Hyundai, Kia sell 300,000 eco-friendly cars overseas

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, the country’s two largest automakers, witnessed their overseas sales of environment-friendly vehicles surpass the 300,000-unit mark for the first time this year, industry data showed Sunday.

From January to November, the two affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group sold a combined 306,266 electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell electric vehicles in overseas markets.

The figure shows an increase of 26.8 percent from the 238,155 environment-friendly vehicles sold in the same period last year.

“While the market situation was not easy with the COVID-19 pandemic, the sales of environment-friendly vehicles in overseas markets increased,” an official with the automotive group said.

Electric vehicles accounted for the largest proportion of that number, with 137,286 vehicles sold during the period. This is double last year’s 68,907 vehicles, as Hyundai’s Kona Electric and Kia’s Niro EV witnessed a surge in popularity.

Hybrid vehicles were next on the list with 118,816 units sold, as PHEVs posted 49,299 sales and fuel cell EVs 865.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)