Seoul, October 15: Hyundai Motor, South Korea's biggest carmaker, and its affiliate Kia sold more than a combined 200,000 eco-friendly vehicles in the United States in the January to September period, the companies said on Sunday. The two automakers have sold a combined 213,270 eco-friendly cars in the U.S. in the first nine months, up 61.6 per cent from the 131,986 logged over the same period last year. Elon Musk-Run X Fined By Australia's eSafety Commissioner For Failing To Disclose Information Related To Child Sexual Abuse Material, Google Also Received Formal Warning.

The tally was also higher than the annual sales of 182,627 eco-friendly cars sold in the U.S. in 2022, reports Yonhap news agency. Among Hyundai's cars, Tucson Hybrid was sold the most at 30,353 units, followed by 25,306 units of its electric vehicle model, Ioniq 5, and 16,824 units of the Santa Fe Hybrid. Among Kia's models, sport utility vehicles were popular. A total of 30,604 units of Kia's Sportage Hybrid were sold in the January-September period, as well as 20,003 units of the Niro Hybrid and 19,927 units of the Sorento Hybrid. Tesla Automotive Company Launches Official API Documentation To Support Third-Party Apps: Report.

Hyundai and Kia's strong performance came amid the two companies' efforts to expand their sales of commercial-purpose electric vehicles that are still eligible for tax credits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) though they are assembled outside North America. The share of South Korean automakers in the U.S. commercial eco-friendly vehicle market jumped to 55 percent in August from 5 percent last year, according to the industry ministry.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 16, 2023 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).