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Kia’s parent company could add second plant in Georgia to build electric vehicles

BRYAN COUNTY — Kia’s parent company Hyundai could be coming to South Georgia to build electric vehicles.

Governor Brian Kemp would not confirm or deny reports Hyundai is negotiating to buy land along I-16 in Bryan County near Savannah as he was questioned after a bill signing Monday.

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The Governor did speak about his relationship with South Korean based companies. “There was a reason I made my first economic development trip to South Korea and visited with great companies like Kia and Hyundai and a lot of others,” said Kemp.

Kia already has a plant in Troup County. The plant in West Point employs more than 2,700 people, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Any new plant could bring thousands more jobs to Georgia, in addition to jobs with suppliers tied to the potential plant.

“So we’ll just have to see what the company decides to do,” Kemp said.

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If the new plant does happen, it would be the second new electric vehicle assembly plant coming to Georgia.

Kemp announced Rivian would begin building electric vehicles in Morgan County.

The plant is expected to cost around $5 billion dollars and create 7,500 jobs.

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The plant is not without controversy. Some residents insisted they were left out of the process.

Kemp’s Republican opponent for governor, David Perdue, also criticized the deal that will give Rivian $1.5 billion in tax incentives.

“All these deals that we are working on are us trying to get better opportunities for our citizens and continue to have our state move forward,” Kemp said as he defended his plan.

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