Amazon will begin selling new Hyundai cars in the U.S. next year, the two companies have announced, Reuters reports.
Consumers will be able to equip and buy a car at Amazon.com and schedule delivery through a local Hyundai dealer.
Hyundai has had a digital showroom on Amazon.com — enabling customers to configure a vehicle, calculate the price and locate a dealer to complete the sale — for a number of year, but the new agreement represents a significant expansion of that arrangement.
According to a blog post from Amazon, “This new digital shopping experience will make it easy for customers to purchase a new car online, and then pick it up or have it delivered by their local dealership at a time that works best for them.”
“Customers will be able to search on Amazon for available vehicles in their area based on a range of preferences, including model, trim, color, and features; choose their preferred car; and then check out online with their chosen payment and financing options — all within the Amazon experience they already know and trust. This new shopping experience will create another way for dealers to build awareness of their selection and offer convenience to their customers.”
“Partnering with one of the world’s most customer-centric organizations unlocks incredible opportunities as we continue to expand our portfolio, grow our sales network, transition to electrification and realize the future of smart mobility,” Hyundai CEO Jay Chang said in a statement.
If Amazon’s partnership with Hyundai proves successful, other automakers may follow suit, and the e-commerce giant could even move into used car sales.
This is not Amazon’s first foray in the automotive sector; in 2019, it launched Amazon Motors in Spain in conjunction with third-party leasing company ALD Automotive. The site offered 36- or 48-month leases on seven marques: BMW, Ford, Seat, Tesla, Fiat, Jeep and Subaru. At the time, Amazon described this initiative as an “experiment,” and it is no longer in operation.
