Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.

The Board of Investment traveled to Seoul on September 28-29, 2026, to discuss investment plans with three leading South Korean companies: Hyundai, T-Robotics and COSMAX, and to hold talks with the Federation of Korean Industries, or FKI, on expanding investment cooperation between the two countries. BOI Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said the roadshow aims to attract new investment and to build on the investments of South Korean companies already based in Thailand, moving them toward higher value-added activities including research and development, smart manufacturing and advanced technology. Hyundai Motor, which has received BOI promotion to build a battery electric vehicle and lithium-ion battery plant in Samut Prakan province and began actual production in May 2026, discussed ways to upgrade its investment toward advanced technology activities and to link Thai suppliers into its supply chain. T-Robotics, a South Korean industrial robotics specialist and a key partner of Applied Materials, was invited to invest in Thailand to serve the semiconductor and advanced electronics industries, and the company is interested in supporting a high-skilled workforce development program known as Skill Bridge. COSMAX, which researches, develops and manufactures cosmetics for leading global brands and has invested in Thailand since 2018, is investing an additional more than 1.8 billion baht to build a new plant and expand capacity; it has already hired more than 500 Thai workers and plans to raise that to more than 700 next year. FKI said South Korean companies are focusing on expanding investment in three main areas: semiconductors, robotics or physical AI, and artificial intelligence data centers. South Korean investment in ASEAN has more than doubled since 2010 to about 10 billion US dollars a year. From 2021 through the first half of 2026, South Korea submitted 167 investment promotion applications in Thailand with a combined value of more than 65.9 billion baht, mostly in electronics and electrical appliances, machinery and automation systems, metal products and materials, and chemicals.

IONNA, the charging network founded by eight of the world's leading automakers, announced it has surpassed more than 180 live charging sites nationwide, more than doubling the size of the network since the beginning of 2026. The growth comes alongside a first-place ranking among DC Fast Chargers in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, earned in IONNA's very first year of eligibility, and the company says it is the largest 400kW charging network in the US. Since announcing its strategic partnership with Circle K earlier this year, IONNA has brought 40 Circle K charging locations online, doubling usage at those locations following upgrades to IONNA operations. Supported partner apps have grown to 19 with new integrations across Presto, ChargeHub and EV Connect, while Plug & Charge is newly enabled for Volvo drivers and Toyota and Lexus support is anticipated in October; Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz have joined BMW and GM in offering charging discounts through their apps and Plug & Charge. IONNA also founded a Driver Advisory Council co-captained by Kyle Conner of Out of Spec and Tom Moloughney of State of Charge, whose first priority will be gathering feedback on the newly launched Driver's Dashboard. "The industry has treated charging scale and charging quality as a tradeoff," said Seth Cutler, CEO of IONNA. "Our growth and first-place customer satisfaction ranking show that drivers can and should expect both."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration expects automakers' technology costs to decline by $60.6B through 2031 following the slashed fuel economy standards finalized this week. Within that total, General Motors' technology costs are seen falling by $20.4B, Stellantis by $6.2B, Hyundai by $5.3B, Ford by $5.1B, Toyota by $4.5B and Honda by $4.1B. NHTSA projected that if savings are passed on to consumers, per-vehicle costs for new vehicles would be reduced by $1,289 for model year 2031, on average. GM said it supported the goals of NHTSA's final rule for Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and its intention to better align them with market realities. John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, called the Biden-era standards an effective requirement to switch to electric vehicles that was out of step with market realities and customer demand, and described the final rule as an appropriate course correction. Under the previous administration, the auto industry was expected to face no more than $1.83B in fines from 2027 through 2031 for not meeting CAFE standards.

Cox Automotive has forecast a 7.1% decline in Ford's U.S. vehicle sales for the third quarter, a period in which Hyundai Motor is projected to outsell Ford in the U.S. for the first time. The projected reshuffling of U.S. sales rankings reflects softer demand for some major Detroit automakers and rapidly growing demand for hybrids that is benefiting Asian manufacturers while pressuring Ford's traditional market position. Ford's second-quarter 2026 results showed US$48,296 million in revenue and a US$1,327 million net loss, even as the company pays a regular US$0.15 dividend and has been buying back shares to offset stock compensation. Ford's investment narrative projects US$192.2 billion in revenue and US$16.2 billion in earnings by 2029, yielding a US$15.73 fair value, while more pessimistic analysts assume revenue could fall about 3.2% a year and reach only roughly US$170.3 billion by 2029 with earnings of about US$13.4 billion. The forecast highlights competitive pressure from Asian and low-cost Chinese EV and hybrid makers, but does not clearly change the near-term catalysts around cost cuts and Ford Pro growth or the core risk of an uneven EV and hybrid transition.

General Motors and Ford Motor are forecast to post the steepest US market-share declines among 13 car companies tracked by Cox Automotive, according to the firm's quarterly forecast. Ford's vehicle sales are expected to drop 8.8% through the first three quarters of the year, knocking its market share down nearly a full percentage point to 12.5%. GM is expected to end the quarter with a 16.7% market share, down from 17.4% a year earlier, as its US vehicle sales underperform a broader industry that Cox projects will decline 6.2% year-to-date through September 30. Chrysler-parent Stellantis is expected to gain market share through the third quarter, yet the combined share of the three Detroit automakers is expected to hit an all-time low of around 36%, said Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, who added that Asian brands are expected to account for more than half of US new-vehicle sales for a second consecutive quarter. Toyota is forecast to post year-over-year growth in the third quarter and continues to close the gap with GM, while Hyundai Motor Group is also expected to deliver another strong quarter with sales rising from both a year ago and the prior quarter and ahead of Ford Motor Company. Tesla's year-to-date sales are projected to drop 18.9% year-over-year, pulling its market share down to 3.0% from 3.7%.

Boston Dynamics officially opened its Robotics Metaplant Application Center at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America outside Savannah, Georgia on Monday, transitioning from pilot operations that began in June to full-scale operations. The center serves as a test bed and training center for integrating Atlas humanoids across Hyundai's automotive factories, with Boston Dynamics training the robots to take over repetitive parts sequencing and heavy-lifting tasks over the next few years and component assembly by 2030. Boston Dynamics, which became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai in July, said it plans to begin exploring use cases for Atlas in other industry sectors next year, and will move into a new building at the Georgia site that will make its test bed and training center 10 times its current size. The center is a key part of Hyundai's larger strategy unveiled in January to restructure its manufacturing environments for humans to work safely alongside robots; Hyundai initially plans to deploy 25,000 Atlas units across its global plants, including Kia factories, over the next few years, and will establish a U.S. facility capable of producing 30,000 robots per year, with a location not disclosed. Separately, the Toyota Group aims to deploy close to 400,000 robots to update its aging factories and supplier network, starting in 2028 with 150,000 units across Toyota Motor Corp. and the Toyota Group plus 250,000 units at various suppliers, a total that includes replacement of existing robots and new units such as humanoids; Toyota's factory automation efforts could cost up to $6.4 billion per year, according to Reuters.

Hyundai Motor is planning to manufacture "tens of thousands" of Ioniq 5 robotaxis for Alphabet's Waymo, Chief Executive José Muñoz said Thursday at an event in San Jose, California. The production target, reported by InsideEVs, is the first time Hyundai and Waymo have disclosed the expected number of vehicles since announcing their partnership in 2024. The robotaxis will be built at Hyundai's manufacturing complex near Savannah, Georgia, with commercial deliveries expected to begin in the fourth quarter after an initial testing program. Muñoz said the robotaxi manufacturing operation is already profitable and is developing into a business of its own, and that other autonomous-vehicle companies have expressed interest, potentially allowing Hyundai to expand beyond Waymo. The Ioniq 5 vehicles will be delivered with modifications needed to accommodate Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous-driving system, an integration that could simplify deployment compared with vehicles retrofitted after assembly. Waymo has about 4,000 vehicles operating or preparing to operate across 14 U.S. cities, and its expansion makes it a potentially significant fleet customer as automakers including Rivian, Lucid and Stellantis also pursue vehicle-supply agreements with Uber or other autonomous-mobility partners.

Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz warned that Chinese vehicles could flood the U.S. market, as they did in Europe, unless Washington maintains tariffs and other trade safeguards, Reuters reported. Munoz noted that Chinese vehicles are 30%-40% cheaper than rival models in some markets including Italy, Spain and France, even with EU trade barriers such as tariffs and minimum pricing commitments in place. He said the UK, which left the EU in 2020 and has no similar tariffs on Chinese cars, now counts all of its top car sellers as Chinese, and warned similar things could happen in the U.S. at different levels unless certain conditions are met. The U.S. has effectively blocked Chinese electric vehicle imports with tariffs of about 100%, though President Donald Trump recently said he would be open to Chinese automakers manufacturing in the U.S. as long as they employ Americans. Munoz's remarks echoed Ford CEO Jim Farley, who told staff in July that the company was bracing for Chinese automakers to enter the U.S. within the next 5-10 years.

Stellantis and Ford are preparing to launch extended-range electric vehicles in the US that run purely on battery power but carry a small gasoline engine used only as an onboard generator, the Wall Street Journal reported on September 7, 2026. Stellantis plans to introduce an extended-range Jeep Grand Wagoneer later this year or early next, followed by the Ram 1500 REV, which the Journal reports can travel roughly 690 miles on a full battery and tank of gas combined. Stellantis previously scrapped an all-electric version of the Ram 1500 in favor of this range-extended design, and plans to offer more than 100 miles of electric range in its new EREVs. Ford plans to bring back the F-150 Lightning as an EREV, while Hyundai is also preparing extended-range models for the US market. Hedge fund holders of Stellantis fell to 26 in the second quarter from 32 in the first, with the combined position value nearly halving to $195 million from $424 million, while Ford's holder count held steady at 50 funds and its position value dipped slightly to $1.02 billion from $1.12 billion.

Automotive analyst John Murphy has predicted hybrids will account for 34% of the U.S. market by 2030, up from just over 18% in 2026, a shift that could redirect investor attention from speculative EV startups to established automakers and the automotive ETFs holding them. Hybrid electric vehicles reached a record 16% of light-duty vehicle sales in the second quarter of 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, while battery electric vehicles saw their market share decline to 6% from 7% the previous year. Toyota, Honda and Hyundai Motor Group currently control 86% of the surging U.S. hybrid market, according to Baum & Associates data cited by CNBC, with Toyota selling over 600,000 hybrids in the United States in the first half of 2026 for a 50% market share and Honda's hybrids now accounting for 31% of American Honda's total sales. The shift has been driven by the expiration of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit in September 2025, which raised the cost of pure EVs by thousands of dollars overnight, and by hybrid pricing that has dropped considerably, with Toyota, Honda, Ford, Hyundai and Kia pushing hybrid variants into their most popular mainstream models at a modest upcharge of $1,500-$2,000. Among the funds positioned for the trend, the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF DRIV, with net assets of $359.2 million, has gained 12.3% year to date and charges 68 basis points, while the First Trust S-Network Future Vehicles & Technology ETF CARZ, with net assets of $46.7 million, has rallied 33% year to date and charges 70 basis points, and the State Street SPDR S&P Kensho Smart Mobility ETF HAIL, with assets under management of $18 million, has risen 3.7% year to date and charges 45 basis points.

Hyundai Motor Group announced it has put its Data Flywheel into full operation, a system creating a virtuous cycle of data collection, AI training, validation and deployment to accelerate autonomous driving development. At its HMG Autonomous Driving Media Day at 42dot headquarters in Gyeonggi Province, Korea, the Group outlined a Dual-Track strategy that pairs NVIDIA solutions-based Level 2+ production targeted for the first half of 2028 and Level 2++ in the second half of 2028, followed by Atria AI-powered Level 2++ vehicles in the second half of 2029. The Group is pursuing progressive sensor standardization across Hyundai Motor, Kia, 42dot and Motional, and is expanding its data ecosystem by leveraging annual sales of 7 million vehicles and its Data Union framework, with a data-centric development framework based on hard example mining, continuous training and SER. A real-world Level 4 pilot will launch in Gwangju by year-end in partnership with Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to secure large-scale validation data, while 42dot shared its Vision-Language-Action autonomous driving technology, which integrates visual information and language-based reasoning to guide driving decisions and address edge cases alongside parallel end-to-end autonomy development. Minwoo Park, President and Head of Advanced Vehicle Platform Division at Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of 42dot, said autonomous driving competitiveness now comes down to how much data a company secures, how quickly it learns and how effectively those results reach products and services.

Samsung Electronics Co.'s anticipated equity buyback is raising investor expectations that the Korean giant will purchase non-voting preferred shares, narrowing a steep discount and setting an example for others. More than 100 South Korean companies, including Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Chem Ltd., have issued preferred shares, which trade at an average 45% discount to common stock, according to Sachin Mistry, a portfolio manager at Palliser Capital in London. Last month, Samsung said it will spend up to 110 trillion won ($81.8 billion) on shareholder returns, one of the largest such programs worldwide, and the gap between its preferred and common shares currently stands at 26%, the widest in over a decade. Hyundai Motor also announced a buyback in August that includes preferred shares. Under Korean law, Samsung's financial affiliates cannot hold more than 10% of voting common stock, so a large buyback of common shares could force them to sell, making preferred shares a more attractive target. Investors like Yacktman Asset Management expect such buybacks to narrow the discount and help reduce the broader 'Korea discount' in equity valuations.

Hyundai-Posco Louisiana Steel, a joint venture between Hyundai Steel and Posco Group, has begun construction of a $5.8 billion fully integrated steel plant in Louisiana, with production slated to start in the first quarter of 2029. The venture will fund half of the project, with Posco contributing 20% and Hyundai and Kia each 15%. Described as the first-of-its-kind electric arc furnace plant, it will supply low-carbon steel sheets to North American automakers, particularly Hyundai Motor Group, and is expected to employ over 1,300 people directly. The facility aims to cut CO2 emissions by 70% compared to conventional blast furnaces and will support South Korea's $350 billion US investment commitment under the 2025 trade deal.

Plus Automation, Inc., known as PlusAI, a developer of AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks, has agreed to go public through a business combination with special purpose acquisition company Texas Ventures Acquisition III Corp. The deal values PlusAI at an approximately $800 million pre-money equity value and could bring up to roughly $300 million in capital, including over $60 million in fully committed financing and about $236 million from the SPAC's trust. PlusAI has generated $25 million in revenue from its HyperFoundry software platform and targets $40 to $50 million in contracted revenue for 2026, while its SuperDrive Level 4 autonomous driving system is already hauling freight in Texas with Ryder and International. The combined company will operate as PlusAI, with the transaction expected to close in 2026 and support a targeted 2027 commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks with partners including TRATON, Hyundai, and IVECO.

Hyundai Mobis has commenced full-scale mass production of PE systems, the integrated electric powertrain units that power EVs, at its new plant in Nováky, Slovakia, marking its first PE system production base in Europe and its third electrification facility in the region, following BSA plants in the Czech Republic and Spain. The facility, which held its grand opening ceremony attended by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and other officials, has an annual capacity of up to 280,000 PE systems and represents an investment of approximately KRW 250 billion. The plant will supply key electrification components to Hyundai Motor, Kia, and other global automakers, supporting Hyundai Mobis's goal of increasing revenue from global customers to 40% by 2033.

Hyundai is making a major push into the US market with a new lineup of electric vehicles, a midsize pickup, and plans to expand domestic production capacity by 500,000 vehicles by 2030, a significant move for a company that sells around 5 million vehicles globally. The automaker also introduced an E-Rev model, an EV with a gas-powered generator that can extend range to potentially 600 miles, starting with the Santa Fe E-Rev. Hyundai aims to fill a gap in its lineup by entering the midsize truck segment, competing with models like the Tacoma and Chevy Colorado, despite the fiercely competitive truck market. The expansion is partly driven by tariffs, as Hyundai seeks to localize production to avoid import duties, a strategy that aligns with President Trump's push for more domestic manufacturing.

Hyundai CEO Carlos Munoz announced at the 2026 CEO Investor Day that the company will expand US production and introduce a wave of new hybrids and its first extended-range EV, part of its most aggressive product push ever. The automaker plans to add 500,000 units of annual capacity in North America by 2030, part of a global expansion of 1.27 million units, and will raise its US local-parts sourcing target to 80% from 60%. Hyundai will offer more than 10 hybrid models in North America by 2030, aiming for a 50% sales mix, and will build the Santa Fe EREV, with over 600 miles of range, in Alabama starting in the first half of 2027. The company also targets new body-on-frame trucks, including a midsize pickup, to compete with Ford, General Motors, and Toyota. Hyundai reaffirmed its 2030 global sales goal of 5.55 million units and raised its operating margin target to above 9%, up from a prior 8-9%, while maintaining 2026 guidance of 6.3% to 7.3%.

Hyundai Motor has unveiled its most aggressive product offensive in company history, planning to launch or refresh more than 100 vehicle models across 18 new segments, while boosting global production capacity by nearly 1.3 million units by 2030. The focus will be on hybrids in the U.S. to compete with Toyota and counter Chinese rivals like BYD and Geely. CEO Jose Munoz announced the plan at the CEO Investor Day in Seoul. Of these, 58 new or refreshed models will enter the U.S. market, its largest, with 41 for Europe, 26 for India, and 22 for China. Within the next eight months, Hyundai will launch seven models, including the new Tucson and its hybrid, the Ioniq 3, and the Santa Fe Extended-Range EV, which has a total range of over 600 miles and uses a battery that charges 40% faster. These will be produced at its Alabama plant. Hyundai also aims to increase production capacity in North America by 500,000 units, India by 320,000, and South Korea by 200,000, and raise the North American parts ratio from 60% to 80% to mitigate the impact of Trump's import tariffs. Meanwhile, the Genesis brand will launch its first hybrid through the GV80 SUV and its first Extended-Range EV early next year, with a sales target of 350,000 units annually by 2030. Additionally, Hyundai is expanding Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot training center at its Georgia plant tenfold and plans to produce 30,000 robots per year by 2028.

Hyundai Motor and its labour union have reached a tentative wage agreement, ending a period of industrial action that hit production at the South Korean automaker. Under the terms, monthly base pay will rise by Won100,000 ($72.20), alongside a performance bonus worth more than 400% of monthly salary and a separate lump-sum payment of Won12.5m. The retirement age will be pushed back from 60 to 65, though this depends on corresponding changes to relevant laws and regulations. Union members are due to vote on the agreement on 31 August, a step that would formally close out this year's wage talks at the country's largest carmaker. The union, which represents 400,000 workers, carried out a total of 60 hours of strike action over the course of the year, leading to roughly 120 hours of lost production across two shifts, with industry estimates putting the cumulative cost at around 55,200 vehicles in lost output and forgone sales topping Won2.3tn.

Hyundai Translead announced the addition of Range Zero Emissions to its authorized commercial vehicle dealer network, expanding customer access to Hyundai Motor's XCIENT Fuel Cell truck in North America. Range Zero Emissions, described as the nation's largest multi-OEM commercial EV distribution platform, will primarily support XCIENT Fuel Cell customers throughout Washington from its Fife, Washington flagship showroom and service center, with additional opportunities across the broader Pacific Northwest region. The partnership aims to provide fleets with vehicles, infrastructure, financing, incentive expertise, service, and support under one roof. Hyundai Translead, headquartered in San Diego and wholly owned by Hyundai Motor Company, is the exclusive distributor of Hyundai Motors' XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in North America.

Hyundai Motor and its labor union have reached a tentative agreement on wages and bonuses following a rare full-day strike. The deal includes a 100,000 won increase in basic monthly salary and a bonus equivalent to four months' pay, with the company also agreeing to raise the retirement age once government legislation extends it from 60 to 65. Hyundai will not apply the wage peak system after the retirement age is extended. Union members will vote on the proposals on August 31. The strike involved around 40,000 workers and caused estimated losses of about $1.6 billion.

Tesla will unveil the production Cybercab at a launch event in Austin, Texas, on September 3rd, as the company ramps up its self-driving efforts. The two-seat, purpose-built robotaxi has no steering wheel or pedals and is Tesla's first vehicle designed purely for autonomy, meant to run on its Full Self-Driving software as part of the Robotaxi fleet launched in Austin last year. The launch follows last week's unanimous approval by the Nevada Transportation Authority of permits for Tesla, Waymo, and Uber to run commercial robotaxis in Clark County, authorizing up to 8,000 driverless vehicles over the next 12 months. Tesla drew the largest allocation of around 5,000 robotaxis, though its Cybercab chief engineer told regulators the company expects to field around 2,500 within the year, calling the 5,000 figure a ceiling. Alphabet's Waymo was cleared for up to 1,000 vehicles, while Uber secured 1,000 more through partnerships with Hyundai-backed Motional and Amazon's Zoox, which holds a separate permit for 100.

MarketsandMarkets projects the EV charging station market will grow from USD 38.55 billion in 2026 to USD 120.85 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 17.7%. The expansion is driven by OEM-led investments from Tesla, Rivian, and Hyundai, along with public and private capital from players such as ChargePoint and BP Pulse. Advancements in ultra-fast DC charging of 150 to 350 kilowatts are aligning with OEM migration toward 800-volt and 1,000-volt vehicle platforms. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest region in 2026, with China projected to hold the largest share globally. Key players include ABB, BYD, ChargePoint, Tesla, and Siemens.

Hyundai Motor is considering expanding its Georgia Metaplant to lift annual capacity from 500,000 vehicles to between 700,000 and 800,000 by 2028, CEO José Muñoz told CNBC. At the top of that range, the Bryan County site would become the largest vehicle assembly plant in the United States by capacity, passing facilities run by Tesla and Toyota. Muñoz said tariffs are helping accelerate the company's localization plan, and the potential increase sits inside a larger $26 billion US investment plan running through 2028. Hyundai absorbed an additional 4.1 trillion won, roughly $2.9 billion, in tariff-related costs across 2025, and operating profit fell 19.5% for the year. The company wants at least 80% of the vehicles it sells in the US built there by the end of the decade, up from roughly 40% in 2024.

The Nevada Transportation Authority unanimously approved three permits Thursday allowing Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Together, the permits would deploy up to 8,000 robotaxis across the county over the next 12 months, with Tesla allowed up to 5,000 vehicles, Waymo up to 1,000, and Uber up to 1,000 through partnerships with Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox. Tesla's Cybercab chief engineer Eric Early said the 5,000 figure is a ceiling and the company would be happy to reach 2,500 vehicles in the next year. Representatives from the Livery Operators Association and local taxi companies opposed the permits, citing concerns about oversaturation and roadway overcrowding.

Hyundai Motor America announced that eligible Hyundai EV owners will receive a 10% charging discount on every charging session at all IONNA fast-charging stations beginning Aug. 19, 2026. The discount is applied automatically when customers initiate a charging session using Hyundai In-App Charging or Plug & Charge functionality through the MyHyundai with Bluelink app. IONNA is also giving eligible Hyundai electric vehicles an additional 10% bonus discount on charging sessions now through Sept. 30, 2026, bringing the total charging discount to 20% for a limited time. Eligible vehicles include select Hyundai electric models equipped with In-App Charging and/or Plug & Charge capability, including the Hyundai IONIQ 5 from 2022 model year and newer, IONIQ 5 N from 2025, IONIQ 9 from 2026, and KONA Electric from 2025, as well as select Genesis EV models including the GV60 and Electrified GV70 from 2026 model year and newer. Hyundai is a founding partner in IONNA, the high-speed EV charging network created by leading global automakers to expand reliable, customer-friendly public charging across the U.S.

Hyundai Motor Group announced it is accelerating AI transformation across its organization, building on digital transformation efforts that began in 2019. At its AX Achievement Showcase in Seoul, the Group highlighted key achievements including the Global One Data Pipeline for a unified data foundation, the H Chat Pro generative AI tool for broad employee access, and AI-powered innovations in R&D, manufacturing, and service operations such as the Crash Safety AI Assistant and AI Automated Recognition Service. President Eunsook Jin stated that the Group is expanding AI integration to internalize it as a competitive advantage, while also preparing for the Physical AI era by leveraging data and expertise across vehicles, robotics, and manufacturing.

Hyundai Motor America reported its best July sales month in company history with total sales of 82,480 units, a 4% increase compared with July 2025. Hybrid electric vehicle sales jumped 35% year over year, driving electrified vehicles to one-third of all retail sales and setting all-time July records for Sonata HEV, Elantra HEV, and Tucson HEV. The Tucson family posted a 20% sales increase, contributing to SUVs representing 73% of July sales. Year-to-date sales reached 533,048 units, up 3% from the same period last year.

Hyundai Capital Australia and Smart have formed a partnership to simplify and increase the accessibility of novated leasing for electric vehicles at Hyundai and Genesis dealerships. The collaboration bundles cost savings with significant tax advantages, particularly for EVs qualifying for the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption, offering Australians a more cost-effective pathway to EV ownership. Hyundai Motor last closed at ₩389,500, up 11%. Elsewhere, Ibiden Ltd surged 22% to ¥16,650, while Aisin fell 11.7% to ¥2,224 after hosting its Q1 2027 earnings call.

South Korea's composite stock index closed up 1,001.89 points, or 17.91%, at 6,595.45, marking the strongest single-day surge in history and shattering the previous record of an 11.95% jump on October 30, 2008. The rally was fueled by strength in semiconductor stocks after Microsoft reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 earnings, with both sales and cloud computing growth exceeding forecasts. Samsung Electronics soared 26.81%, SK hynix surged 29.95%, Hanmi Semiconductor jumped 27.98%, and SK Square climbed 29.91%. Automaker and shipbuilder stocks also posted strong gains, with Hyundai Motor up 10.54% and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries rising 7.37%.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung announced the company's vision to become a Physical AI solution company at the San Francisco AI Summit. Chung said the Group is evolving beyond automotive manufacturing into autonomous driving, robotics, and AI-defined factories, with an ultimate goal of city-level integrated intelligence. The roadmap leverages the Group's manufacturing competitiveness and robotics capabilities centered on Boston Dynamics, while establishing a data flywheel that connects real-world operational data with continuous AI model advancement. Strategic partnerships with NVIDIA, Waymo, and Boston Dynamics' collaboration with Google DeepMind will accelerate development, including a Robot Reference Platform with NVIDIA and a U.S. robot production facility with annual capacity of up to 30,000 units by 2028. The Group also plans a KRW 9 trillion investment in Saemangeum AI Valley and KRW 42 trillion over the next decade for advanced industrial hubs in Korea's Yeongnam region to support the domestic Physical AI ecosystem.