Hyundai pressured its dealers to “artificially inflate” its electric vehicle sales figures, instituting a system in which dealers who “played ball” were rewarded while those who refused were “punished,” a new lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Chicago by Napleton Aurora Imports in Illinois and affiliated franchises, says that Hyundai has issued numerous press releases touting the “fake” numbers that purport to show year-over-year growth in EV sales.
Dealers who declined to participate in the alleged ruse were put at a competitive disadvantage, including being forced to push unpopular vehicles or denied wholesale price discounts for customers.
Hyundai “has emphasized…