Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) is a blueprint for the company's future manufacturing efforts, including those in North America. It's a showcase of the confluence of design, production, dining and delivery, all with an eco-conscious tilt.
"Carbon neutral is our total commitment by 2035. And, we are actively evolving our actions [to be] carbon neutral, especially for the plants … That's the first target," Jay Chang, President of Hyundai Motor Company told Newsweek earlier this year.
As the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) site in Ellison, Georgia, builds out, a picture has emerged linking the go-green efforts in Singapore with the new facility.
"The eco-focus is not solely influenced by HMGICS but rather influenced by Hyundai Motor Group's brand pillars of Sustainable, Innovative and Humane all supporting our global brand vision of Progress for Humanity," Joe LaMuraglia, head of communications and public relations at HMGMA told Newsweek.
"At HMGMA, we embody these ideals in the way we manufacture cutting-edge electric vehicles using 100-percent renewable energy, the advanced technology we employ to streamline the production process and the design of the facility that uses machines to enhance the work environment for employees, which we refer to as Meta Pros. HMGCIS is a test bed for future technology and production methodologies that we may incorporate into the Metaplant in the future," he said.
Hyundai's Newest Plants Are Eco-conscious From Floor to Rooftop
Gone are the days when vehicle manufacturing plants are dirty places where workers in grease-stained coveralls and smudged hands build your new car. Modern facilities are closer in lighting, cleanliness and aesthetics to a hospital. They're infused with technology, and many are on a mission to be as eco-friendly as possible with water retainment and reuse systems, power coming from clean energy and plants growing on the roof of the buildings.
In April, Hyundai Motor Group announced that it had signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with Matrix Renewables, an energy development company, for HMGMA and other U.S. plants. The Group agreed to purchase 147 megawatts of generation capacity from the company's Stillhouse Solar Project in Bell County, Texas.
This agreement secures 378 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually for production demands, reducing carbon emissions by 140,000 tons.
Hyundai Manufacturing Plants Feature Robotics-aided Humans at Work
At HMGICS, traditional manufacturing belts have been replaced by a modularized, flexible production system. Many roles traditionally held by humans are now aided by robotics, including SPOT, a four-legged walking robot that is the product of Hyundai's majority shareholder acquisition of Boston Dynamics.
HMGMA will also utilize robotics. "The Metaplant is highly automated where it makes sense for safety and efficiency," LaMuraglia said.
"Various robotic technologies are employed to assist the Meta Pros during their shift. An example would be the movement of a vehicle body down the line in the General Assembly department. It sits on a movable platform that raises and lowers depending on its location and the work being done.
"This is to minimize any strain on the Meta Pros as they execute their task. HMGMA also employs AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles) [to] move vehicle bodies effortlessly and silently to various points in General Assembly. This technology used guide wires in the floor and GPS technology to select the most efficient route and avoid interacting with other AGVs and Meta Pros on its route."
Hyundai Restaurant Offers Farm to Table Dining
The Singapore manufacturing hub is more IKEA than plant. Instead of the cafeteria to enjoy mid-shop, Hyundai invites customers to dine on the cuisine from the world's first Korean chef to earn three Michelin Stars, San Francisco-based Chef Corey Lee.
The restaurant, Na Oh, opens June 15 and will feature a casual atmosphere and Prix fixe four-course menu.
In keeping with the green theme of the site, Na Oh will utilize a two-story vertical smart farm that has the ability to produce over 66 pounds of fresh produce daily. Hyundai claims that it is the world's first robotics smart farm for customer experience.
While HMGICS is located in the middle of an urban area, HMGMA is not. The restaurant concept would not translate to the rural Georgia location. Instead, there will be a small cafe in the site's exhibition center.
Hyundai Is Elevating Client Interactions
Customers who visit HMGCIS are welcome to experience the exact same test track where vehicles are finalized after coming off the production line. Located on the roof of the building, the 620-meter Skytrack Lounge serves as a dynamic experience center.
HMGICS visitors can also enjoy an inside peek at manufacturing via virtual reality. They don goggles and craft their own Ioniq brand vehicle.
Car Manufacturing Plants Are Ready For Visitors
Long gone are the days when car manufacturing plants were dirty places where assembly line work was done for minimum wage. The most modern plants are hubs of innovation alongside manufacturing, and welcome visitors to take tours and experience the products made there. Ford and Hyundai, among others, welcome visitors to their plants on a regular basis and have built experiences for them to make a stopover interesting and fun.
HMGMA will offer a different experience that intends to be no less welcoming to visitors. "Something unique to HMGMA … will be our Exhibition Hall. It will consist of a Welcome Center where all our tours will originate and end, and three brand pavilions – one for each brand that we will be producing: Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. The brand pavilions will give visitors three distinct brand immersion experiences. We are expecting this, along with the tour of the Metaplant, to be a very popular attraction.," LaMuraglia said.
Hyundai's Manufacturing Targets Emissions-free Transportation
In May, GLOVIS America, a logistics provider, announced a partnership with Hyundai, forming HTWO Logistics. The venture will work to benchmark sustainable logistics solutions at HMGMA, specifically as it concerns the use of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles.
The scope of the project includes, "establishing a value chain of clean hydrogen production, supply, refueling and zero-emission vehicles," Glenn Clift, Executive Director of GLOVIS America, said in a press release.
The larger goal is to use HMGMA as a proving ground for hydrogen transportation solutions that the automaker can turn around and leverage experience as it works to grow its zero-emissions commercial truck business.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more
