Hyundai Motor Reenters Japan After 12 Years... Leading with Online, Eco-Friendly, and Car Sharing Services

Hyundai Mobility Japan Changes Corporate Name
Decides to Sell Eco-Friendly Vehicles Online
First Launch of Car-Sharing Platform Linked Sales

Sato Ken, Head of Product Planning at Hyundai Mobility Japan, is presenting at the Hyundai Motor media briefing held on the 8th (local time) at Mitsui Hall in Otemachi, Tokyo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Motor Company has decided to sell passenger cars again in Japan. This comes 12 years after withdrawing at the end of 2009. Until now, it has only operated in the commercial vehicle sector such as buses in Japan.

Japan is a representative market where many foreign brands of consumer goods, including automobiles and home appliances, struggle to gain traction. Hyundai announced its re-entry into Japan this time by emphasizing online sales and a lineup of eco-friendly vehicles such as electric and hydrogen cars. It will also attempt for the first time to link with the car-sharing service currently operating locally.

Jang Jae-hoon, CEO of Hyundai Motor, said in a video greeting to Japanese reporters on the 8th, "We have been continuously considering various forms over the past 12 years since withdrawing from the passenger car market," adding, "We decided to return to the starting point and seriously face our customers again."

Hyundai Motor Company has entered the Japanese passenger car market for the first time in 12 years, promoting the electric vehicle Ioniq 5 (left) and the hydrogen vehicle Nexo as its local sales models.

According to the company, Hyundai will sell the hydrogen car Nexo and the first dedicated platform electric vehicle Ioniq 5 in Japan going forward. They also plan to steadily introduce other eco-friendly vehicles with zero carbon emissions. Instead of using existing sales networks such as dealers, the entire process from vehicle search to payment and delivery will be operated through a one-stop online method via a website and mobile application. Starting in Yokohama in the second half of this year, Hyundai will establish Hyundai Customer Experience Centers in major regions nationwide within a few years. These centers will be used as offline brand experience spaces as well as for purchase support, maintenance, and education.

Another notable point is the partnership with local peer-to-peer car-sharing company DNA Sompo Mobility. This company operates a car-sharing platform called Anyca, and Hyundai plans to provide car-sharing services using the Nexo and Ioniq 5 models introduced locally. The ownership will be linked with sharing by having owners introduce their cars to users through the Anyca platform. The company explained that this is the first time such a method is introduced in the Japanese market and also the first for Hyundai. To signify offering solutions beyond just automobiles to overall mobility, the local subsidiary has also changed its name to Hyundai Mobility Japan.

CEO Jang said, "Hyundai Motor pursues sustainable mobility under the vision of ‘Progress for Humanity,’" adding, "The Japanese market is both a place to learn and a place to take on challenges."

Takao Urabe, Head of Design Team at Hyundai Mobility Japan R&D Center, is giving a presentation in front of the Ioniq 5 at the Hyundai Motor media briefing on the 8th.

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