Seoul/New Delhi, Sep 30 : Hyundai Motor on Monday reached a major milestone of 100 million units in global cumulative production, an achievement accomplished in 57 years since the company's foundation, the automaker said.

In celebration of the achievement, Hyundai Motor held a ceremony at its plant in Ulsan, some 300 kms southeast of Seoul, where the company produced South Korea's first mass-produced independent model, the Pony, in 1975.

The company said it delivered its 100 millionth and first vehicle, an Ioniq 5, directly to a customer. The vehicle rolled off the final inspection conveyor belt at the plant's shipping centre during a handover ceremony, reports Yonhap news agency.

"Reaching global cumulative production of 100 million vehicles is a meaningful milestone that was possible thanks to our customers around the world who have chosen and supported Hyundai Motor since the very beginning," Chang Jae-hoon, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor, said.

Chang added, "Taking on bold challenges and being in constant pursuit of innovation have enabled us to achieve rapid growth and will empower us to take one step further toward another 100 million units as a mobility game changer."

The Ulsan Plant, which began operations in 1968, holds significant historical importance as the birthplace of the development of the Korean automobile industry. The plant serves as a central hub for electrification, with Hyundai currently establishing a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) facility at the site.

Hyundai Motor's achievement is seen as one of the fastest growth among global automakers.

From 1967 to August of this year, the bestselling model was the Avante, known as the Elantra overseas, with 15.37 million units sold, followed by the Accent with 10.25 million units, the Sonata with 9.48 million units, the Tucson with 9.36 million units and the Santa Fe with 5.95 million units.

This achievement follows Hyundai Motor's continuous growth, fueled by the launch of the premium brand Genesis, the high-performance brand N, and the introduction of EVs such as the Ioniq 5 based on the company's dedicated electric global modular platform.

The company's global footprint has expanded with production facilities in Turkey, India, the United States and the Czech Republic, contributing to record achievements, including surpassing 50 million vehicles manufactured in 2013.

/IANS