Hyundai Motor Company has announced plans to integrate metal additive manufacturing into production of its next-generation electric vehicles. The automaker will use AM to produce lightweight structural brackets, customized heat exchangers, and consolidated assemblies that reduce vehicle weight and improve manufacturing efficiency.
The initiative is part of Hyundai’s broader strategy to extend EV range and reduce production costs. Every kilogram of weight savings translates to approximately 0.3% improvement in range, making lightweighting a critical focus area for automakers competing in the increasingly crowded EV market.
“Traditional manufacturing requires expensive tooling and long lead times,” said Park Min-woo, head of advanced manufacturing at Hyundai. “AM allows us to rapidly iterate designs and consolidate parts, eliminating welding and fasteners that add weight and complexity. We’re seeing weight reductions of 20-40% on target components.”
Hyundai has established an AM development center at its Namyang R&D facility, equipped with 12 industrial metal 3D printers from various manufacturers including EOS, SLM Solutions, and China’s BLT. The center employs 35 engineers and collaborates with Korean universities and research institutes on process optimization and material development.
Initial production applications will focus on low-volume luxury models and performance variants where the higher cost of AM parts can be justified by functional benefits. As the technology matures and costs decline, Hyundai plans to scale up to higher production volumes.
The company is also investigating AM for tooling and fixtures used in vehicle assembly. 3D printed jigs and fixtures can be customized for specific models and produced on-demand, reducing the need for expensive metal tooling that takes weeks to manufacture.
Korea’s automotive industry, dominated by Hyundai and Kia, has been relatively conservative in adopting new manufacturing technologies. However, the shift to electric vehicles is creating urgency to innovate. Industry analysts expect other Korean manufacturers including battery suppliers and component makers to follow Hyundai’s lead in exploring additive manufacturing.
The company aims to have AM parts in production vehicles by late 2026 and projects that up to 200 different components could be candidates for additive manufacturing within five years.
