Expect November to be filled with presidential election headlines and record electric vehicle sales. With the race very close, reports suggest car buyers are holding back on major life decisions. Many are waiting for the election results before returning home with a new vehicle. But Hyundai And Kia appear to have bucked that trend, posting record sales in October powered by fully electric and hybrid models.

Welcome back to Critical materialsyour daily roundup of the news and events shaping the world of electric cars, software-defined vehicles and autonomous technology.

Also on the program for today’s evening: Toyota has partnered with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) in Japan to use artificial intelligence and automated driving systems to reduce road accidents. It looks like TeslaThe approach is gaining ground. And while the Japanese automaker is preparing for an automated future, its current sales aren’t looking great. Toyota reported a sharp decline in its global vehicle production for the first time in four years. Keep reading to find out why this happened.

30%: Hyundai and Kia electric and hybrid models are having a moment

Hyundai and Kia have some momentum heading into the final quarter of the year, unfazed by the turbulent and chaotic presidential election season that the auto industry, and electric vehicles in particular, has endured. sustained vitriol for no good reason.

Hyundai said its overall auto sales in October rose 18% to 71,802 units, while Kia sales rose 16% to 68,908. Hyundai said models like the Ionic 5Santa Fe Hybrid and Tucson Hybrid helped it achieve these record numbers.

Ioniq 5 sales increased 51% as Hyundai delivered 4,498 units in October. Unfortunately Ionic 6 sales saw a sharp decline of 32%, with only 837 units sold. It’s a shame because the Ioniq 6, at least in these eyes, is one of the best-looking cars on the market. And it’s not left out in terms of autonomy and performance. It’s simply a sedan in a world dominated by SUVs. (Don’t tell the Toyota Corolla I said that.)

Speaking of SUVs, sales of the Santa Fe Hybrid increased by 136% and those of the Tucson Hybrid by 140%.

Here’s what Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, said in a press release:

Hyundai set a record for total sales in October for the third year in a row. The Santa Fe HEV, Tucson HEV and IONIQ 5 have led the way, demonstrating strong demand for our electrified vehicles that offer cutting-edge technology and exceptional design.

At Kia, the Sportage, Carnival and EV6 models all posted record sales in October. EV6 sales increased 12% to 1,732 units. The EV6’s larger three-row electric brother has outperformed it. Kia sold nearly 2,000 units of the EV9who received rave reviews and is currently in a league of its own, especially in the $50,000 to $70,000 price range.

We will see if this momentum continues beyond November 5. If you’re a fan of electric vehicles, buckle up. The next few days could either lift your spirits to new heights or be a complete disappointment.

A victory by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump could signal a difficult road ahead for electric vehicles: He has pledged to roll back pro-EV policies that helped companies like Hyundai and Kia achieve record sales. But things could improve if Vice President Harris wins the race: she is expected to continue (or even expand) Biden’s pro-EV policies.

Either way, it’s going to be an exciting week. If you want to know how this will affect the auto market, keep reading Inside electric vehicles.

60%: Toyota wants to use AI to reduce accidents

Toyota’s latest press release contains buzzwords such as “AI platforms”, “data centers” and “computing resources”. Sound familiar? That’s because – and I hate to say this – Toyota is following Tesla’s lead in automating its future cars.

I understand. Data is the new oil and you can hardly blame automakers for jumping on the bandwagon these days.

Toyota announced Thursday that it is partnering with telecommunications giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) to develop automated driving technology. Just like Volvo, Tesla and many others, Toyota announced that it would build software-defined cars (SDV) to reduce road accidents.

To achieve this, Toyota and NTT will develop what they call an “AI platform for mobility” with an investment of $3.3 billion by 2030. The initiative includes “developing support for advanced driving/future data-driven automated driving systems with AI.” learn on its own based on large amounts of driving data,” Toyota said.

The news comes as Toyota’s competitors in China and other parts of the world are making progress in electric vehicle sales and autonomous vehicle testing. Toyota remains the world’s largest automaker in terms of sales volume, and it’s prepare for an electrified future with huge investments in batteries and new electric vehicle models. But most of these projects have not yet come to fruition.

This is now reflected in its global sales and production.

90%: Toyota’s global production falls for the first time in four years

Toyota’s global production fell 7% between April and September, marking its first decline in nearly half a decade. Local reports from Japan suggest that a quality scandal and growing competition in China are putting pressure on Toyota’s domestic and foreign sales.

Toyota manufactured 4.71 million vehicles in the first half of fiscal 2024, compared to 5.04 million vehicles produced in the same period last year. Its production fell 17.1% in China, where BYD and other local automakers continue to dominate with affordable electric and plug-in vehicles. Its volumes in North America fell by 1.7% while in Europe they experienced slight growth of 3.2%.

Its global electric vehicle sales increased 32.5% to 78,178 units during the six-month period, so that’s a strong indicator of where things are headed. And Toyota and Lexus don’t yet offer truly competitive electric SUVs in the United States. This should change in the coming years. So I don’t count them. Not yet, at least.

100%: Will a Trump victory hurt electric vehicle sales?

Photo by: InsideEVs

Hyundai and Kia posted record auto sales in October. This is despite the fact that many buyers are holding back on their purchases. Do you think a Trump victory next week could weaken the current strong momentum in electric vehicles?

We reported yesterday that it will be difficult for Trump to completely repeal the inflation reduction lawwhich has boosted sales and production of electric vehicles in the United States. However, IRA funds that have not yet been spent could be at risk. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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