최초입력 2025.07.10 11:05:40
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. have surpassed 7 million cumulative sales of eco-friendly vehicles, fueled by the popularity of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).
According to Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday, Hyundai and Kia have sold a combined 7,114,168 eco-friendly vehicles as of the end of May.
This marks 17 years since their entry into the market, which began with the domestic launch of the Avante LPi Hybrid in 2009.
The companies reached 1 million cumulative eco-friendly vehicle sales in 2018, taking nine years to hit that milestone.
They reached 2 million just three years later, in 2021, and since 2022 have sold more than 1 million eco-friendly vehicles annually.
From January through May this year, they sold a combined 708,712 units, averaging more than 140,000 per month, setting the stage to surpass 8 million cumulative sales by year-end if the trend continues.
HEVs accounted for the largest share of cumulative sales at nearly 60 percent, or 4,232,863 units.
BEVs followed with 2,150,084 units, representing 30.2 percent, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) totaled 689,425 units (9.7 percent) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) reached 41,796 units (0.6 percent).
By individual model, the Niro HEV led with 720,851 units sold, followed by the Tucson HEV at 617,284 units and the Ioniq 5 at 417,772 units.
Hyundai and Kia’s first eco-friendly vehicle, the Avante LPi Hybrid, struggled due to a high price relative to gasoline models and concerns about liquid petroleum gas fuel efficiency, leading to weak demand.
The companies gained momentum after launching dedicated eco-friendly models—the Ioniq and Niro—in 2016 and expanding their lineup to include eco-friendly SUVs. Consumers have since become more willing to pay a premium, making hybrid development essential.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to continue prioritizing hybrids.
Next year, Kia will launch an HEV version of its best-selling Telluride SUV in North America. Genesis is also expected to roll out HEV versions across its lineup starting as early as next year, beginning with the GV80 and G80.
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