Hyundai, Kia's cumulative eco-friendly car sales top 1.5 mil. in US

Tucson gasoline hybrid SUV / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia said Sunday their cumulative sales of eco-friendly vehicles in the United States surpassed 1.5 million units last month.

Combined sales of their environment-friendly models reached 1,515,145 units as of July, 14 years after the automakers rolled out such vehicles in the world's largest automobile market, company data showed.

Amid a slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) demand, Hyundai and Kia have increased their focus on gasoline hybrid and premium models in the U.S. while continuing to maintain their EV lineups.

Best-selling models include Hyundai's Tucson hybrid SUV, Sonata hybrid sedan and all-electric Ioniq 5, along with Kia's Sportage and Sorento hybrid SUVs.

Hyundai plans to add a hybrid version of its flagship Palisade SUV for U.S. customers, while Kia is preparing to launch the EV4 compact electric sedan.

In July alone, the two carmakers sold a combined 157,353 vehicles in the U.S., up 13 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.