Eco-friendly Vehicles Surpass 20% Share for the First Time
Hyundai HEV and Kia EV Show Rapid Growth
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia's sales in the United States last month approached 160,000 units, marking an increase of over 8% compared to the same period last year. Sales of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) also set a monthly record, with their sales share exceeding 20% for the first time ever.
Hyundai and Kia announced on the 4th that they sold a total of 159,558 units in the U.S. market last month, an 8.5% increase compared to the same month last year. High value-added vehicle sales, including eco-friendly vehicles and recreational vehicles (RVs), were the main drivers. In particular, sales of eco-friendly vehicles reached 234,288 units, a 30.9% increase from the same period last year, setting a record for the highest monthly sales ever. The share of eco-friendly vehicles in total sales also reached 21.5%. This is the first time the sales share of eco-friendly vehicles has exceeded 20%.
Hyundai's sales volume was 84,402 units, up 11.6% from the same month last year. The increase in sales of eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) was even more pronounced. Sales reached 20,425 units, a 46.5% increase from May last year. This marked the first time monthly sales surpassed 20,000 units. Hybrid vehicle sales also set a new record, with a total of 13,245 units sold, a 47.3% increase compared to the same month last year. Sales remained above 10,000 units for two consecutive months.
Kia sold a total of 75,156 units in the U.S., a 5.1% increase compared to the same month last year. Eco-friendly vehicle sales were also a key factor. Sales reached 13,683 units, a 13.2% increase from the same month last year, setting a record for the highest monthly sales. While Hyundai saw notable growth in hybrid vehicle sales, Kia experienced a sharp increase in electric vehicle sales. With 7,297 units sold, electric vehicle sales rose 127.1% compared to the same month last year, setting a record for the highest monthly sales.
The best-selling electric vehicle across both companies was Hyundai's Ioniq 5, with sales of 4,449 units. This was an 81.9% increase compared to the same month last year, setting a record for the highest monthly sales. Following were ▲Kia EV6 with 2,660 units (+18.9%), ▲Niro EV with 2,350 units (+152.1%, the highest monthly sales ever), ▲EV9 with 2,187 units (new model increase), and ▲Ioniq 6 with 1,099 units (+13.2%).
Among hybrid vehicles, the Tucson led with 5,359 units sold (+46.4%). This was followed by ▲Sportage HEV with 3,822 units (-7.4%), ▲Santa Fe HEV with 3,453 units (+79.4%), ▲Sonata HEV with 2,307 units (+86.8%), and ▲Avante HEV with 2,126 units (-2.2%).
The best-selling internal combustion engine vehicle was the Hyundai Tucson, with a total of 17,371 units sold. Following was the Kia Sportage, which sold 15,512 units, setting a record for the highest monthly sales ever. Next were the Avante (13,311 units), K3 (13,132 units), Santa Fe (10,997 units), and Telluride (10,315 units) in order.
Meanwhile, the popularity of RVs remained strong by vehicle type. Total sales of Hyundai and Kia RV models reached 121,933 units, a 15.2% increase compared to the previous year. This is a record for the highest monthly RV sales ever.
Genesis also saw sales increase by 5.6% compared to the same month last year, with 5,917 units sold. Despite a decline in sedan sales, strong sales of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) led to a rebound within one month. This contrasts with April, when sales declined compared to the same month last year for the first time in 18 months.
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