This photo provided by Hyundai Motor shows the carmaker’s upgraded all-electric Ioniq 5 released March 4, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Mar. 19 (Korea Bizwire) –Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Kia’s EV6 muscled their way into the top 10 best-selling electric vehicles in the United States last year, carving out a foothold in a market dominated by Tesla.
According to data from the market research firm S&P Global Mobility, the Ioniq 5 registered 31,286 sales in 2022, securing a 2.7% market share and the No. 6 spot. Its stablemate, the EV6 from Kia, racked up 18,243 units for a 1.6% share, placing it 10th.
The sales figures underscore the rising prominence of Hyundai Motor Group’s electrified offerings amid Tesla’s continuing sales juggernaut. The American electric vehicle titan’s Model Y and Model 3 reigned supreme, with a combined 52% market share on registrations of 384,593 and 212,034 units, respectively.
Trailing Tesla were the Chevrolet Bolt EV (62,775 units, 5.5% share), Ford Mustang Mach-E (38,660 units, 3.4%), and Volkswagen ID.4 (36,961 units, 3.2%). These 10 models accounted for an overwhelming 75% of the U.S. electric vehicle market, relegating 83 other models to compete for the remaining 25% share.
The sales breakdown underscores a broader shift in American consumer preferences as environmental concerns fuel interest in electrified powertrains. Of the 11.9 million light vehicles registered in 2022, gasoline models claimed a 78.3% share, while hybrids captured 10.4%, pure electrics 8.5%, and diesel variants a mere 2.8%.
Within the overall light vehicle market, Ford’s F-Series pickup trucks were the top sellers at 676,989 units and a 4.5% share. Other leading models included the Chevrolet Silverado (540,294 units), Toyota RAV4 (430,573 units), Ram trucks (403,033 units), and Honda CR-V (356,687 units).
Significantly, Toyota and Honda dominated the burgeoning U.S. hybrid segment, with six models from the two Japanese automakers making the top 10 list. The Honda CR-V Hybrid led the pack at 194,230 units and a 13.6% market penetration.
“Hyundai Motor Group had an impressive run in the American electric vehicle market last year, trailing only Tesla in sales,” said an industry analyst. “With a dedicated EV plant in Georgia slated to come online this year, they are poised for further inroads.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
