Yes, that’s a 100 million Hyundai cars. Or rather, 100,000,001 units, as the company held a special delivery ceremony at its Ulsan Plant in Korea yesterday, celebrating the delivery of the special milestone car – a grey Hyundai Ioniq 5 – to its new lucky owner. Why 100,000,001 and not a round 100 million? That’s because Hyundai says “100 million and one” is a symbol for its commitment to “pushing one step further with its past accomplishments as the foundation”.
Either way, Hyundai reached the milestone in just a short 57 years after the company’s foundation, cementing itself as one of the biggest players in the global automotive industry, and certainly one of the fastest growing. The company produced 4,289,898 cars across its various facilities worldwide in the last year alone, as it exceeds a record-breaking 4.2 million cars sold in a year.
“Reaching global cumulative production of 100 million vehicles is a meaningful milestone that was possible thanks to our customers around the world who have chosen and supported Hyundai Motor since the very beginning,” said Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO, Jaehoon Chang.
“Taking on bold challenges and being in constant pursuit of innovation has enabled us to achieve rapid growth and will empower us to take ‘one step further’ toward another 100 million units as a mobility game changer,” Chang added.
The Ulsan Plant, which began operations in 1968, was integral to Hyundai’s milestone achieved today. Labelled as the “birthplace of the development of the Korean automobile industry”, the plant produced the nation’s first mass-produced independent model – the Pony – back in 1975, and today is a central hub for the company’s electrification efforts.
Hyundai is currently establishing a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) facility at the site, in preparation of its plan to unveil 21 EV models by 2030 – including the production version of the N Vision 74, a modern-day reinterpretation of the iconic Pony Coupe concept.
“Each and every employee at Hyundai Motor has contributed to the accumulation of 100 million units through their hard work and dedication,” said Hyundai President and Head of Domestic Productions and Chief Safety Officer, Dong Seock Lee. “This auspicious occasion is just the first step toward the future era of electrification that Hyundai Motor will lead.”
Alongside EVs, the company is also planning to expand its hybrid line-up, while also developing new Range Extender EV (REEV) powertrains within the next few years, although the latter will primarily be produced in the company’s North America and China manufacturing plants.
