Seoul, Aug 5 (IANS): Electric vehicle sales by Kia, South Korea's No 2 automaker, in the United States from January to July jumped twofold on-year thanks to the strong demand of the company's EV9 SUV model, industry data showed on Monday.

According to the data from the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, Kia's EV sales in the U.S. during the first seven months of the year totalled 33,957 units, marking a twofold rise from 16,941 units last year, reports Yonhap news agency.

Kia's U.S. EV sales performance is especially noteworthy when compared with the overall segment growth in the country. The total U.S. EV market grew by only 0.9 per cent on-year during the cited period, from 638,716 units to 644,752 units.

Industry watchers attribute the strong demand of the EV9 SUV model as a key driver of Kia's growth in the segment in the American market.

From January to July, 11,486 units of the EV9 were sold in the country, accounting for 34 per cent of Kia's total EV sales there.

Thanks to Kia's performance, Hyundai Motor Group maintains a double-digit market share in the U.S. EV market. From January to July, the group's market share reached 11.1 per cent, marking the highest portion for the period in the group's history.

The proportion of EVs within Kia's entire eco-friendly vehicle lineup, encompassing EVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrid models, has also significantly increased.

From January to July this year, EVs accounted for 44.5 per cent of Kia's total eco-friendly vehicle sales, with 33,957 out of 76,393 units sold being EVs. The portion is nearly double from last year's 23.7 per cent reading.