Automobile exports reached an all-time high last month as shipments of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen cars increased. Pictured are cars at a Hyundai Motor shipping yard in Ulsan on Nov. 5, 2020. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Hayeon

Automobile exports reached an all-time high last month as shipments of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen-powered cars increased.

All three indicators in the sector - automobile production, domestic demand and exports - increased for the sixth consecutive months.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy report on the automobile industry trend in January released on Feb. 20, exports rose 21.9% month-on-month from last year to USD 4.98 billion.

This is the highest export amount ever in January – the previous peak for the month was USD 4.2 billion in 2013.

The number of shipments increased 11.3% to 201,000 cars. 

By brand, Kia Motors' exports rose 19.7%, while GM Korea and SsangYong Motors also saw 32.3 % and 42.1% growth, respectively.

Hyundai Motor's total exports rose 1.1% from last year as exports of electric vehicles increased while that of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) decreased. 

Renault Korea saw a decrease in shipments of 10.3% due to a drop in XM3 sales. 

Eco-friendly cars accounted for over 35% of auto exports for the first time, becoming a new driving force.

Shipments of these rose 42.3% to USD 1.79 billion last month from the same period a year earlier, and exports by numbers rose 29.8% to 57,000. Both the number of products sold and export income reached record highs. 

Total automobile production rose 13.2% to 307,000 last month due to an improved supply and demand for semiconductors.

The rise in production led to more sales, hitting 117,000 cars domestically during the same period, up 4.7% from January last year.

hayeounk8@korea.kr