Coronavirus hits Hyundai: 2020 i20 debut postponed, S. Korea factory shut down

One way or the other, Coronavirus is affecting every major industry, and the auto industry is no exception. Hyundai is one of the many automakers to have been hit hard by the spread of the deadly virus.

Hyundai had scheduled three world premieres on 3 March 2020: the next-gen i20, the facelifted i30 and the Prophecy EV concept. The company was going to unveil these cars at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. However, because of the recent first confirmed coronavirus diseases in Switzerland and the injunction decision of the Federal Council in the country yesterday that bars events with more than 1,000 people until 15 March 2020, the show has been canceled.

Back home, in South Korea, operations seem to have taken an even bigger hit. Hyundai had to temporarily shut down its operations at the No. 2 Ulsan plant when one of the 300 employees at the paint shop there was diagnosed with Coronavirus. The company has five plants at the Ulsan facility, which is the world's biggest automobile production facility. The Kona Electric sold in India is made at one of these plants.

Instead of disinfecting just the paint shop, Hyundai is taking a preemptive measure and disinfecting the whole No.2 Ulsan plant. The company will resume operations there on 2 March 2020. It manufactures four SUVs at this factory - Palisade, Tucson, Santa Fe and sister brand Genesis' GV80. Genesis had launched the GV80 just last month. Hyundai is also suffering from a shortage of parts from China because of the outbreak of Coronavirus there.

Also Read: First Hyundai EV manufactured in India to debut at Auto Expo 2022

In India, Hyundai is gearing up for multiple BS-VI upgrades, mid-cycle refreshes and full model changes in the coming months. Next month, the company will launch the facelifted Tucson, the next-gen Creta and the facelifted Verna.