Hyundai Motor Company has had concerns about selling electric vehicles this year. Kona electric car sales have declined more than expected, and the official release date of the Ioniq 5, which attracts attention, has not been confirmed.
According to Hyundai Motor’s January sales results announced on the 1st, the number of Kona electric vehicles sold was only eight, down 77.1% from January last year. In January last year, 35 Kona electric cars were sold.
Every year in the electric vehicle industry, January is considered a’not-sold month’. As the subsidy policy is not finalized, it is difficult for consumers to properly purchase vehicles, and manufacturers do not increase production of electric vehicles during this period. Normally, after the subsidy policy is set, the production of electric vehicles will increase from around March.
Industry forecasts that the Kona electric car will sell double digits in January. However, contrary to expectations, Kona electric cars were sold only in single digits. It is evaluated that the continued fire issue at home and abroad last year made consumers hesitate to purchase vehicles.
Demand for Kona electric vehicles is expected to decline in the future. In Europe, a partially modified Kona electric car has been unveiled, but the expected timing for domestic launch is still unknown. In addition, rumors are spreading that the Kona electric car could be discontinued from this year.
Hyundai Motor Company plans to continue its domestic sales of Kona electric vehicles this year. An official from Hyundai Motors explained, “There was no company plan for the discontinuation of Kona electric vehicles in Korea.”
The E-GMP platform-based electric vehicle’Ioniq 5’has not yet been scheduled for release.
Hyundai Motor Company originally set a policy to proceed with the release schedule of the Ioniq 5 on February 2, but due to internal circumstances, the release schedule was changed.
On the 26th of last month, Hyundai Motor Company posted a 43-second trailer video on YouTube that marked the timing of the release of the Ioniq 5 as Mid February. However, this video was turned to private within a few days after it was released, raising doubts.
Hyundai Motor Company is in a position to upload a video by rescheduling a proper Ioniq 5 release schedule. However, he did not accurately state the reason for the conversion of video privacy.
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According to industry sources, the Hyundai Motors union recently blocked the introduction of the Ioniq 5 test vehicle. This is because it was predicted that if Hyundai Motors increased sales and production of electric vehicles after Ionic 5, employment stability of most union members in charge of producing powertrains for internal combustion engines could be disrupted. It is analyzed that if the labor-management conflict over electric vehicles intensifies, there may be a disruption in the release schedule of Ioniq 5 and the domestic release.
In a recent earnings conference call, Hyundai Motor Company announced that it will first launch the Ioniq 5 in Europe at the end of next month and subsequently sell it to major global regions including Korea. Ioniq 5’s domestically certified mileage, sales price, and subsidy benefits have not been announced yet.