Dive Brief:
-
Hyundai confirmed plans for an international expansion of its Amazon Autos program “as early as 2027,” the company announced during its CEO Investor Day on Wednesday.
-
Hyundai CEO Jose Muñoz said that Amazon Autos covers 80% U.S. market via dealer enrollment, with used and CPO vehicles now available, and that 78% of those buyers are new to the Hyundai brand.
-
“Our partnership with Amazon continues to expand, as well,” said Muñoz. “Together with AWS, we are scaling our AI work across software, autonomy and robotics.” The CEO and a corresponding presentation deck also referred to potential collaboration across optimized logistics, alternative energy, and new customer experiences.
Dive Insight:
On the technology side, Hyundai’s partnership with Amazon goes back several years, before the launch of Amazon Autos. Hyundai and Amazon partnered in 2023, naming Amazon’s AWS its preferred cloud provider and a key partner in the automaker’s operations.
At this week’s investor event, Hyundai reiterated that AWS will accelerate the automaker’s cloud and AI capabilities, and that Hyundai will roll out Alexa Built-in across the Hyundai and Genesis lineups. Amazon’s role in the automaker’s expansion isn’t expected to diminish as it pushes for an increase in sales growth by 2030.
Hyundai confirmed in late 2023 its intention to sell cars on Amazon, then it launched its partnership with Amazon Autos in late 2024. It added used and CPO vehicles to Amazon Autos in 2025, beginning in Los Angeles area, allowing its dealers to sell non-Hyundai vehicles from their used inventory. Later in 2025, Amazon Autos expanded financing options for used vehicles.
Hyundai hasn’t yet revealed where Amazon Autos intends to expand next, but at present it’s limited to the U.S. The e-commerce portal ties back to local dealerships and started with the Hyundai partnership.
As the e-commerce and tech giant explains: “Amazon Autos is a partnership between participating local dealerships and Amazon that allows you to purchase or lease a vehicle from a dealership using Amazon.com.” The Amazon Autos experience essentially serves as a digital storefront —a different channel than its own, allowing a no-haggle pricing, with fees set up front and the platform noting other incentives or savings as you check out.
Hertz Car Sales was an early seller through Amazon Autos, and the marketplace has also added Ford Blue Advantage CPO vehicles. But the new-car portal remains Hyundai-focused, and labeled “beta.”
Amazon Autos also serves as a data and services provider, providing dealerships with tools to manage their retail business and track sales performance, as employed recently by Michigan’s LaFontaine Automotive Group. Although U.S. franchise laws and rules on direct sales won’t restrict an international expansion, these big data services Amazon can provide surely could help enable it.