Hyundai, Kia’s green vehicle sales in U.S hit 1.5mn over 14 yrs

Hyundai’s Tucson Hybrid

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. have sold more than 1.5 million eco-friendly vehicles in the Unites States since launching sales 14 years ago. Last year, the share of eco-friendly models in their combined sales surpassed 20 percent for the first time.

The two South Korean automakers said Sunday that cumulative sales of eco-friendly cars in the U.S. reached 1,515,145 units as of the end of July, with Hyundai selling 870,821 and Kia 644,324.

Hyundai and Kia began selling eco-friendly vehicles in the U.S. in 2011, starting with the Sonata Hybrid and K5 Hybrid, respectively.

Sales have accelerated in line with rising demand and increased investment in eco-friendly models. The companies’ annual eco-friendly vehicle sales surpassed 100,000 units in 2021, reached 270,000 in 2023, and 340,000 in 2024. As of July this year, sales totaled 221,565, up 20 percent from a year earlier.

The best-selling eco-friendly models in the U.S. have been Hyundai’s Tucson Hybrid and Kia’s Niro Hybrid. Since launching in the U.S. in 2021, the Tucson Hybrid has sold about 200,000 units, while cumulative sales of the Niro Hybrid have reached around 180,000.

Hyundai and Kia now offer a broader range of eco-friendly vehicles in the U.S., including eight hybrid models (PHEVs and HEVs), 10 electric vehicles, and one hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, totaling 19 models.

Hyundai also plans to ramp up supply to meet rising U.S. demand through its new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), which began mass production earlier this year. The plant currently produces the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9, with plans to add Kia eco-friendly vehicles next year and expand production to Genesis models in the future.