Seoul: Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. have reached a significant milestone by selling over 100,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe during the first half of the year. This achievement underscores the South Korean automakers' commitment to bolstering their presence in the European market, as reported by the companies on Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 131,032 EVs were sold in Europe from January to June 2026, marking a substantial increase of 41.8 percent compared to the 92,365 units sold in the preceding half-year period. Kia's EV3 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) emerged as the top-selling model, with 27,121 units sold. Hyundai's Inster subcompact SUV followed with 16,594 units, and Kia's EV4 sedan recorded sales of 14,502 units.
The current sales trajectory suggests that Hyundai and Kia are on track to surpass 200,000 annual EV sales in Europe for the first time since their entry into the European EV market in 2014. The companies first exceeded 100,000 annual EV sales in 2021, with sales consistently rising to reach 183,912 units in 2025. Through May, their cumulative EV sales in Europe have crossed the 1 million mark.
As part of Hyundai Motor Group, both automakers have been actively expanding their EV offerings in Europe, where the demand for environmentally friendly vehicles remains robust. Presently, they offer 14 different EV models in the region. A source from the conglomerate stated, "As competition in the European EV market intensifies, we plan to further expand our EV lineup to increase our market share."