Seoul: Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. have announced a significant milestone, selling over 100,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe during the first half of 2026, as the South Korean automotive giants bolster their market presence in the region.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the companies reported a total of 131,032 EVs sold across Europe in the first six months of the year, marking a substantial 41.8 percent increase from the 92,365 units sold in the previous half. The surge in sales was led by Kia's EV3 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), which emerged as the bestselling model with 27,121 units sold. Hyundai's Inster subcompact SUV and Kia's EV4 sedan followed closely with 16,594 and 14,502 units sold, respectively.
If the current sales momentum is maintained, Hyundai and Kia anticipate surpassing the 200,000-unit mark in annual EV sales in Europe for the first time since entering the European market in 2014. The companies first exceeded 100,000 annual EV sales in Europe in 2021, with a steady climb leading to 183,912 units sold in 2025. Their cumulative EV sales in Europe have now eclipsed 1 million units as of May.
The Hyundai Motor Group, which encompasses both automakers, has been actively expanding its EV lineup to cater to the growing demand for eco-friendly vehicles in Europe. Currently, the group offers 14 EV models in the region. A source within the conglomerate stated, "As competition in the European EV market intensifies, we plan to further expand our EV lineup to increase our market share."
Additionally, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung recently visited Hyundai Motor's Turkish plant to oversee the production line for the upcoming Ioniq 3. Set to enter mass production later this month, the all-electric compact hatchback is expected to debut in the European market in the latter half of the year. The Turkish plant, celebrating its 30th anniversary of mass production next year, boasts an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles and aims to ramp up its EV production capabilities.
Chung emphasized the importance of innovation, stating, "We must pursue continuous innovation and strengthen our competitiveness to become the undisputed leader in Turkey across all areas, including production, quality, and sales."