South Korea’s Hyundai Motor and Kia posted a sharp rebound in electric vehicle sales in July, led by the arrival of new models including the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV4. The companies sold more than 25,000 EVs during the month, up 67% from June and well above this year’s monthly average of 16,960 units, according to Carisyou Data Research figures cited by KED Global.
Electric vehicles accounted for a record 16.7% of new car sales in the country, with industry analysts pointing to fresh product launches as the main driver. Hyundai’s Ioniq 9, its first three-row electric SUV introduced in February, recorded 1,137 units sold in July. Kia sold nearly 1,500 units of the EV4, its electric sedan launched in March, marking a 38% rise from the previous month. Kia’s other lower-cost EVs, the EV3 and Ray EV, also registered growth of 11.3% and 2.5% respectively compared to June.
The broader Korean EV market also showed signs of resilience, with used EV sales rising 0.8% in July, even as gasoline and diesel vehicle sales dropped 4.9% and 4.1%, respectively. “The shift away from internal combustion engines toward hybrids and EVs is now being reflected in the retail market,” an industry official said. Hyundai now offers just one fully gasoline-powered model, the Venue.
Globally, Hyundai and Kia are sustaining momentum. In the US, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 logged a record 5,818 units sold in July, pushing year-to-date sales to nearly 25,000. The automaker delivered over 2,000 Ioniq 9 units in the US between late May and July. In Germany, Hyundai’s Inster EV, sold domestically as the Casper Electric, was the best-selling small electric car in the first half of 2025 with 6,300 registrations, starting at €23,900 ($28,000) and offering up to 370 km (230 miles) of WLTP range. Kia’s EV3 led the UK’s retail EV market in the same period.
Both companies are preparing to widen their lineup further with affordable models — the Hyundai Ioniq 2 and Kia EV2 — slated for release in 2026, aiming to capture more budget-conscious buyers and strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing global EV market.
