production capabilities in the coming years.

🔋 Further investment in battery production

In June, Hyundai Motor Türkiye outlined plans for the Battery System Assembly plant at İzmit as part of a broader €715 million investment package covering Ioniq 3 production and other developments.

Of this total, €55 million has been allocated specifically to the battery facility.

🇹🇷 The expansion marks another step in Hyundai's transformation of its long-established İzmit operation and strengthens Türkiye's position as a production base for electric and hybrid vehicles serving the European market.