At the grand opening of Hyundai Motor Group’s massive new 16 million square-foot Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia, Republican Congressman Buddy Carter (R-GA) offered a nuanced approach to the electric vehicle (EV) tax credits that helped make the facility possible.
“I was one of the 18 [U.S. House members] originally who signed a letter asking leadership and the Speaker to, instead of taking a sledgehammer, to take a scalpel to this. I’ve always maintained that if parts of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) stabilize the supply chain, if they result in domestic manufacturing, that’s what we want,” Rep. Carter told InsideEVs at the plant’s opening ceremony.
The referenced letter was sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in August advocating for the preservation of clean energy tax credits and subsequently was followed in March by a similar letter sent to U.S. Representative Jason Smith (MO-8), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Carter was one of the signatories on both letters. The clean energy tax credits include up to $7,500 to buy American-made EVs and plug-in hybrids, such as the Kia EV9.
The $7.6 billion Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) represents the largest economic development project in the state’s history, serving as the focal point of the company’s $12.6 billion investment in the state. It is the company’s second facility in Georgia and its third in the Southeast.
The facility will produce up to 500,000 electric and hybrid vehicles annually for the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. Last October, the first Hyundai IONIQ 5 came off the assembly line at the plant, and the IONIQ 9 three-row electric SUV has since joined it.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp highlighted the economic significance: “Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, made possible by our commitment to working with job creators to build fruitful partnerships for decades. Collaborations between HMGMA and Georgia’s universities and technical colleges, including Georgia Quick Start’s on-site training facility, are preparing Georgians for high-quality jobs of today and tomorrow, while our award-winning infrastructure, such as our ports, connects companies to markets around the nation and globe.”
The investment is expected to create 8,500 jobs by 2031 at the plant alone. The company had already hired more than 1,232 “Meta Pros” by the time of the event, largely from the local area. 72%, for example, live in the greater Savannah area. HMGMA suppliers have already announced 6,900 additional jobs and over $2.5 billion in investments across 12 Georgia counties, more than $1 billion more in investment than they originally planned. The Center for Automotive Research predicts the company’s total investment in the state will create 40,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate $4.6 billion in individual earnings annually.
Chris Clark, president and CEO of Georgia’s Chamber of Commerce, emphasized market demand over politics: “Let the consumer decide. We got rid of our EV tax credit in Georgia years ago, and we’ve seen EV sales skyrocket. We’ve seen the companies move here. At the end of the day, the consumer is going to make the decision.”
Hyundai’s massive commitment to U.S. manufacturing, including an additional $21 billion investment just announced for 2025 through 2028, larger than the company’s $20.5 billion invested in the U.S. up until now, demonstrates that American-made EVs are becoming an economic powerhouse regardless of political debates over incentives.
For communities surrounding Savannah witnessing this manufacturing renaissance firsthand, the benefits of EV production are already being realized through thousands of new jobs and billions in economic activity. Rep. Carter believes that his fellow legislators also understand the importance: “I think they understand. I know they understand the importance of securing the supply chain. I know they understand the importance of domestic manufacturing.”
This article was created on April 9, 2025 with the assistance of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool Claude 3.7 Sonnet, using the linked company websites, press releases, reports, or external media coverage as inputted source material. It was then reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by one or more team members to ensure factual accuracy and consistency with editorial standards before publication.
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