Hybrids, EVs power Hyundai, Kia’s US auto sales in October

Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-largest automaker, saw a rebound in US auto sales last month thanks to surges in demand for its hybrid cars and electric vehicles in the world's second-largest car market.

The South Korean auto conglomerate with two carmakers – Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. – said on Monday that it had sold 147,613 vehicles in the US last month, up 17.4% from a year earlier.

Hyundai Motor Co.’s sales rose 18.3% to 78,705 units, while Kia’s sales advanced 16.5% on-year to 68,908 units. Hyundai Motor Co.’s luxury brand Genesis sold 6,903 units, up 20.6%.

“The Santa Fe HEV, Tucson HEV and IONIQ 5 led the way, showcasing strong demand for our electrified vehicles that offer cutting-edge technology and exceptional design,” said Hyundai Motor America CEO Randy Parker in a statement.

The Santa Fe HEV and the Tucson HEV are hybrid trims of those popular sport utility vehicle models, while the IONIQ 5 is the Korean automaker’s first pure electric vehicle built on its EV-dedicated platform.

In September, Hyundai Motor Group’s US sales fell 10.4% to 127,941 units from a year earlier.

ECO-FRIENDLY CARS

Hyundai and Kia together sold 31,668 eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrid models and EVs, in October, up 52% from a year earlier. The clean cars made up 21.5% of the group’s total sales last month, 4.9 percentage points higher than a year ago.

Their sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) soared 64.9% on-year to 21,679 units.

The Tucson HEV led the growth, with sales more than doubling to 6,790 units, while Kia sold 1,941 units of the hybrid version of its Carnival minivan.

“Kia continues to appeal to a broad range of consumers as we offer 10 compelling utility models, many with a choice of all-electric, plug-in hybrid, hybrid and ICE powertrains,” said Eric Watson, vice president for Kia America’s sales. ICE refers to internal combustion engine.

Hyundai and Kia combined sold 9,985 EVs in October in the US, the world’s third-largest EV market, up 30.3% from a year earlier.

Write to Jin-Won Kim at jin1@hankyung.com
 
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.