Hyundai inaugurated its state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) factory in Singapore, positioning it as a pivotal element in the company’s long-term electrification strategy. The Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore utilises advanced technologies, featuring a substantial robotic workforce and innovative production methods departing from conventional assembly lines.
Robotic workforce and next-gen production
The facility, operational since early this year, but officially launched on Tuesday, integrates advanced robotics with humans, synchronising the virtual and physical realms in real-time. Approximately 200 robots, constituting half of the workforce, are responsible for assembly, inspection, production facility organisation, and over 60% of component process management, ordering, and transportation. This transformative approach liberates human workers to engage in more creative and productive tasks.
Capacity and role in electrification era
Capable of producing 30,000 EVs annually, the Singapore plant plays a pivotal role as one of two Hyundai Motor Group innovation pillars, steering the company’s trajectory in the electrification era for the next five decades. The facility currently manufactures the IONIQ 5 electric vehicle and the fully autonomous IONIQ 5 “robotaxi,” operational without a driver. The assembly of the IONIQ 6 sedan is set to commence at the plant from the upcoming year.
Revolutionising industry paradigm
The investment value for the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore was not disclosed, but previous estimations pegged it at SGD 400 million (USD 300 million). This cutting-edge facility marks a paradigm shift in the automotive industry, bringing high-value automated industries back to Singapore. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlighted the unexpected return of such industries to Singapore, emphasising a transformative shift in the global automotive landscape.
Hyundai’s innovative approach, blending human and robotic capabilities, represents a leap forward in EV manufacturing. The Singapore factory is poised to serve as a beacon for the evolving automotive industry, embracing automation and redefining the role of high-tech manufacturing in Singapore’s economic landscape.