By james art 
Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-largest automaker, saw a rebound in U.S. auto sales last month thanks to a surge in demand for its hybrid and electric vehicles.
The South Korean automotive conglomerate with two car manufacturers – Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. — said Monday it sold 147,613 vehicles in the U.S., the world’s second-largest auto market, last month, up 17.4 percent from a year earlier.
Hyundai Motor Co.’s sales were up 18.3% to 78,705 units, while Kia sales rose 16.5% to 68,908 units. Hyundai Motor Co.’s Genesis luxury brand. has sold 6,903 units, which is 20.6% more year-on-year.
“The Santa Fe HEV, Tucson HEV and IONIQ 5 led the way, demonstrating strong demand for our electrified vehicles that offer cutting-edge technology and outstanding design,” Hyundai Motor America CEO Randy Parker said in a statement.
The Santa Fe HEV and Tucson HEV are hybrid versions of these popular sports utility vehicle models, while the IONIQ 5 is the leading South Korean automaker’s first pure electric vehicle built on its EV-dedicated platform.
In September, Hyundai Motor Group’s US sales fell 10.4 percent to 127,941 units from a year earlier.
ECOLOGICAL CARS
Hyundai and Kia sold 31,668 eco-friendly vehicles, including hybrid models and electric cars, in October, up 52 percent from a year earlier. Pure cars accounted for 21.5% of the group’s total sales last month, up 4.9 percentage points from a year ago.
Their hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales jumped 64.9% to 21,679 units.
The Tucson HEV led the growth, with sales doubling to 6,790 units, while Kia sold 1,941 units of the hybrid version of the Carnival minivan.
“Kia continues to appeal to a wide range of consumers as we offer 10 compelling utility models, many with a choice of all-electric, plug-in hybrid, hybrid and ICE powertrains,” said Eric Watson, vice president of sales for Kia America, having referring to the internal combustion engine.
Hyundai and Kia sold 9,985 EVs in October in the US, the world’s third-largest EV market, up 30.3% from a year earlier.
Write to Jin-Won Kim at [email protected]
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.