Hyundai Motor Group eyes record-breaking sales in UK

Hyundai Motor Group expects to achieve record-high sales performance in the UK this year. This is even more significant because the UK is well well-known traditional advanced country for automobiles in the world. 

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in the UK on Monday, Hyundai Motor Group's finished car companies and brands Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., and Genesis sold a total of 173,428 vehicles in the UK automotive market (based on passenger cars) from January to October this year.

This represents an 8.7% increase in sales compared to the same period last year, and the group's market share in the local automotive market reached 10.8%.

Hyundai Motor Group's sales in the UK are expected to reach a record high if cumulative sales growth through last month is maintained through the end of the year. The Group's highest UK sales to date were 186,625 units. Last year, it sold 181,610 units.

Delving into individual brands, Hyundai Motor sold 75,456 vehicles from January to October this year, securing the eighth spot in the fiercely competitive UK market, where over 45 global brands vie for attention.

In contrast, Kia secured the fourth position, with 96,784 vehicles sold during the same period, while Genesis, launched in the local market last year, sold 1,188 units.

This impressive sales performance underscores Hyundai Motor Group's adeptness at effectively penetrating the rapidly evolving UK market, with a strong focus on eco-friendly vehicles.

According to the SMMT, eco-friendly cars, including battery electric vehicles (BEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), constituted a notable 36.0% of the total 1,605,437 vehicles sold in the UK automotive market from January to October this year. This marks a 3.5 percentage point increase compared to the same period last year.

In this context, Hyundai Motor Group has actively increased the sales of electric and hybrid cars within the UK market. Their combined sales of eco-friendly vehicles from January to October this year amounted to 84,420 units, signifying a commendable 6.7% rise compared to the corresponding period last year.

During this period, electric vehicle sales surged by 4.2%, reaching 28,456 units, while hybrid car sales registered an impressive 8.2% increase, totaling 51,986 units.

Notably, Hyundai Motor Group's sales of eco-friendly cars in the UK have demonstrated consistent year-on-year growth, starting with 36,750 units in 2020, followed by 61,706 units in 2021, and a significant 86,294 units in 2022.

Kia has also made strides in expanding its electric vehicle portfolio, elevating its offerings from two models, the Soul EV and Niro EV, in 2020, to four models, including the EV6 introduced in 2021 and EV9 launched in the second half of this year.

In addition, Hyundai Motor Group has continued its efforts to tailor its activities to the local market, including unveiling the IONIQ 5 N electric car at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2023, the UK's largest automotive festival in July this year, as well as supporting culture and arts and sports marketing.

Write to Nan-Sae Bin at binthere@hankyung.com