Hyundai Motor has unveiled a significant step in expanding its foothold within the rapidly growing automotive market. The company has announced its decision to acquire General Motors (GM) plants in India, a strategic move aimed at effectively positioning itself to meet the surging demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the region.
In a statement released today, Hyundai revealed its plans to acquire GM’s plant located in Telgaon, Maharashtra, western India. This strategic acquisition aligns with Hyundai’s forward-thinking approach to proactively address the escalating demand for electric cars within the Indian market.
The acquisition process is set to conclude later this year, pending approval from the Government of India and fulfillment of various purchase requirements. The value of the acquisition, however, has not been specified in the announcement.
Hyundai’s vision for the Telgaon plant involves initiating production by 2025, with a gradual expansion of operations to meet the increasing demand for EVs. By committing to improve the factory infrastructure, Hyundai aims to bolster its production capabilities and contribute to the evolution of the electric vehicle landscape.
The Telgaon plant, originally established by GM in 2008, boasts an annual capacity of 130,000 vehicles and 160,000 engines. Although GM halted sales operations in India in 2017, the plant continued its production and export activities until late 2020.India, emerging as a potent force in the global automotive landscape, claimed the position of the world’s third-largest auto market in 2022, recording sales of 4.76 million units. This ranking places India behind the United States with 14.2 million units and China with 23.3 million units. With the Indian passenger car market projected to surge to over 5 million units by 2030, compared to the current level of 3.8 million units, the shift towards electric vehicles is anticipated to be prominent. Approximately 1 million of the cars sold in India by 2030 are predicted to be electric vehicles.
Hyundai’s venture into the Indian market dates back to 1998, when it initiated operations with the production of the Santro model at its Chennai plant. Presently, Hyundai maintains two factories in India, boasting an annual capacity of 760,000 vehicles, with a subset of 150,000 units designated for export. This strategic acquisition aligns well with Hyundai’s long-standing presence and commitment to the Indian market, while effectively positioning the company to harness the burgeoning opportunities in the electric vehicle segment.