For Hyundai, the Tucson Hybrid Leads Sales
For Kia, the Niro Hybrid Is the Top Seller
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have achieved cumulative sales of 1.5 million eco-friendly vehicles in the U.S. market. This milestone was made possible not only by electric vehicles, but also by a recent sharp increase in hybrid sales, allowing the companies to aggressively expand their market share in the U.S. eco-friendly vehicle segment.
On August 24, Hyundai and Kia announced that their cumulative sales in the U.S. market reached 1,515,145 units as of July, since launching the Sonata Hybrid and K5 Hybrid in 2011. Hyundai sold 870,821 units, while Kia sold 644,324 units.
According to market research firm Wards Intelligence, the U.S. eco-friendly vehicle market reached 1,749,390 units in the first half of this year (January to June), a 21.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
Hyundai and Kia plan to strengthen their competitiveness in eco-friendly vehicles in the U.S. by diversifying their eco-friendly lineup, enhancing product appeal, and establishing a flexible production system, as the share of eco-friendly vehicles in U.S. sales continues to grow.
1.5 Million Eco-Friendly Vehicles Sold in 14 Years
Since entering the U.S. eco-friendly vehicle market in 2011, Hyundai and Kia surpassed cumulative sales of 500,000 units in 2022, just 11 years later. Two years after that, in 2024, they reached 1 million units, and just last month, they achieved the significant milestone of 1.5 million units.
On an annual basis, sales this year had already reached 221,565 units as of July, representing a year-on-year increase of more than 20%. Depending on performance in the second half, the companies are expected to set a new annual sales record.
The proportion of eco-friendly vehicles in Hyundai and Kia's total U.S. sales has also been steadily rising. Last year, it surpassed 20% for the first time (20.3%), and for January to July of this year, it stands at 21.1%. This means that two out of every ten Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in the U.S. are eco-friendly models.
By type, hybrid vehicles surpassed cumulative sales of 1 million units in February and have now reached 1,138,502 units. Electric vehicles followed with 374,790 units, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with 1,853 units.
The best-selling model for Hyundai in the U.S. market is the Tucson Hybrid, which has sold 197,929 units since its U.S. launch in 2021 through July. The next most popular models are the Sonata Hybrid and the Ioniq 5.
For Kia, the Niro Hybrid has sold 183,106 units from 2017 through July. The next best-selling models are the Sportage Hybrid and the Sorento Hybrid.
Hyundai and Kia Offer 19 Types of Eco-Friendly Vehicles... Expanding the Lineup
Hyundai and Kia currently offer 19 eco-friendly vehicle models in the U.S.: eight hybrids (including plug-in hybrids), ten electric vehicles, and one hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
Among these, Hyundai and Kia have aggressively expanded their eco-friendly lineup by launching a hybrid version of the Avante, which has twice been named North American Car of the Year, and by adding hybrid models to SUV segments such as the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Sorento.
Looking ahead, Hyundai and Kia plan to further expand their lineup in the U.S. market by launching various eco-friendly vehicles, including the flagship large SUV Palisade Hybrid and the compact electric sedan EV4.
On the production side, Hyundai and Kia plan to respond to the U.S. eco-friendly vehicle market through the Hyundai Alabama Plant, the Kia Georgia Plant, and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), which began mass production in October last year.
HMGMA currently produces the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9, and will add a Kia model next year, with plans to further expand the production lineup to include Genesis vehicles. In addition to electric vehicles, hybrid models will also be introduced next year, with the goal of establishing a flexible production system.
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