The official sale of the EV3 and the recovery of GM Korea boost performance… The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 17th that automobile export revenue in September reached a record high of $5.5 billion, a 4.9% increase compared to the same period last year. The previous record was $5.2 billion in September of last year.
The launch of exports for the new electric vehicle, Kia EV3, the expansion of SUV exports, and the recovery in GM Korea’s exports contributed to the strong performance last month. Cumulative export value up to September this year reached $52.9 billion, a 1.6% rise from last year, maintaining a record-high performance.
Exports of eco-friendly vehicles increased by 12.3% year-on-year, amounting to $1.96 billion, marking a positive shift after four months. Specifically, hybrid models like Tucson, Santa Fe, and Carnival saw a massive 75.6% increase, totaling $1.01 billion.
Domestic production amounted to 307,000 units, a 1.7% increase from last September. Even though there was one fewer operational day compared to last year, major automakers expanded production based on overseas demand, reaching monthly production of 300,000 units for the first time in three months.
Domestic sales decreased by 2.3% from September last year, recording 131,000 units. Sales of eco-friendly vehicles, however, increased by 37.9%, reaching 59,000 units compared to last September. Hybrid car sales, in particular, increased by 63.9% to 46,000 units, setting a new monthly record.