Hyundai announced on Sunday that it has reached a major milestone, having produced 100 million vehicles globally since its founding in 1967.
To mark the occasion, the automaker handed over its 100 millionth and first vehicle, an all-electric Ioniq 5, to a new owner.
Why focus on the 100 millionth and first vehicle instead of the 100 millionth? According to Hyundai, this reflects the company’s “commitment to pushing one step further with its past accomplishments as the foundation,” as noted in a statement released the same day.
While Hyundai was established in 1967, its first manufacturing plant, located in Ulsan, South Korea, didn’t go online until 1968.
Hyundai describes this facility as the “birthplace of the Korean automobile industry,” having produced Korea’s first mass-market vehicle, the Pony. Today, the Ulsan plant is capable of manufacturing 1.6 million cars annually.
Since its early days in the 1960s, Hyundai has expanded significantly. In the 57 years since, the company has opened production plants in the Czech Republic, India, Turkey, and the United States.
Impressively, it took Hyundai 46 years—until 2013—to reach 50 million vehicles. But in just 11 more years, it doubled that figure to reach the 100 million mark.
“Reaching global cumulative production of 100 million vehicles is a meaningful milestone that was possible thanks to our customers around the world who have chosen and supported Hyundai Motor since the very beginning,” said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO, in a statement.
“Taking on bold challenges and being in constant pursuit of innovation has enabled us to achieve rapid growth, and will empower us to take ‘one step further’ toward another 100 million units as a mobility game changer.”
While Hyundai may not have a deep-rooted history in performance or motorsports, its growth into a major player in the global automotive industry is impressive.
The brand has also begun to make waves with high-performance models. Its first real performance car, the Veloster N, earned widespread praise.
Now, with the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai is producing one of the most exciting electric vehicles on the market today.