Hyundai and Kia Move Out of 'Laggard' Status in EV Transition

International Council on Clean Transportation Releases Global Automaker Rankings

Hyundai and Kia Move Up from 'Laggard' to 'Transitioner' Category

Significant Gap Remains with Leading Companies Such as Tesla and BYD

As the global transition to electric vehicles accelerates, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have moved out of the 'laggard' category and entered the 'transitioner' tier in the latest global electric vehicle transition assessment.

According to the 'Global Automaker Rankings 2025' report released on June 16 by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which evaluated the electric vehicle transition of major automakers worldwide, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia achieved a composite score of 35 points (up from 33 points in 2024), advancing to the transitioner category. Hyundai and Kia were the only automakers to move up a tier in this year's assessment.

The key factors behind Hyundai and Kia's improved rating were the expansion of electric vehicle model offerings across different vehicle segments in both the Korean and European markets. In addition, the introduction of a new executive compensation system tied to electric vehicle sales was also reflected in the assessment.

However, the scores for Hyundai and Kia still lagged significantly behind leading companies such as Tesla (83 points), BYD (72 points), Geely (56 points), and SAIC (52 points).

This annual report, now in its fourth edition, analyzed the electric vehicle transition status of 22 major global automakers. The evaluation was based on three key areas—market dominance, technological performance, and strategic vision—across a total of ten indicators.

Irem Kok, Senior Researcher at ICCT and co-author of the report, stated, "The advancement of Hyundai and Kia to a higher tier sends a clear signal of opportunity to Korea's automotive industry." She added, "To remain competitive in major markets, Korean automakers must prioritize expanding their electric vehicle model lineup, making long-term investments, and advancing supply chain decarbonization strategies over the coming years."

The newly published report highlights that the gap in electric vehicle transition between automakers is becoming even more pronounced in the global EV market.

In 2025, electric vehicles accounted for 25% of new light-duty vehicle (passenger car, light truck, SUV, etc.) sales worldwide, up significantly from 19% in 2024. Of the 22 automakers assessed, 21 increased their share of electric vehicle sales compared to the previous year.

However, the strategic divide between companies expanding electric vehicle production and investment, and those adopting hybrid and multi-energy platform strategies in response to short-term market and policy changes, has widened even further.

In this assessment, Tesla and BYD, as pure electric vehicle manufacturers, once again occupied the top spots. However, the gap between the two companies is narrowing, and BYD has surpassed Tesla to rank first in global battery electric vehicle sales for the second consecutive year.

Chinese automakers also remained among the top performers for the second year in a row. SAIC and Geely each recorded electric vehicle sales ratios exceeding 50%, with ChangAn following closely behind. In contrast, Stellantis, Honda, and GM saw significant declines in their 2025 assessment scores, mainly due to the downward revision of their 2030 electric vehicle sales targets.

Electric Vehicle Transition Automotive Maker Rankings. Source: International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.