Seoul: Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Sunday its cumulative electric vehicle (EV) sales in the domestic market have surpassed 100,000 units so far this year. It is the first time an automaker operating in South Korea has reached the milestone in EV sales, the company said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, from January through September 17, Kia's cumulative EV sales reached 100,118 units, more than doubling from 45,518 units during the same period last year, based on Kia sales data. EVs accounted for 23.8 percent of Kia's total sales of 420,426 vehicles during the period, indicating that nearly one in four vehicles sold was an EV.

Kia's EV lineup includes the EV3, EV4, and EV5 sedans, the EV6 and EV9 SUVs, and the purpose-built vehicle (PBV) model PV5. The maker of the K5 sedan and Sorento SUV unveiled the PV7, its second PBV model, in Germany last month. Kia plans to initially launch the PV7 Cargo Long and PV7 Passenger Long, both about 5.3 meters long, in South Korea and Europe in the second half of 2027.

"The company will strengthen its leadership in the domestic EV market by expanding its PBV lineup with the PV7," a Kia official said.