Hyundai Sued Over Allegations of Faking EV Sales Data
The Facts
A group of US Hyundai dealers is suing the South Korean automaker over allegations the company inflated sales figures for electric vehicles (EVs) and retaliating against dealerships that didn't cooperate with the scheme.
In the suit, Napleton Aurora Imports accuses Hyundai of pressuring dealers into misusing inventory codes for loaner cars to record more sales. Dealers that did so allegedly received more inventory of top-selling models and discounts compared to those that didn't.
The Spin
Narrative A
Despite massive government subsidies, consumers simply don't want to buy electric vehicles on a mass scale. Price differences, charging infrastructure, and anxieties over battery life are all reflected in an attempted gamification of the electric vehicle sales numbers. If true, these allegations prove that the electric push is an inorganic sham.
Narrative B
These allegations say more about Hyundai than they do about electric vehicles. From using child labor at their factories in Alabama to being implicated in the nationwide wave of auto thefts, Hyundai has been at the epicenter of numerous controversies in the auto world and must take corrective actions.
