Hyundai's $13 billion investment in Georgia is the best antidote to Trump tariffs, CEO says

What he's saying: "We decided to invest big time in America as the most important market," CEO José Muñoz tells Axios.

• "So the best way for us to navigate tariffs is to increase localization."
• The Korean company's new partnership with General Motors will also help Hyundai stay within U.S. supply chain rules, he added.
• And the entire industry will benefit from having Tesla CEO Elon Musk advising Trump, Muñoz said.
• "But the number one best solution is the commitment to the market and the investment here," said Muñoz, who was born in Spain and is a U.S. citizen.

What to watch: The new Trump administration will decide whether or not to impose tariffs on imported cars and auto parts, Muñoz said, but Hyundai will be prepared either way.

• "We are going to have much more (production) capacity in the United States than we've ever had."

By the numbers: Hyundai's role in the U.S. auto sector has mushroomed since Trump's first term.

• Hyundai has invested almost $16 billion in U.S. vehicle production since 2021.
• That includes $7.6 billion for a new electric vehicle factory in Georgia that opened last fall, and will eventually create 8,500 jobs and build more than 300,000 Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles a year.
• Another $5 billion battery joint venture with SK On will employ an additional 3,500 people.