Hyundai builds local fan base with Japan's first official owner club
Hyundai Motor Club Japan, formed by local owners and enthusiasts of Hyundai vehicles, held its launch ceremony on Sunday in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
The club, comprised largely of electric vehicle drivers, is expected to become a key channel for sharing Hyundai EV ownership experiences in the Japanese market.
To celebrate the formation of the brand's first overseas fan club, members of Hyundai's existing fan club in Korea and officials from Hyundai Motor Company, including Hyundai Mobility Japan CEO Toshiyuki Shimegi, attended the event.
'The members of Hyundai Motor Club Japan will be a driving force in the development of Hyundai's electric vehicle presence in Japan,' said the CEO. 'We hope EV owners around the world can feel the value of Hyundai's EVs through a lifestyle shared with our brand.'
The company is focusing on Japan's nascent EV market in its second attempt to enter the country's passenger car sector, after withdrawing in 2009 due to sluggish sales of internal combustion engine models.
This time, the company exclusively rolled out electric and fuel cell models. Models currently available in the market include the Ioniq 5, Kona Electric, Casper EV — sold locally as Inster — and the Nexo.
Although Hyundai's annual sales in Japan remain below 1,000 units, the company is gradually building its presence in what is often called a 'graveyard for imported cars' due to the strength of domestic automakers.
In 2024, Hyundai sold 607 vehicles in Japan, up 24 percent from the previous year. During the same period, the country's total EV sales declined by 33 percent to 59,736 units, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
In the first half of 2025, Hyundai sold 438 units, equivalent to 70 percent of all sales made in 2024, while the overall EV market contracted another 7 percent year on year.
Hyundai already supports a domestic fan club with over 122,000 members in Korea, and plans to back the newly formed Japanese group, too. It sees the club as a channel for collecting local feedback, better understanding consumer preferences and expanding brand awareness.
'We aim to grow Hyundai's global fandom, not just in Japan, but wherever Hyundai customers are,' a company official said.
'By listening to our customers, we hope to amplify Hyundai's unique values and deliver a better ownership experience.'
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