Even During Vacation... Hyundai Motor Company Prepares Genesis GV70 'Non-Stop'

Factory Vacation Period Until the 5th of Next Month: Construction of Test Vehicle Production Line for 'Genesis New Model' Underway

Genesis GV80 Gasoline (Photo by Genesis)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Motor Company will begin preparations for the launch of Genesis' second sports utility vehicle (SUV), the 'GV70,' during the vacation period early next month. Despite disruptions in factory operations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is determined to proceed with new car preparations without delay to target the relatively strong domestic market.

According to industry sources on the 27th, all Hyundai Motor's domestic factories will be on vacation from the 30th of this month to the 5th of next month. During this period, Ulsan Plant 2 will carry out line construction for the Genesis GV70. The plan is to organize the production line for test vehicle manufacturing ahead of mass production. Typically, during the test vehicle production phase, the production line is inspected to ensure it has been built according to design blueprints, followed by sequential procedures to test vehicle quality. Full-scale mass production of the GV70 is scheduled for around October this year.

The GV70 is considered Hyundai Motor Group's most anticipated model in the second half of this year. Especially after the explosive response to the Genesis brand's first SUV, the 'GV80,' introduced earlier this year, expectations for the slightly smaller mid-size model GV70 have grown. The GV80 set a sales target of 24,000 units this year, and contracts have already exceeded this target within three months of its launch. Since the new model is likely to incorporate most of the advanced safety and convenience features equipped in the GV80, there are expectations that interest in the GV80 will shift to the GV70. Accordingly, the GV70, along with the previously released GV80 and the new G80, is expected to form the core axis driving Genesis' global sales target of 116,000 units this year.

Hyundai Motor plans to actively consider utilizing future holiday periods for preparing new cars scheduled for release in the second half of the year. Due to the global spread of COVID-19, exports from Hyundai-Kia domestic plants have sharply declined, and partial shutdowns are expected to continue after May. Instead of separately stopping production lines to prepare new cars, the company intends to use unavoidable production stoppage periods for these preparations.

Hyundai Motor has planned a diverse lineup of new cars this year. On the 23rd, Koo Ja-yong, Executive Vice President in charge of IR at Hyundai Motor, stated during the first-quarter earnings conference call, "Through a solid new car lineup including the fully redesigned Tucson scheduled for domestic release in the second half of this year, the facelifted Santa Fe and Kona models, and the Genesis GV70, we will continue to sustain strong domestic sales momentum and improve the sales mix."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.