Hyundai Motor named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chairman Euisun Chung applauds during the opening ceremony of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Ellabell, Georgia, on March 26. (Hyundai Motor)

South Korean auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group has been named to The 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025 by U.S. TIME Magazine, becoming the only Korean company to make the prestigious global ranking.

“Hyundai continues to prove that its rise to the top ranks of global automakers—it was the third-largest automaker in 2024—was no fluke,” TIME Magazine said on Thursday. “With 14,000 new full-time jobs expected in expanded production facilities, Hyundai‘s American roots continue to deepen.”

The recognition underscores the success of Chairman Euisun Chung’s transformative leadership as he approaches his fifth anniversary at the helm this October.

Under Chung’s direction, the automaker has aggressively expanded into future mobility, premium branding, and strategic partnerships — or “frenemies” — to secure its position in an increasingly competitive global market.

Its electric vehicle (EV) strategy has been central to this transformation.

Since launching its dedicated E-GMP in 2021, Hyundai has sold more than 1 million EVs as of May 2025, led by the Ioniq 5 and its successors. The company plans to double its hybrid lineup to 14 models by 2030, extending offerings from compact cars to luxury models.

Hyundai Motor Group is betting on software-defined vehicles (SDVs) to revolutionize the driving experience.

The second-generation Ioniq 5, expected around 2028, will be among the first Hyundai vehicles fully equipped with SDV capabilities, featuring next-gen infotainment and an open digital ecosystem.

The company is also investing in purpose-based vehicles (PBVs), such as the newly launched mid-size PV5, tailored for commercial and shared mobility use cases.

Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand is also gaining ground in the United States, with sales surging from 16,384 units in 2020 to 75,003 units in 2024.

Chung’s “frenemy” approach, a strategy that blends cooperation and competition, has been instrumental in the growth.

Chung met with Toyota Motor Corp Chairman Akio Toyoda in a bilateral “shuttle meeting” that led to a hydrogen partnership despite the companies’ rivalry in conventional and hybrid vehicle segments.

Hyundai Motor Group’s financial performance reflects its strategic pivot. In 2024, the group posted an operating profit of 26.9 trillion won, a six-fold increase compared to 2020, the year Chung took office.