The Future of Hyundai EVs and Where the Brand is Headed Next

by TTAC Staff

Published: April 24th, 2026

On this week's TTAC podcast, Tim is at the new Hyundai Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia.

Tim chats with with Dan Hwang, the senior manager of advanced vehicle technology at Hyundai, as well as with Miles Johnson from the Hyundai PR team. The trio talk about the future of Hyundai's EV efforts, how AI is impacting the industry and what the heck a metaplant is anyway.

Plus, Matthew Guy drops in to discuss some critically important maintenance topics, specifically focusing on brake repair.

You can find us wherever you get your podcasts or by clicking here. If you like what you hear, please leave a review!

Thanks Matthew Guy for his time, and thanks Matt Posky for editing. Most of all, we thank you for listening!

We’ll see you next time!

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

TTAC Staff

More by TTAC Staff

Comments

Join the conversation

6 of 13 comments

The Oracle on Apr 26, 2026

Hyundai will find the BEV market saturated

Like Reply
Bd2 on Apr 27, 2026

Seems more and more that they are eyeing these models for export in order to better compete with Chinese exports.

Like Reply
- See 3 previous
- Luke42 on Apr 28, 2026
  
  Having to compete with Chinese EVs a worldwide reality at this point, and companies have the choice of compete or retreat.
  I’m old enough to remember when it was the Japanese we had to compete with — and so many people were angry and scared about that (though they’d dress the fear up in tough language).
  
  This too shall pass, and a new equilibrium will be reached. The only question of whether our favorite companies will be part of that equilibrium— or not.
  
  Like
- Hummer on Apr 29, 2026
  
  No one was angry or scared at the Japanese, we knew they built great products. My grandfather was in the Pacific theatre in WWII and went on to be one of the first Kubota dealers on the east coast alongside his IH product. Japanese quality was well known and respected, Chinese do not hold those values. Chinese will always find shortcuts and without western supervision in their Chinese facilities the products suffer.
  Chinese cars have horrid quality, use slave labor for components, have terrible parts availability even in countries they're established in, are typically cost cut in ways consumers don't even think to check (trucks have IRS in many cases), use tiny undersized engines, and offer little value over established brands.
  
  Like
- Bd2 on Apr 30, 2026
  
  Chinese have tik tok and have bought many influencers to push their wares. And it's working. Uproar for the SU7 Ultra is deafening in some large circles.
  
  1
- Hummer on Apr 30, 2026
  
  One can look no further than Australia to see how horrid the reviews have been on chinese vehicles. The chinese market has imploded on itself and they are desperate to get into the US market.
  You're 100% correct, I'm not sure why I'm continuously surprised that people can fall for the low grade propaganda push that has occurred over the past couple months pushing for chinese cars. They honestly think they're going to buy a $15k midsize crossover than can forward rivers, crab walk, have 32-way adjustable massaging seats and will outlast a Toyota.
  
  Like
Txclyde1 on May 01, 2026

The chinese CCP vehicles are junk .EVs are not what America wants and it will be a long time before they do. The last administration tried to force them down our throats .This costs the manufactures billions of dollars and the vehicles and not in any demand as new and almost worthless as used and are totally worthless as third owner cars .

Like Reply Flagged comment

Recent Comments

Peeryog Everytime I see one I am reminded of the current Santa Fe. And vice versa.
Original Guy I watched that Moscow parade thing. (With the Cyrillic captions because my Russian is a little rough.) I won't give the whole thing away, but it started off with a couple of dudes riding around in stupid useless convertibles, standing up like Hitler, who I'm pretty sure was an actual Nazi. They drove around in circles and kept stopping to ask if anyone had seen all the missing military equipment, and all the guys kept moaning back, that no, they hadn't, ask the next section of guys.They looked around for someone shorter and sicker-looking than Putin but they were unsuccessful so they let him speak.The North Korean military was there, I guess the invasion has begun. The North Korean guys were skinny but their rifles were nicely polished, I guess they have plenty of time on their hands between meals.Some of the Russian military guys carried little white flags, I assume they keep those handy in case they run across any U.S. Marines.
Marc J Rauch EBFlexing on ur mom - Ethanol is compatible with more types of rubber, plastic, and metal than gasoline and aromatics. This means that ethanol is less corrosive. The bottom line is that long before ethanol could have any damaging effect on any engine component, gasoline and aromatics would have already damaged the components. And the addition of ethanol doesn't exacerbate the problems caused by gasoline and aromatics; it actually helps mitigate them.
Original Guy Today I learned that a reverse brake bleeder (and a long borescope) can be helpful if you are autistic and don't have any friends and no one wants to work with you to bleed your brakes. Also it is quick, once you figure out the process.When Canada assembled my truck back in circa 1995, they apparently used a different clip to attach the brake pedal (and switch) to the brake booster than what is technically called for. It is tough to realize this when the spring steel clip flies off to who knows where. Of course I ordered the wrong clip trying to match the style that I saw buried up in the dash before it flew away. My truck now has the 'correct' clip, everyone can relax.I ordered some more brake fluid (DOT 3, nothing fancy) but it turns out I still have two fresh bottles (my shelves aren't empty, I just have too many shelves).Went to install my fancy new Optima YellowTop battery and it turns out I need a new side post terminal bolt. (Yet another order placed, bring on THE TARIFFS.) It would be a shame to strip out the threads on a nice new battery, no?Good news: The longer it takes me to get my truck started again, the more I save on fuel. 😁
Normie Weekends here would be a great time for everyone to join in praise of dog dish hubcaps on body-color matched steelies!