SAVANNAH — Chico Murphy is the last person to see Hyundai's all electric IONIQ 5 before it leaves the factory floor.
And a test drive earlier this year convinced Murphy of the quality of vehicle to which he is giving his stamp of approval.
Hyundai unveiled its new 2025 IONIQ 5 Tuesday morning in Savannah, and the vehicle's production line soon will be operational at Hyundai's Metaplant in Bryan County. It will be the first model range built at the $7 billion plant.
"I drove that car for St. Patrick's Day weekend. I drove that car all weekend without looking at a gas station," Murphy said. "I had it Friday, Saturday and Sunday and didn't have to charge it at all."
The new IONIQ will be compatible to plug in at any one of Tesla's charging stations, giving the vehicles 17,000 places across the country to get a charge.
"Now with the Tesla stations, you can go on a road trip and have access to reliable, powerful charging all over the country and Canada," said Joe LaMuraglia, head of communications for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.
Also, the IONIQ 5 also sports an increased battery capacity, giving it a range of up to 310 miles. The vehicle Hyundai unveiled Tuesday morning is a test vehicle, but it has the new dashboard, new screen and other new features. There is also an off-road capable variant, the IONIQ 5 XRT.
"It is so important that this vehicle is going to be built right up the road, by people who live here and work here and are going to be giving back to this community," LaMuraglia said.
By equipping the IONIQ 5 with a NACS charger, it has broadened the availability of charging stations, "which is one of the biggest holdbacks for people considering EVs," LaMuraglia said.
LaMuraglia said 2025 IONIQ 5s will be available for purchase by the end of the year.
Hyundai broke ground on the 2,541-acre Metaplant in October 2022 and plans to commence production operations at the plant by the fourth quarter of 2024, with official opening of the facility in the first quarter of 2025. Currently under construction just south of I-16 East near Blitchton, Hyundai is investing $7.6 billion in the Metaplant complex, which is now projected to employ, eventually, 8,500 people on-site.
Murphy, a Savannah resident who has worked at the plant for about seven months, is one of the last workers to see the vehicles come off the production line before they are sent to dealerships.
"We make sure there are no defects in the vehicle," he said. "We make sure the car is in working condition."
There is an element of pride, too, Murphy acknowledged, in seeing the vehicles on the road and telling his kids he played a part in its creation.
"It's more than words can explain," he said. "It's very rewarding to know that you had hand in building that car, that you had a hand in making it is what is right now."
"A vehicle is the second-biggest purchase of your life and it's very personal," LaMuraglia said. "Being able to create something that people are going to live and touch and rely upon every single day is incredibly exciting. I think it is going to be a source of pride for everyone who works at HMGHA."
With the plant expected to start full production by the end of the year, Murphy also praised the company and the plant as a great place to work.
"For any younger person looking for a great career, now is the time to get in," he said. "They are going to be helping the community for a long time."