Hyundai and Kia forecast surge on sale as EU Goes Electric!
Europe’s auto market took a big electric leap forward last year, with more than 10% of new vehicles registered running entirely on battery power.
- Keeping a low profile but performing outstandingly where nonetheless Korean brands had one hell of a 2021, and their EVs had a lot to do with it.
Hyundai and Kia were top sellers, in terms of share gainers among members of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
The good times kept on rolling in some of the region’s top markets as the calendar turned to 2022. In the U.K., Kia was the best-selling brand in January.
*Chart by SMMT on EV sale
The good times kept on rolling in some of the region’s top markets as the calendar turned to 2022. In the U.K., Kia was the best-selling brand in January.
It was fairly easy to overlook Korean carmakers in Europe before EVs started to take off. VW group is a dominant force across the region
While Hyundai, Kia and Japanese brands like Toyota, Honda and Nissan didn’t quite replicate the success they had appealing to buyers in the U.S. and EU
But now that EVs are helping to unlock more of the European market than ever before, the story of Hyundai and Kia in the region is changing.
- Hyundai started producing the Kona Electric sport utility vehicle at its plant in the northeastern Czech Republic in early 2020, more than tripling supply.
The level of demand for that model and an electric version of the Soul caught Kia off guard. Emilio Herrera, chief operating officer of Kia Europe, said early in the pandemic that Europe had become the focal point for its global EV sales growth.
The recently introduced Hyundai Ioniq 5, purpose-built to be electric, offers more range and room and better acceleration than the Kona Electric, while Kia’s EV6 is even quicker while demand is growing
