Hyundai starts IONIQ 3 production in Turkey
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- Hyundai held a ceremony at its Izmit plant in Turkey on Friday to mark the official start of IONIQ 3 production, backed by a €250 million ($290 million) investment to convert the facility for EV manufacturing.
- Hyundai will initially produce 30,000 IONIQ 3 vehicles annually at Izmit, where roughly 50% of the plant has been modernized; the same facility will begin production of the next-generation BAYON and i20 next year.
- The IONIQ 3 is Hyundai's first B-segment EV and its smallest IONIQ model, slotted between the Inster and Kona Electric, and the company's first EV engineered specifically for the European market.
- The IONIQ 3 will go on sale in September, priced from £22,245 ($30,000) in the UK and €27,995 ($32,000) in the Netherlands, with rollout continuing to new markets through the year.
- The IONIQ 3 offers two battery options — a 42.2 kWh pack with up to 213 miles (344 km) of WLTP range and a 61 kWh pack with up to 308 miles (496 km) — both capable of 10–80% DC fast charging in roughly 29–30 minutes.
- The IONIQ 3 debuts Hyundai's new Pleos OS infotainment system, built on Android Automotive OS, with 12.9″ or 14.6″ center screens, an optional driver display, and Hyundai's Gleo AI companion.
- Chung Euisun, CEO of Hyundai Motor Group, told Izmit employees earlier this month that quality must be prioritized from the start of mass production so the IONIQ 3 is "recognized as the best vehicle in Europe."
Why it matters: At £22,245 in the UK, the IONIQ 3 enters Europe's B-segment — about 15% of car sales and a segment projected to reach 65% EV share by 2035 — at a price aimed at Chinese rivals like BYD that are rapidly gaining European market share. With 308 miles of WLTP range on the long-range pack and 30,000-unit annual capacity from Izmit, Hyundai now has a mass-market European-built EV timed to a fast-electrifying segment.
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