Hyundai is strengthening its EV base on Europe's edge. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Seoul on November 4 during Erdogan's official visit to South Korea, and the two discussed electric vehicle cooperation, The Korea Herald and Maeil Business report. The Korea Herald says the Turkish Presidency confirmed the meeting.
Hyundai's plant in Izmit, its first overseas vehicle factory, opened in 1997 and can build 250,000 vehicles a year. It began mass-producing the Ioniq 3 for European customers in August. Last month, Hyundai's Turkish unit said it aims to sell 9,000 EVs in Turkey this year and become a top-three EV brand there. From 2027 it plans to add next-generation hybrids and extended-range EVs.
Since 2023 Turkey has charged an additional 40% duty on Chinese-made EVs, which favors automakers with local production, the Korea Herald notes. Seoul Economic Daily reports that Erdogan also met executives from Samsung and LG.
