Hyundai Motor reports March South Korea EV sales up 38% from a year ago

SEOUL, April 1 (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor 005380.KS sold 7,809 electric vehicles (EVs) in South Korea in March, up 38% from a year earlier, the South Korean automaker said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

The jump in EV sales in South Korea contrasted with Hyundai's overall performance. The South Korean automaker said it sold a total of 358,759 vehicles globally in March, down 2.3% from a year earlier, with domestic sales falling 2.0% and overseas sales declining 2.4%.

Hyundai Motor said that in South Korea sales of environmentally friendly vehicles, including hybrid and electric models, reached a record high for a first quarter in the January-March period, with 19,040 EVs and 39,597 hybrids sold.