Hyundai accused of faking EV sales numbers in US

STORY: A new lawsuit in the U.S. accuses Hyundai of faking EV sales numbers there.

The case was filed in a Chicago federal court late last week by Napleton Aurora Imports and affiliated franchises.

They say Hyundai’s U.S. arm pressured dealers to alter inventory records to exaggerate sales numbers.

Dealers who played along were allegedly rewarded with extra stock of fast-selling models.

The suit says they also got discounts on wholesale prices for the cars, and other benefits.

In a statement Monday, Hyundai said it did not condone any falsification of data, and had opened an investigation as soon as it was told of the allegations.

The lawsuit claims the firm wanted to create the impression of booming demand for EVs.

It quotes a company sales manager saying “we gotta hit a number for the press”.

The dealers involved say they were denied benefits, and are seeking damages to cover lost sales.

In 2016, Napleton sued Chrysler over similar allegations.

The case was settled out of court, with the terms never made public.

In 2019, Chrysler paid $40 million to U.S. watchdogs to settle claims it misled investors over sales numbers.