As rivals including Ford and GM pull back, Hyundai is surging ahead in the US electric vehicle market. Hyundai’s US CEO, Randy Parker, is calling out the competition as the brand goes “all in” on EVs.
Hyundai goes “all in” on EVs as rivals pull back
“Why would anybody want to purchase an EV from an [automaker] who’s lobbying against EVs?” Parker told The Electric.
After selling nearly 40,000 EVs in the US last year, Hyundai Motor Group (including Kia and Genesis) surpassed Ford and General Motors to become the second-best-selling EV brand behind only Tesla.
Meanwhile, American automakers and several others are pulling back on EV plans, citing “slower than expected demand.” Not for Hyundai, however.
“If a person is thinking about buying an EV, I think you want to go to a company who is fully committed to selling EVs in the United States,” Parker explained. These are bold words as the company doubles down on electric cars.
While rivals are delaying EV launches and cutting billions from electric vehicle spending, Hyundai’s US boss says the company is still “all in” on EVs.
Hyundai offers three of the most affordable electric cars in the US: the IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, and Kona Electric. The IONIQ 5 was the sixth best-selling EV in the US last year, with nearly 34,000 models sold. It also just set a new March sales record, pushing EV sales up 100% last month.
Beating out the competition
The upgraded 2024 Hyundai Kona is better in every way, with more range, faster charging, and a sleek new design. It’s also one of the cheapest EVs you can buy, starting under $33,000.
As one of the cheapest cars to lease in the US (gas or EV), Hyundai’s IONIQ 6 is seeing higher demand. US IONIQ 6 sales are up 794% through the first three months of 2024.
A recent study from Boston Consulting Group found that Hyundai’s IONIQ 6 was the only EV that met potential buyers’ range, charging, and price targets. Tesla’s Model 3 was the next closest.
Hyundai looks to accelerate its momentum after fast-tracking construction at its first EV and battery plant in the US. The state of Georgia dedicated February 26, 2024, to the automaker, calling it “Hyundai Day,” as the automaker invests billions while creating thousands of jobs.
Although initial plans called for production to begin next year, Hyundai now expects to begin building EVs in the fourth quarter to qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Hyundai is investing nearly $7.6 billion, directly creating 8,500 jobs. Its $5 billion battery plant with SK will establish another 3,500 positions. And that’s not including the suppliers the company has brought along with it.
According to the Center for Automotive Research, Hyundai’s investments totaled over $12.6 billion while creating 50,000 new jobs in the area.
Electrek’s Take
Hyundai is already gaining market share in the US after topping Ford and GM in EV sales last year (with Kia and Genesis).
With its vehicles expected to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit, the automaker looks to take advantage of rivals pulling back.
While Ford and GM work to lower EV costs with new battery tech, Hyundai is already offering affordable electric cars on its E-GMP platform. Hyundai is expected to reveal its first three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9, later this year as it expands into new segments.
Meanwhile, Ford announced it’s delaying the launch of its three-row electric SUV as it waits for the market to develop.
This could create another opportunity for Hyundai to steal market share in the US. In fact, three-row electric SUVs are already in demand. Rivian’s R1S was the seventh best-selling EV last year, behind the IONIQ 5.
After kicking off sales late last year, Kia has sold over 4,000 units of its three-row EV9 electric SUV.
Hyundai is taking advantage of arguably the auto industry’s most significant transition while staying laser-focused on the future. The company aims to be one of the top three EV makers globally by 2030. By doubling down and going “all in” on EVs, Hyundai is positioning itself to outpace the competition.
Hyundai Motor is now the fourth largest automaker in the US, behind GM, Ford, and Toyota, with EV sales surging.
Do you think Hyundai can be one of the top three EV producers by 2030? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re in the market for a new EV, now is one of the best times to buy, with some of the lowest prices available. We can help you find the right model for you at the price you are looking for. You can use our links below to find deals on Hyundai’s EVs at a dealer near you.
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Although sales of Porsche’s first EV, the Taycan, fell nearly 50% in 2024, things could be looking up for the sports car maker. After its “launch literally electrified us,” the electric Porsche Macan may spark a comeback this year.
Why did Porsche’s EV sales drop in 2024?
Porsche delivered over 310,700 vehicles globally last year, or about 9,500 less than in 2023. Sales in China led the downfall, plunging 28% from the prior year amid a wave of low-cost domestic EVs entering the market.
In total, Porsche delivered 20,836 Taycan EVs to customers last year, down 49% from 2023. The lower total comes after launching the upgraded 2025 Taycan last year. Porsche also said, “The ramp-up of electric mobility is generally proceeding more slowly than planned” as part of the reason.
In its largest sales market, North America, Porsche delivered over 86,500 vehicles in 2024. Although that’s up a mere 1% from 2023, Porsche’s EV sales also took a hit.
Porsche sold 4,747 Taycan models in the US last year, 37% fewer than in 2023. The 2025 model began arriving at US dealerships last Summer, which helped push sales up nearly 75% in the fourth quarter to 2,358.
Meanwhile, Porsche’s second EV, the electric Macan, could have an even bigger impact. After delivering the first models at the end of September, Porsche delivered 18,278 electric Macans by the end of 2024.’
“This launch literally electrified us. I am therefore particularly pleased that more than 18,000 examples of the all-electric variant have already been delivered,” Porsche AG board member for sales and marketing, Detlev von Platen, said.
Porsche sold 2,771 electric Macan SUVs in the US last year. On a call with reporters (via Automotive News), the company’s North American CEO, Timo Resch, said, “A lot of the consumers that come into the Macan Electric are [new to the] brand.”
Electrek’s Take
I’m not here to say the electric Macan will be Porsche’s savior, but the strong sales start is promising. Porsche has already backtracked on plans for 80% of deliveries to be electric by 2030.
According to recent reports, the electric Cayenne, due out in 2026, could be delayed depending on market demand. The upcoming 718 Cayman and Boxster EVs could also face delays as Porsche plans to keep gas and hybrid models alive longer than expected.
Looking ahead, Porsche also plans to introduce an ultra-luxury electric SUV to sit above the Cayenne, codenamed “K1” internally. It’s expected to compete with Range Rover and Ferrari’s first electric SUVs.
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Elon Musk complains that Tesla is not getting subsidies for its electric truck chargers while calling for the end of electric vehicle subsidies in the US.
However, it wasn’t included in any round of funding, including the latest one announced this week, which should be the latest now that Trump is getting into office and campaigned on ending electric vehicle subsidies.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk contributed more than $240 million to get Trump elected and supported his goal of removing subsidies for electric vehicles.
That’s why it’s surprising to see Musk comment on the news in disappointment. He wrote on X: “Hear we go again (sigh)”.
While this specific project wasn’t funded, 49 other projects shared over $600 million in funding that will deploy more than 11,500 EV charging ports across 27 states, four federally recognized tribes, and the District of Columbia.
Also, while Tesla didn’t get any funding in this round, Tesla has received millions in funding for its charging stations in the previous round.
Electrek’s Take
I think that’s fair. If you are actively lobbying for the end of EV subsidies in the US, a market that is far behind the rest of the world in EV adoption, why should the administration that is investing in correcting that give you the subsidies you are trying to end?
It makes no sense. That’s why I also support California in signaling that if the Federal government removes its EV subsidies, it will replace them at the state level, but Tesla will be left out.
It’s especially fair considering Elon has made it clear that the reason he wants to kill EV subsidies, which Tesla was the biggest beneficiary of, is that he believes it will put more pressure on the competition than Tesla and potentially kill them while only Tesla will remain.
He basically wants to pull the ladder that Tesla used to get where it is now to prevent others from using it.
“Subsidies for me, not for thee” – Elon’s new motto.
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The US electric bike industry has already seen a regulation-heavy start to 2025. Now, New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s potential new restrictions on fast and exceedingly heavy electric bikes could add to the proposed and enacted legislation we’ve seen lately.
Hochul proposed in her State of the State address yesterday that Class 3 electric bikes weighing over 100 lb (45 kg) be excluded from existing electric bicycle regulations and instead be treated more like mopeds.
That would mean imposing motor vehicle regulations resulting in licensing and registration requirements, as well as disallowing their use in bike lanes.
The governor explained that this new regulation would ideally help increase the safety of bike lanes, according to Streetsblog NYC.
As a reminder, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes can reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) on motor power, with Class 2 e-bikes including a throttle that allows motor use without requiring the pedals to be used. In most states, Class 3 e-bikes can reach higher speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h) with pedal assist but not throttle. However, New York State has stricter Class 3 limits that provide for speeds up to just 25 mph (40 km/h).
The proposed new regulations would only target Class 3 e-bikes that exceed the suggested weight limit of 100 lb (45 kg).
Most electric bikes weigh well under 100 lb (45 kg). Common e-bikes seen regularly on US streets and bike lanes weigh between 50-75 lb (23 to 34 kg). However, there are some e-bike models available on the market that can reach or exceed 100 lb (45 kg). We’ve tested a few of them.
Such heavy electric bikes are usually visually similar to mopeds and light electric motorcycles, often featuring large tires, heavy motors, dual suspension, chunky frames, and other components that add significant weight. However, many heavy electric bicycles are limited to 20 mph (32 km/h), and could exceed the arbitrary 100 lb (45 kg) proposed limit while still not falling under this proposed regulation due to their Class 2 designation.
Electrek’s Take
At face value, there’s some logic to this. A 100 lb electric bike has a lot more rolling mass than a 50 lb electric bike, and you can guess which one I’d rather get hit by. Though at the same time, when the rider nearly always weighs more than the vehicle, the weight of the e-bike certainly has a lower relevance to its safety. With a 200 lb (91 kg) rider on both bikes, we’re only talking about a relatively small 20% difference in mass.
And it’s a bit telling that there wasn’t much discussion in the State of the State address about any other road safety issues, certainly not about the several thousand-pound cars that actually kill many New Yorkers every year.
I’m not saying I don’t support reasonable regulations to ensure the safety of everyone, in the bike lanes and outside of them. But let’s get real here. The percentage of electric bikes that are 100+ lb is tiny, likely under 1-2% of all e-bikes on the road. And that’s a tiny slice of an entire pie that is itself a tiny slice of the injury-causing-vehicle pie. So I’m not saying there isn’t any good regulation opportunity out there for e-bikes. But this is all fluff on top of fluff if you think it’s actually about making a meaningful impact on road safety. If they really cared about better protecting cyclists, governments would enforce existing laws to prevent cars from killing them so frequently.
These types of clumsy, heavy-handed regulations are just that – quick and dirty attempts to appear to be working towards a solution, when in fact they are largely meaningless in their ultimate impact on protecting lives.
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