Eco-friendly vehicles make up 10% of Hyundai and Kia global sales

Hyundai Motor Group announced on Sunday that environment-friendly vehicles surpassed ten percent of the conglomerate's global sales in 2021. It's the first time that the South Korean giant has touched this mark in what appears to be a corporate push towards greener mobility solutions.

The corporation's two automakers, Hyundai and Kia, sold 656,479 eco-friendly vehicles worldwide from January to November 2021. That figure is good for 10.7 percent of a total of 6.12 million units.

Hybrid cars accounted for nearly half of those sales, coming in at 49.9 percent. Meanwhile, all-electric models experienced modest growth with 34.2 percent of sales. 

In 2015, eco-friendly vehicles accounted for a mere 1 percent of Hyundai and Kia's annual sales. Fast forward six years and the two brands have experienced astronomical growth in terms of electrifying their vehicle lineups.

Most recently, Kia debuted its redesigned Niro. The Kia Niro is available as a hybrid, PHEV, or all-electric model. Kia gave the 2022 model its signature Tiger Nose grille and a host of other exterior updates. The EV version boasts almost 385 km of range and 100 kW DC fast charging capabilities. 

As for Hyundai, it also has the Kona electric crossover. It delivers about 415 km of range in a single charge with a 150 kW (201 hp) motor. The Kona EV packs a suite of modern features, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Hyundai Motor Group is set to unveil more all-electric models shortly, with the Genesis GV60 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 set to roll out in 2022. With Hyundai and Kia's commitment to developing eco-friendly vehicles for the future, it looks like both companies are well-positioned to lead the way for other brands. Neither automaker currently sells an electric vehicle in the Philippines, but we're told that could change soon.