Following the first millionth unit in 2013, the second in 2016 and the third in 2019, Hyundai Motor is now celebrating another milestone at its
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech (HMMC) plant in Nošovice, Czech Republic. On 14 November, HMMC produced a car with the serial number 4,000,000. The landmark car was a Hyundai Tucson N Line in a ‘mild-hybrid version’; it was for a customer from Olomouc in the Czech Republic.
Despite the pandemic, global supply chain issues and other external influences, HMMC has managed to maintain a high production rate, and this year the company expects to produce over 321,000 vehicles, surpassing the ‘pre-pandemic’ year of 2019.
Cheolseung Baek, HMMC’s president, said: “Our employees and suppliers deserve immense credit for how they have managed to cope with the challenges of the past few years. I am delighted that, thanks to their skills and diligence, we can celebrate another significant milestone. The Nošovice plant is of great importance to Hyundai Motor Group, and its significance will only grow in the coming years, given the challenges facing the automotive industry.”
The 4-millionth Hyundai car produced at HMMC reflects the current electrification trend. While the plant exclusively produced ICE (internal combustion engine) models until 2019, in early 2020 it started production of the Hyundai Kona Electric, which became the first mass-produced BEV in the country. In autumn 2020, production of HEV and PHEV vehicles also began in Nošovice, with the fourth-generation Tucson.
Meanwhile, the share of cars with diesel engines has declined in recent years, with these models making up only 9% of vehicles produced at HMMC this year. Electrified cars consisting of EVs — including HEVs, PHEVs and BEVs — have accounted for nearly 40% of production at HMMC so far this year, and the share of these is projected to continue to grow in the years to come.
Germany remains HMMC’s largest customer, with over 14% of cars produced so far this year heading there, followed by the UK, Spain and France. The Tucson models lead the compact SUV segment in Europe this year, building on last year’s strong sales results.
However, units of this model — Hyundai’s global bestseller produced in Nošovice — are also shipped to the Middle East and other parts of the world. So far in 2022, cars from HMMC have been sold to 66 destinations. The number of employees at HMMC has increased year-on-year due to increases in production, and the plant now employs almost 3,300 people, 92% of whom are Czech citizens.