- Hyundai posted another strong year of electric vehicle sales in the United States, boosted by the popular Ioniq 5 and the addition of the new Ioniq 9.
- However, EV sales declined in the fourth quarter and in December as EV tax credits expired.
- Kia has had less luck in electric vehicles, but still enjoyed its best year in U.S. sales ever.
It turns out that not every automaker is like that Seeing a drop In electric car sales.
South Korean automaker Hyundai released its final sales data for 2025 today. The numbers show another year of electric vehicle sales gains, led by popularity IONIQ 5 CROSS And add new ones Ionic 9 Three-row SUVs to the lineup. Hyundai also said that 2025 will set another record for annual sales for the Ioniq 5.
That car, A Editor’s Choice for InsideEVs Awards For 2026, it moved 47,039 models in 2025, up from 44,400 in 2024. The Ioniq 9, which was not on sale in 2024, sold 5,189 examples.
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Source: InsideEVs
Combined with the Kona Electric — which Hyundai is inseparable from in sales of the regular Kona — and its range of hybrids, Hyundai sets an all-time record for U.S. electric vehicle sales in 2025. Electric vehicles are up 7% year-over-year, while hybrids are up 36%, the latter making up a third of Hyundai’s total sales.
At the same time, Ionic 6 It continued to suffer from America’s declining interest in sedans. It moved 10,478 models in 2025, down from 12,264 models in 2024. It is unclear whether Ionic 6 updated Whether it will come to the US or not, but the high-performance Ioniq 6 N will be sold here.”In limited quantities“.
However, some cracks are starting to appear in Hyundai’s electric vehicle sales. In the fourth quarter, after electric vehicle tax credits in America expired, Ioniq 5 sales fell 58% compared to the same period in 2024. Hyundai has responded by cutting prices for its electric lineup significantly, making the Ioniq 5 in particular One of the best new electric car deals in America.
Hyundai also sold five Nexo fuel cell vehicles In 2025.
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Source: Patrick George
Meanwhile, Korean automaker Kia’s sister brand hasn’t been quite so lucky with selling electric cars in 2025. Let’s EV6Despite being close behind the Ioniq 5, it sold 12,933 units last year – down 40% from 2024. The three-row EV9 SUV was also down, selling 15,051 units versus 22,017 units in 2024. Sales of Kia’s electric vehicles also fell significantly after tax credits ended.
Despite this, Kia had a good year. It also claims that 2025 was its best sales year ever in the US, with total sales up 7% despite policy headwinds, tariffs and other challenges. In particular, Kia’s strong-selling hybrid vehicles pushed EV sales up 24% year-on-year.
Hyundai Motor Group has made ambitious plans to build electric vehicles in America, counting on tax breaks and stricter fuel economy rules to boost the market for electric vehicles. With the Trump administration and Congress getting rid of both, company officials said they would adjust their strategy accordingly Focus on hybrid cars And adjust prices. the Kia’s EV4 sedan was delayed indefinitely last yearThis is partly due to increased tariffs on Korean-made cars.
But the question now is, how can Hyundai and Kia maintain the EV momentum they have achieved with buyers so far? One answer could be selling Let EV3 And the next Hyundai IONIQ 3— two smaller, more affordable crossovers that share technology with their larger siblings — in the U.S. Or even perhaps build one or both of these vehicles in the U.S., as the automaker is doing now with the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 9, EV6 and EV9.
However, Kia hasn’t released any new details about the EV3’s US release, and the Ioniq 3 won’t be released until later this year. For now, fans of these brands who want something affordable may have to wait a long time.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
