Hyundai Motor Co. said it will accept preorders for a custom-built high-performance edition of the company’s Ioniq 5 electric vehicle (EV), of which only 50 units will be sold globally (Image courtesy of Hyundai)
SEOUL, April 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor and Kia have exceeded 500,000 cumulative electric vehicle (EV) sales in South Korea, marking a significant milestone in the automakers’ transition toward electrification. The figure comes nearly 14 years after Hyundai introduced its first mass-produced EV, the BlueOn, in July 2011.
According to data released Sunday, total domestic EV sales by Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis reached 502,036 units as of the end of March 2025. Hyundai, including its luxury Genesis brand, accounted for 291,608 units, while Kia contributed 210,428.
The sales surge was largely driven by the launch of dedicated EVs built on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform), such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. These models, introduced in 2021, marked a turning point for the group, with EV sales jumping 160 percent year-on-year to 71,447 units.
Hyundai and Kia saw record domestic EV sales in 2022, surpassing 100,000 units for the first time with a total of 119,791 vehicles. In 2023, they maintained strong momentum with 111,911 units sold.
This photo provided by Kia shows the company’s EV6 electric vehicle model. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
While 2024 saw a slowdown to 85,203 units amid what analysts called an “EV chasm” — a temporary softening in demand — the first quarter of 2025 shows signs of recovery, with sales rising over 75 percent year-on-year to 23,159 units, aided by earlier confirmation of government subsidies.
Of the 500,000 units sold, over 215,000 were E-GMP-based dedicated EVs, comprising roughly 43 percent of total sales. These include 83,555 Ioniq 5s, 64,491 EV6s, 26,446 Ioniq 6s, and 18,569 units of the recently launched EV3. The Ioniq 5 and EV6 have also garnered global acclaim, winning awards such as the 2022 World Car of the Year and 2023 North American Car of the Year, respectively.
Kia’s EV3, a compact electric SUV, was named Korea’s 2025 Car of the Year and led Hyundai and Kia’s first-quarter EV sales with 5,718 units sold.
Looking ahead, Hyundai plans to release its flagship SUV Ioniq 9, while Kia is set to unveil the EV4, a new electric sedan. Both automakers are also preparing launches for the updated Ioniq 6 (The New Ioniq 6), Kia’s first purpose-built EV model PV5, and the compact EV5 SUV.
Commercial vehicles also played a significant role. The Hyundai Porter II Electric — a small commercial truck — emerged as the company’s top-selling EV model to date, with 84,919 units sold domestically through March.
An auto industry official noted, “With Hyundai and Kia continuing to roll out new models under their electrification strategy, reaching one million cumulative EV sales within the next five years is a realistic goal.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
