Today, Senator Reverend Warnock applauded Hyundai Motor Group’s announcement that a new Electric Vehicle (EV) Powertrain Plant will bring an additional 1,500 jobs to Coastal Georgia

In October 2022, Senator Reverend Warnock joined Hyundai executives to break ground on an 8,100-job EV plant in Bryan County

In May, Senator Reverend Warnock met with senior leaders from Hyundai-owned Kia Company to discuss economic priorities for Georgia, and strongly offered his support for locating new facilities in the state

At the October groundbreaking, Senator Reverend Warnock met with South Korean Ambassador to the United States Taeyong Cho to discuss how the Senator can continue to support South Korean investments that create good-paying jobs in every corner of the state 

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Today’s announcement is a culmination of a long-term relationship between our great state and Hyundai Motor Group. Since I’ve been in office, I’ve focused on supporting and bringing good-paying jobs to Georgia and making Coastal Georgia and Savannah, my hometown, a world-class center for manufacturing.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a native son of Savannah, applauded Hyundai Motor Group’s announcement that a new electric vehicle (EV) powertrain plant will bring 1,500 jobs to Coastal Georgia. The announcement comes less than a month after Senator Warnock joined Hyundai executives to break ground on an 8,100 job megaplant in Bryan County. 

“Today’s announcement is a culmination of a long-term relationship between our great state and Hyundai Motor Group,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Since I’ve been in office, I’ve focused on supporting and bringing good-paying jobs to Georgia and making Coastal Georgia and Savannah, my hometown, a world-class center for manufacturing. The latest Hyundai facility is another important step in growing our economy and keeping it strong, to compete for decades into the future.”

Senator Warnock has been instrumental in boosting auto suppliers in Georgia. The Senator led the bipartisan push to boost American manufacturing through the jobs and competition bill, which was recently signed into law. From his position on the conference committee for the jobs and competition bill, Senator Warnock was a lead negotiator in this effort to address supply chain issues, lower costs and bring manufacturing jobs to Georgia. Last year, the Kia facility in West Point, Georgia, shut down for two days in the wake of a semiconductor shortage—an issue that Senator Warnock met with Kia officials about and raised in a Commerce Committee hearing. Subsequently, the Senator secured over $50 billion in federal investments for domestic semiconductor manufacturing to address this supply chain issue. Additionally, the Senator was a key figure in settling a legal dispute between two companies that threatened the future of SK America’s forthcoming car battery manufacturing facility in Commerce, GA. Thanks to Senator Warnock’s mediation efforts between the two companies, the dispute was settled–ensuring the facility’s future and protecting approximately 2,600 jobs at the plant. 

Senator Warnock is laser-focused on efforts to ease supply chain tensions. Because of the Senator’s persistent pushing, in November 2021 the USDOT released $8 million in federal funding for the Georgia Ports Authority to ease congestion at the Port of Savannah. Additionally, Senator Warnock’s bill to fight price gouging by shipping companies was signed into law— made possible by urging the Administration to hold shipping companies accountable and invest in Georgia’s ports, including the Port of Savannah. 

Senator Warnock has been steadfast in supporting Georgia’s electric vehicle jobs and infrastructure. Senator Warnock recently introduced the Affordable Electric Vehicles for America Act, which would delay the phase-in period for automakers to follow specific sourcing requirements for their EVs in order for car buyers to qualify for the federal tax credit. Georgia automakers need additional time to meet these new on-shoring requirements and bring planned domestic EV facilities online, including the forthcoming Hyundai EV facility scheduled to open in 2025 in Bryan County, GA. Senator Warnock introduced this legislation after working closely with Hyundai and other automakers to bring new auto manufacturing to Bryan County. In September, Senator Warnock pushed the Biden Administration to implement the EV tax credit provision with “maximum flexibility” to ensure Georgia car buyers and manufacturers can fully benefit. In February, Senator Warnock also announced that he secured nearly $20 million in funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build out Georgia’s EV infrastructure network across the state. 

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